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Sputnik I
Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik I, into space. This event marked the beginning of the "Space Race" between the United States and the Soviet Union. -
Explorer 1
This was the first American satellite to reach orbit. Explorer 1 had specific equipment on it that was used to discover the Van Allen radiation belt. -
NASA
President Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958. This established the NASA program in the United States. -
Luna 1
Luna 1 was launched on this date. It became the first man made object to orbit the sun. -
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy is elected as the 35th president of U.S. -
First Man in Space
Yuri Gagarin, of Soviet Union, becomes the first man in space and to orbit the earth once. -
Alan B. Shepard
Allan Shepard became the first American in space on this date. -
Reach the Moon
President Kennedy informs the country of the goal to reach the moon before the end of the decade. -
John Glenn
On this date american astronaut, John Glenn, was sent into space and orbited the earth 3 times. -
First Woman in Space
Valentina Tereshkova, of the Soviet Union, became the first woman in space. NASA did not employ any female astronauts at this time. -
First Spacewalk
Ed White performs the first spacewalk while astronaut Jim McDivitt remained in the ship. -
Astronauts Die
On this day Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee were killed when a fire ignited in their capsule while performing a test. -
First Steps on Moon
Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin become the first men to walk on the moon. Astronaut Michael Collins orbited the moon alone while this took place.
