Space Race (first 20 events)

Sputnik 1 was launched (USSR)

Oct 4, 1957

First animal in orbit (dog Laika) (USSR)

Nov 3, 1957

First US satellite, detection of Van Allen radiation belts (US)

Jan 31, 1958

First solar powered satellite (US)

Mar 17, 1958

First communications satellite(US)

Dec 18, 1958

First lunar spacecraft(USSR)

Jan 2, 1959

First man- made space craft in orbit(USSR)

Jan 4, 1959

First weather satellite(US)

Feb 17, 1960

Vostok 1 was launched, carrying cosmonaut Yuri Gargain, the first man in space

Apr 12, 1961

Mercury Freedom 7 carried Alan Shepard, first U.S. astronaut in space

May 5, 1961

Mercury Friendship 7 took off with John Glenn, Jr. the first American in orbit

Feb 20, 1962

Mercury Aurora 7 was launched with M. Scott Carpenter

May 24, 1962

U.S. Mariner 2 flew past Venus

Dec 14, 1962

Vostok 6 carried Valentia Tereshkova, the first woman in space(USSR)

Jun 16, 1963

U.S. Ranger 7 took the first close-up pics of the Moon

Jul 31, 1964

The first space walk was made from Soviet Vostok 2 by Alexei A. Leonov

Mar 16, 1965

Edward White made the first U.S. space walk from Gemini 4.

Jun 3, 1965

Soviet Luna 9 was the first spacecraft to land on the moon.

Feb 3, 1966

Soviet Venus 3 was launched, becoming the first craft to hit Venus

May 1, 1966

Surveyor 1 was the first U.S. spacecraft to land on the Moon.

Jun 2, 1966