Space Programs

By Blackboard23
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    Space Programs

    The history of space programs in modern times

  • Sputnik 1 Launched Successfully

    The Russians launch Sputnik 1 into space. It was the first artificial satellite in space. It's successor, Sputnik 2, would launch in November of 1957 with the dog, Laika, in it.
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    Mariner Program

    A series of 10 crafts that studied Venus, Mercury, and Mars. 3 of the launches failed, including the first one.

  • Skylab Space Station Orbits Earth

    The first space station, Skyland, starts its orbit around Earth. It proves that humans can live and work in space. The station lasted until 1979 and 9 people lived on it.

  • Viking 1 Launched

    The craft Viking 1 begins it's journey to the Red Planet, to discover more about Mars for the human race.

  • VIking 2 Launched

    Viking 2, the successor of Viking 1, is launched at Cape Canaveral, Florida to Mars.

  • VIking 1 Lands on Mars

    The lander of Viking 1 is successfully put on another world, to take the first picture from Mars later on.

  • Viking 2 Lands on Mars

    Viking 2 lands on Mars 2 months after Viking 1 to begin its primary mission.

  • VIking 2 Ends Primary Mission

    VIking 2 successfully completes its mission after 2 months. It will pick up its second mission in December.

  • Voyager 2 Sent Into Space

    The second of the Voyager probes is launched to Space. Athough it and it's twin, Voyager 1, were meant to travel to just Jupiter and Saturn, they actually went to Neptune and Uranus as well.

  • Voyager 1 Launched

    The first Voyager probe is sent into space to study the atmosphere of Jupiter and Saturn. Ironically, it is sent out after the Voyager 2 probe.

  • VIking 2 Turned Off

    After completing both of its missions, connection with VIking 2 is terminated.

  • Viking 1 Mission Ends

    After 5 years of faithfully gathering information, Viking 1 completes its mission and is stopped.

  • Beginning of Space Shuttle Program

    The first launch of a space shuttle. The shuttle launched was Endeavor. The program would last 30 years, ending in 2011 with the last shuttle to be launched, Discovery.

  • MIR Begins Orbit

    The Russian Space Station begins orbit around earth. The craft has two add-ons later in the decade and performs an experiment in which it flies a banner visible to earth.

  • Magellan Launched to Venus

    The spacecraft Magellan is sent from the space shuttle Atlantis to map and study Venus.

  • Galileo Probe Launched

    The probe Galileo was designed to study Jupiter. This was the date it started its journey to Jupiter.

  • Hubble Telescope Launch

    The launch of the Hubble Space Telescope. It takes pictures of deep space and sends them to earth. It is still sending back images.

  • Cassini Probe Launched

    The probe Cassini is deployed. It's main purpose was to study Saturn and it's rings. The probe also did flyby's of Earth, the Moon, Venus, and Jupiter.

  • Genesis Mission Launched

    The craft Gemini is launched into space on its mission to collect particles from the solar wind.

  • Spirit Mars Rover Deployed

    The rover was one of two sent to mars. It would arrive on January 4, 2004. Even though it was designed to study Mars for 3 months, its mission was only cancelled in 2011, due to a broken wheel.

  • Opportunity Rover Launched

    The second part of the Mars rovers, Opportunity would land on Mars on January 25, 2004. The rover is still operating and collecting data today.

  • Cassini Orbits Saturn

    The space probe Cassini reaches Satun and begins it's mission to study it.

  • Gemini Crash-Lands on Earth

    Gemini's parachute doesn't deploy and it crash-lands in Oregon. The particles it collected will still be recieved.

  • N.E.A.R. Lands on Eros

    Launched in 1996, the N.E.A.R. Shoemaker was designed to study the asteroid, Eros. It's last call to Earth was on February 28, 2001.