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The start
Between 1957 and 1958 the International Geophysical Year was celebrated and it was where the Soviet Union announced its first intentions to send artificial satellites into space. -
Sputnik 1
Two years later, on October 4, 1957, the Soviets achieved the feat with Sputnik 1. The launch of the artificial satellite, the first in history to reach Earth orbit, would lead to the beginning of what became known as the space race -
Vanguard 1
On May 17, 1958, NASA launched Vanguard 1 into orbit, the first solar-powered satellite and a major victory for the United States in the space race. -
SCORE
On December 18, 1958, NASA scored its first real goal during the Space Race by launching the first telecommunications satellite into orbit: SCORE. -
First chimpanzee in Space
On January 31, 1961, Ham the chimpanzee became the first hominid to travel into space. His flight lasted 16 minutes and 39 seconds after which he was rescued in the Atlantic Ocean with only a bruised nose. -
First human
On April 12, 1961, aboard Vostok 1, Yuri Alekséyevich Gagarin became the first human to travel to outer space. -
First woman in space
On June 16, 1963, aboard the Vostok 6, Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to travel to space on a mission that would last for 3 days and during which she completed 48 laps around the Earth. -
Land on the moon
On July 20, 1969 Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first two men to land on the Moon aboard the Lunar Eagle module of the Apollo 11 mission. -
First ride to mercury
On March 29, 1974, NASA's Mariner 10 probe became the first to fly over the planet Mercury. -
The end of the cold war
On July 15, 1975, the Soyuz and Apollo 18 spacecraft docked in Earth orbit. It was the first joint mission of the space agencies of both countries. Historians agree that this event ended the Cold War.