King Kompst Space Race

First Signals From Space

Oct 4, 1957

On October 4, 1957, Sputnik 1 was launched into space and allowed us to recieve signals.

First Animal in Orbit

Nov 3, 1957

Sputnik 2 took Laika, a dog, into space. Unfortunately, Laika died during the flight.

First Solar Powered Satellite

Mar 17, 1958

Vanguard 1-NRL was the first satelite that was powered by solar energy.

First Weather Satellite

Feb 17, 1959

Vanguard 2-NASA (NRL)1 was launched and could measure the weather. Later on on April 1, 1960, TIROS-1 was launched. TIROS-1 operated for 78 days and could tell the weather better than Vanguard 2-NASA (NRL)1

First Passive Communications Satellite

Aug 12, 1960

Echo 1A-NASA was launched by the US Mission.

First Animals and Plants Returned Alive From Space

Aug 19, 1960

Sputnik 5 launched into space with living plants and animals. When the rocket returned from space, everything was living.

First Woman in Space

Jun 16, 1963

Valentina Tereshkova (USSR Mission) boarded Vostok 6 to be the first woman in space. She traveled around Earth 48 times.

Five-day human spaceflight record

Jun 19, 1963

First Satellite Navigation System

Dec 5, 1963

NAVSAT-USN was the first satellite navigation system. It was launched by the US Mission.

First orbital rendezvous

Dec 15, 1965

rendezvous is an orbital maneuver during which two spacecraft, one of which is often a space station, arrive at the same orbit and approach to a very close distance (e.g. within visual contact).

First Impact Onto Another Planet

Mar 1, 1966

Venera 3 landed on Venus.

Astronaut Edward Givens Killed in Automobile Accident

Jun 6, 1967

Edward Givens, member of the fifth astronaut group, was killed in an automobile accident.

Astronaut Clifton Williams killed in plane crash

Oct 5, 1967

(September 26, 1932 - October 5, 1967) was a NASA astronaut, a Naval Aviator, and a Major in the United States Marine Corps who was killed in a plane crash. He had never been to space. The crash was caused by a mechanical failure in a NASA T-38 jet trainer.

First Crew Exchange in Space

Jan 16, 1969

Soyuz 4 / Soyuz 5 got the USSR Mission the first crew exchange in space.

First Humans on the Moon

Jul 20, 1969

It was 1961. John F. Kennedy was the president of the United States. He wanted to land humans on the moon. The United States had just started trying to put people in space. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human to step on the moon.

First X-ray orbital observatory

Dec 12, 1970

is a sensitive to X-ray sources 100 times fainter than any previous X-ray telescope, enabled by the high angular resolution of its mirrors.

First Signals From Another Planet

Dec 15, 1970

On December 15, Venera 7 was launched onto Venus. It was the first rocket to soft land on another planet. This was also when the USSR Mission recieved first signals from another planet.

First Impact into Mars

Nov 27, 1971

The USSR Mission launched Mars 2 into space, where they had their first impact on Mars.

First Signals From Mars Surface

Dec 2, 1971

The USSR Mission launched Mars 3 onto Mars, where they recieved signals.

First Man-Made Object Sent on Escape Trajectory Away From the Sun

Mar 3, 1972

Pioneer 10 was launched the the US Mission and was the first man-made object sent on escape trajectory away from the sun.

First Mission Entered the Asteroid Belt & Leave Inner Solar System

Jul 15, 1972

Pioneer 10 was the first mission to enter the asteroid belt and leave the inner solar system.