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Launching of Sputnik 1
RUSSIAN. Sputnik I was launched by the Soviet Union, and the first satellite to be put into Earth's orbit. This satellite was the first of multiple satellites under the Sputnik Program. This event eventually started the Space Race with the United States. -
Period: to
Space Race
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Launching of Sputnik II
RUSSIAN. In this launch, the Soviet Union sent the first animal in space: a dog named Laika. Because there was no way that Laika could be brought back to Earth safely, she died during the flight. Some reports indicate that she died soon after liftoff. -
Explorer I Enters Orbit
AMERICAN. The first American satellite, Explorer I, enters orbit around Earth. Besides being the first American satellite in space, its importance also comes from the fact that it was the first spacecraft to detect the Van Allen radiation belt. -
NASA Launches Monkeys Into Space
AMERICAN. NASA launches two monkeys from Cape Canaveral and successfully recovers them in the Atlantic Ocean. -
Soviet Union Launches Luna 2
RUSSIAN. Sometime in September of 1959, the Soviets launch Luna 2, making it the first man-made object to reach another planetary body as it crash-landed on the moon. -
First Man in Space
RUSSIAN. Yuri Gargarin becomes the first man ever in space. Vostok I carried him into the orbit of Earth. -
First American in Space
AMERICAN. Alan Shepard becomes the first American in space as he commands Freedom 7 on the first Mercury mission. He was in space for only 15 minutes. -
First Woman in Space
RUSSIAN. Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first woman in space. During her time in space, she tested herself to see any reactions of the female body to the conditions in space. -
Soviet Union Launches Luna 10
RUSSIAN. Luna 10, launched by the Soviet Union, becomes the first object to achieve lunar orbit. This unmanned probe was also able to send information to Earth about the moon. -
Apollo I
AMERICAN. This mission was planned to be the first manned-mission of the Apollo manned lunar landing program, but because of a cabin fire during a launch pad test, it killed the three crew members of this mission. -
Outer Space Treaty
On the same day in which the Apollo 1 disaster occurred, President Lyndon Johnson and others in London and Moscow sign the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space. Some of the things agreed in this include that outer space shall remain demilitarized. In the image, the countries in green have signed and ratified the treaty while the yellow ones have only signed, and the ones and gray have not. -
First Manned Orbit of the Moon
AMERICAN. Apollo 8 completed the first manned orbit of the moon with Frank Borman commanding the mission, Jim Lovell as the the navigator, and William Anders as photographer. -
First Men on Moon
AMERICAN. During the Apollo 11 mission, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first men to set foot on the moon. They spent 21 hours and 31 minutes on the lunar surface with their landing craft, Eagle. This event showed that President JFK accomplished his goal of reaching the moon before the Soviet Union. -
Apollo 13
AMERICAN. On their way to the moon, oxygen tanks explode on Apollo 13's command-service module. Even though they weren't able to land on the moon, astronauts Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise were able to survive on the Lunar Module with the help of mission control. They eventually returned home and landed safely on April 17, 1970. -
Apllo 17 Returns from the Moon
AMERICAN.The last men to walk on the moon are Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt, who is also the first scientist in space. These men lasted 3 days (75 hours) on the moon during their mission.
