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Sputnik I
Sputnik 1, the first man-made object to orbit the Earth, is launched by the U.S.S.R., and remains in orbit until January 4, 1958. -
Sputnik II
Sputnik 2, carrying the dog Laika for 7 days in orbit, is launched by the U.S.S.R., and remains in orbit until April 13, 1958. Laika died soon after entry into space. -
Explorer I
Explorer 1, the first U.S. satellite in orbit, lifts off at Cape Canaveral using a modified ABMA-JPL Jupiter-C rocket. It carries a scientific experiment of James A. Van Allen, and discovers the Earth's radiation belt. -
Sputnik 3
Sputnik 3 is launched by the U.S.S.R. It was a research satellite to explore the upper atmosphere and the near space. -
NASA is founded
N.A.S.A. is founded, taking over existing National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics. -
Luna I
Luna 1, first man-made satellite to orbit the sun, is launched by the U.S.S.R. -
Yuri A. Gargarin, Vostok 1
Vostok 1 is launched by the U.S.S.R., carrying Cosmonaut Yuri A. Gargarin, the first man in space. He orbits the Earth once. -
Alan B. Shepard,Jr., Mercury Freedom 7
Mercury Freedom 7 carries Alan B. Shepard,Jr., the first U.S. Astronaut into space, in a suborbital flight. -
Telstar 1
Telstar 1, U.S. satellite, beams the first live transatlantic telecast. -
Vostok 6
Vostok 6 carries Soviet Cosmonaut Valentia Tereshkova, the first woman in space and orbits the Earth 48 times. -
Soyuz 1
Soviet Soyuz 1 is launched, carrying Vladimir M. Komarov. On April 24 it crashed, killing Komarov, the first spaceflight fatality. -
Apollo 11
Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, Jr. make the first manned soft landing on the Moon, and the first moonwalk, using Apollo 11. -
Luna 17, Lunokhod 1
Luna 17 lands on the moon, with the first automatic robot, Lunokhod 1. Driven by a five-man team on earth, traveled over surface for 11 days. -
Apollo 15
Apollo 15 astronauts David Scott and James Irwin drive the first moon rover. -
Apollo 17 return from the Moon
Apollo 17 was the eleventh and final manned mission in the American Apollo space program.
