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Sputnik Launched
The Soviets launched the satellite, Sputnik, into orbit. The U.S. feared the USSR had the technology to deliver a nuclear weapon via the R-7 Rocket.
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Laika the Space Dog in Orbit
USSR launches Sputnik 2 which carried a small dog named Laika into orbit. Laika, the first animal to reach space,helped some of mankinds greatest adventures later on.
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Government Agency in Charge of NASA
The United States created a government agency in charge of it's space program called NASA. Although the US already had it's own satellite plans in place as part of the international Geophysical Year, the Russian events spurred the Space Age, and in particular gave urgency to the founding of an American national space agency.
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Luna 1 is Launched
Luna 1 is launched by the USSR. It is the first man made object to orbit the Sun. Luna 1 was the first spacecraft to reach the moon.
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First Weather Satellite
Tiros 1, the first successful weather satellite is launched. The Tiros 1 proved extremely successful, providing the first accurate weather forecasts based on data gathered from space.
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First Human in Space
The Soviets launched the first human into space. April 12 was already a huge day in space history 20 years before the launch of the first shuttle mission.
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First Object to Impact Venus
Venus 3 is launched. It becomes the first man made object to impact Venus on March 1, 1966. The Venus 3, or also called Venera 3, failed to return data.
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First Spacecraft to Soft-Land on Moon
Luna 9 becomes the first spacecraft to soft-land on the moon. It was the first successful mission of the series of lunar explores using the 'E-6' flight bus, used for both lander and orbiter missions.
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First Satellite to Orbit the Moon
Luna 10 becomes the first satellite to orbit the moon. Following the failure of an identical mission on March 1, 1966 which never left earth orbit and was designated Cosmos 111, Luna 10 was launched on March 31, 1966 at 10:48 UT.
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Astronauts Circled the Moon
Three American astronauts circled the moon aboard the Apollo 11. An estimated 530 million people watched Neil Armstrong's televised image and heared his voice describe the event as he took "...one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
-Space Exploration Packet