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Sputnik 1
Sputnik: First Man-made Satellite
The world's first artificial Earth satellite launched by the Russians.
This event drew the U.S. full throttle into the space race.
Launched by the Soviet Union
Had 4 external radio antennas to broadcast radio pulses. -
Sputnik 2
Launched by the Soviet Union
Sputnik 2 was the second spacecraft launched into Earth orbit, on November 3, 1957
First spacecraft to carry a living animal, a dog named Laika, who died a few hours after the launch. -
Sputnik pushes weapons programs
At last, on January 31, 1958, the United States succeeded in launching its first satellite, the Explorer. The Explorer was smaller than Sputnik.
When John F. Kennedy became president in 1961, the United Space fell further behind. The Soviets had already placed a dog in space. Now in Kennedy’s first year on April 12, 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human being to orbit the Earth. -
People in space
Kennedy challenged the American people and government to put a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s. While Kennedy was president, Alan Shepard became the first American to enter space (1961). Then in 1962, John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth. In 1969, many thought of President Kennedy’s challenge when Neil Armstrong became the first human being to set foot on the moon. -
Neil Armstrong
Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon. His famous quote is, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
