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Sputnik; The First Satellite
Launched by the USSR, Sputnik made history as the world's first artificial satellite, which also sparked the space race, or the space age. -
Laika; First Animal In Orbit (USSR)
On the Soviet spacecraft, Sputnik 2, Laika the dog became the first animal, that was launched into orbit. Unfortunately, due to the cabin overheating, Laika would not survive the mission. She is included in the Conquerors of Space monument in Moscow, Russia, along with other memorials in her honor. -
Explorer 1; First US Satellite
After Sputnik, which sparked the space race, the United States eventually launched a first satellite of their own, Explorer 1. This satellite is also known to have discovered the Van Allen Belts. -
Creation of NASA
In response to the Soviet Union's technological achievements, such as Sputnik, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA, was founded (by the the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958). It's purpose was to provide research into flight within and outside of Earth's atmosphere and was crucial for the US during the space race. It still exists today, still researching the science and innovating technologies relating to air and space. -
Ham; First Hominid In Space (USA)
Ham was a chimpanzee sent to space by the United States for Project Mercury. His suborbital mission was to test how space flight and weightlessness affected his body. He passed away in North Carolina Zoo at age 25, and was buried by the New Mexico Museum of Space History, where there is a memorial to his name. -
Yuri Gagarin; First Man In Space and First Man to Orbit Earth
Aboard the capsule Vostok 1, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to enter into space and the first to orbit the Earth. Since the date of Gagarin's flight, it has been commemorated with April 12th being declared the International Day of Human Space Flight by the United Nations. He is memorialized across the world and even on the Moon where his name is included with other fallen cosmonauts/astronauts in the Fallen Astronaut statue and name plaque placed by the Apollo 15 crew. -
Alan Shepard; First American In Space
Aboard the Mercury spacecraft, Freedom 7, astronaut Alan Shepard, one of the first seven in the United States, became the first American in space. His suborbital flight lasted around 15 minutes and he reached an altitude of around 115 miles (185 km) high. He also worked on the Gemini missions, eventually getting the title of Chief Astronaut at NASA. He also was one of the 12 humans to walk on the Moon aboard Apollo 14. He is remembered as a National Hero within the United States. -
John Glenn; First American to Orbit Earth
Aboard the Friendship 7 spacecraft by Project Mercury, astronaut John Glenn, one of the first 7, became the first American to orbit the Earth. The flight lasted almost 5 hours and Glenn orbited Earth 3 times. Although there was slight issues with the heat shield, the overall mission was a success. Friendship 7 allowed NASA to pursue the Mercury missions even further, setting the stage for the Gemini and Apollo missions. Glenn is hailed as a national hero within the United States -
Address at Rice University on the Nation's Space Effort
Also known as "We choose to go to the Moon", this speech by US president, John F. Kennedy, addresses and informs the public of his plan to land a man on the Moon by the end of the the decade (1970). The president also invoked urgency into his words, characterizing space a brand new frontier. -
Alexei Leonov; First EVA In Space
Soviet Cosmonaut, Alexei Leonov performed the first EVA, or more specifically, the first space walk. Aboard the Voskhod 3KD spacecraft, Leonov spent 12 minutes and 9 seconds out of the capsule. Leonov is also the first artist in space, as he took color pencils and paper into space and sketched Earth, later on he even drew portraits of the Apollo crew during the Apollo-Soyuz mission. -
Ed White; First American EVA
During the Gemini 4 mission, astronaut Ed White became the first American to perform an EVA, or more specifically, a space walk. White and commander pilot James Mcdivitt would go on to win the NASA Distinguished Service Medal. Ed White was also awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. Unfortunately, White and two others would die during a failure in pre-launch testing for Apollo 1. There are Memorials in his name all across the United States and even in space. -
Gemini 6A and 7; First Rendezvous
Crewed by Walter Schirra Jr, and Thomas Stafford, Gemini 6 and 7 was the first rendezvous of two crewed spacecraft. -
1966 NASA T-38 crash
On February of 1966, an unfortunate tragedy would change the course of the Gemini missions. The original Gemini 9 Crew, consisting of astronauts Elliot See and Charles Bassett, were killed in a plane crash while heading for training. There were multiple plausible causes of the incident, the end verdict was decided to be pilot error. After this crash, backup crew Thomas Stafford and Eugene Cernan became the primary crew of Gemini 9. -
Gemini 8; First Link
The Gemini 8 mission was the first to successfully link two spacecraft together on Earth'o s orbit, paving the way for the Moon landing. The crew of Gemini 8 were Neil Armstrong and David Scott. -
Gemini 10; Meeting an AVT
The Gemini 10 mission saw a successful rendezvous and docking with a ATV (Agena Target Vehicle) in orbit, it was also the first time someone did a space walk from one spacecraft to another. The crew of Gemini 10 were John Young and Michael Collins. -
The Apollo 1 Fire
One of the worst incidents in spaceflight was during training for the Apollo 1 mission. This tragedy would cause the unfortunate deaths of astronauts, Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee. The cause of the accident was concluded to be sparks from a short circuit in a bundle of wires that ran to the left and just in front of Gus Grissom's seat, causing a flash fire. There site of the failed launch, Launch Complex 34, became a memorial -
Apollo 7: The First Success of Apollo
Apollo 7 was the first successful crewed flight of the Apollo missions. It tested out and qualified the CSM, or command and service module, paving the way for the next lunar orbit mission and the Moon landing. The crew of Apollo 7 are Walter Schirra, Donn Eisele, and Walter Cunningham -
Apollo 8; First Lunar Orbit
Apollo 8 was the first crewed spacecraft to orbit the moon and return to Earth. This mission's crew were also the first to photograph an Earthrise. The crew of Apollo 8 were Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders. -
Apollo 9; The Lunar Module
Apollo 9 was an engineering test of the first crewed lunar module and the first flight of the full Apollo spacecraft. The crew of Apollo 9 were James McDivitt, David Scott, and Russell Schweickart. -
Apollo 10; Rehearsal
Apollo 10 was the first flight of the complete and crewed Apollo spacecraft to operate around the Moon. It was an overall test and "rehearsal" of the Moon landing, testing all procedures except the actual landing. The crew of Apollo 10 were Thomas Stafford, John W. Young, and Eugene Cernan. -
Apollo 11; The Moon Landing
The Apollo 11 mission saw humanity landing and walking on the lunar surface for the first time in human history. Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module pilot Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the Moon. Although he did not get to land on the Moon himself, Command Module Pilot, Michael Collins, assisted in the mission.