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Sputnik 1
The Soviet Union launched the first artifical satellite, the Sputnik 1, in 1957. It shocked the world with the sudden launching. It ignited the Space Race within the Cold War. -
Sputnik 2
Determined to claim another title, The Soviet Union launched another satellite shortly after their first with the world's first dog in space, Laika, the unfortunate space dog, died while in orbit for they had no way to get her down. -
Explorer 1
America launches its first satellite, Explorer 1. It carried scientific equipment that lead to the discovery of the Van Allen radiation belt. -
Luna 1
Luna 1 is launched by the USSR. It is the first man made object to orbit the Sun. -
First Man in Space
Yuri Gagarin orbits the Earth once and becomes the first man in space. -
Second Group
NASA selects its second group of astronauts. -
Walter Schirra
Walter Schirra orbits the Earth six times. -
First Woman in Space
Valentina Tereshkova, sent by the Soviets on the Vostok 6 spacecraft, was the first woman in space. She was choosen to fly the spacecraft out of 400 applicants. -
Venus 3
Venus 3 is launched. It becomes the first man made object to impact Venus on March 1, 1966. -
Luna 9
Luna 9 becomes the first spacecraft to soft-land on the Moon. -
Luna 10
Luna 10 becomes the first satellite to orbit the Moon. -
Soyuz 1 death
Cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov is killed when the parachutes of his Soyuz 1 capsule fail to open properly following re-entry. -
Zond 5
Zond 5 is launched. It carried a biological payload (including two turtles) around the Moon and returned to Earth six days later. -
Soyuz 4 & 5
Soyuz 4 & 5 perform the first Soviet spacecraft docking. -
Apollo 17
The last of the Apollo missions, Apollo was sent up in the early seventies with a crew of Commander Eugene Cernan, Command Module Pilot Ronald Evans, and Lunar Module Pilot Harrison Schmitt. They made a successful mission to the moon and returned 12 days later.
