space race

First satellite in space by USSR

Oct 4, 1957

Sputnik 1 was the first satellite launched in space by the Soviet Union

First animal in space by USSR

Nov 3, 1957

The dog Laika was the first animal to do an orbital spaceflight around the Earth on Sputnik 2

First satellite in space by USA

Jan 31, 1958

The Explorer 1 was the first successful satellite launched into space.

Creation of NASA

Jul 29, 1958

President Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act

First animal in space by USA (Ham the chimp)

Jan 31, 1961

Ham the Chimp was sent on a suborbital flight and 3 and a half years old

First man in space by USSR

Apr 12, 1961

Yuri Gagarin was the first man in space and rode on the Vostok 1

First man in space by USA

May 5, 1961

Alan Shepard was the first U.S. man sent into space with the Freedom 7 capsule

JFK's speech and commitment to getting to the moon

May 25, 1961

"Should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth."

First man to orbit Earth by USA

Feb 20, 1962

John Glenn was the first American to orbit the Earth inside the Friendship 7 capsule

Gemini 1

Apr 7, 1964

This was to test the basic structural soundness of the Gemini capsule under launch and orbital conditions

First man to do an EVA by USSR

Mar 18, 1965

Alexei Leonov spent 12 minutes and 9 seconds outside the Vokshod

Gemini 3

Mar 23, 1965

Piloted by John Young and Gus Grissom, it was to test the basic system of the Gemini spacecraft

First man to do an EVA by USA

Jun 3, 1965

Edward White was the first American man to perform an EVA

Original Gemini 9 Crew

Feb 28, 1966

Charles Bassett and Elliot See were killed in a crash while flying a T-38 jet trainer

Gemini 12

Nov 11, 1966

Gemini 12 was the last crewed flight of the Gemini series with Jim Lovell and Buzz Aldrin

Apollo 1 Crew

Feb 21, 1967

Edward White, Roger Chaffee and Virgil Grissom were killed after the CM (Command Module) caught on fire

Apollo 7

Oct 11, 1968

This was to test the Command and Service Modules for more complex missions by Gene Kranz, Glynn Lunney and Gerry Griffin

Apollo 8

Dec 21, 1968

This was to develop orbital experience with deep space navigation, communication, lead by Jim Lovell, Frank Borman and Bull Anders

Apollo 9

Mar 3, 1969

Verifying the spacecraft for lunar flying and docked vehicle functions in Earth's orbit lead by James McDivitt, Russel Schweickart and David Scott

Apollo 10

Apr 18, 1969

To see mission support facilities performance during a crewed mission to lunar orbit, lead by John Young, Eugene Cernan and Thomas Stafford

Apollo 11

Jul 16, 1969

Mission to land on the moon, with astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins