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Launching of Sputnik I USSSR
the Soviet Union successfully launched Sputnik I. The world's first artificial satellite was about the size of a beach ball (58 cm.or 22.8 inches in diameter), weighed only 83.6 kg. or 183.9 pounds, and took about 98 minutes to orbit the Earth on its elliptical path. That launch ushered in new political, military, technological, and scientific developments. While the Sputnik launch was a single event, it marked the start of the space age and the U.S.-U.S.S.R space race. -
Spuntnik II Launched Laika in to space
Scientists in the Soviet Union were sure that organisms from Earth could live in space. To demonstrate that, they sent the world's second artificial space satellite — Sputnik 2 — to space from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on November 3, 1957.
On board was a live mongrel dog named Laika (Barker in Russian) on a life-support system. Laika also was known as Kudryavka (Little Curly in Russian). -
America's first satellite, discovers the Van Allen radiation belts
The Van Allen belt extends above the equator at an altitude of about 4,000 miles (6437 kilometers) -
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
October 1, 1958, the official start of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), was the beginning of a rich history of unique scientific and technological achievements in human space flight, aeronautics, space science, and space applications. NASA inherited the earlier National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) -
The "Mercury Seven"
The Mercury Seven astronauts were selected by NASA based on their performance on a series of extremely difficult tests. After their selection, the astronauts started their training. Their training consisted of numerous mental and physical tests inorder to make certain they knew the intrique details of the mission and mechinary, and to simultate the effects of space flight on their bodies. Once this was completed the fun began. -
Discoverer XIV
The US launches Discoverer XIV, its first camera equipped spy satellite -
Yuri Gagarin orbits the Earth
Vostok 1 circled Earth at a speed of 27,400 kilometers per hour. The flight lasted 108 minutes. Vostok's reentry was controlled by a computer. Yuri Gagarin did not land inside of Vostok 1. He ejected from the spacecraft and landed by parachute. Yuri Gagarin was killed in a plane crash before he could travel in space a second time. -
Cosmonaut Valentia Tereshkova
Cosmonaut Valentia Tereshkova becomes the first woman in space. Tereshkova was 26 years old at the time. She was a textile worker and an amateur parachutist. Her flight lasted three days. She orbited the earth 48 times. -
Alexei Leonov
Alexei Leonov, a Soviet cosmonaut, was the first person to step outside of his spacecraft while in Outer Space, on March 18, 1965. He spent 12 minutes as he floated as far as 17.5 feet from his Voskhod 2 craft, enjoying the first space walk ever. -
Luna 9
The Luna 9 performed the first soft landing on another planetary body. Following a series of failures, the Soviet probe touched down in the Moon's Oceanus Procellarum region February 3, 1966. -
Cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov
Cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov is killed when the parachutes of his Soyuz 1 capsule fail to open properly following re-entry. -
The crew of Apollo 7
C) Walter M. Schirra, Jr. Commander
(R) Donn F. Eisele Command Module Pilot
(L) Walter Cunningham Lunar Module Pilot
begin a 10 day mission to study new space craft -
Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin
Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin become the first men to walk on the Moon while crewmate Michael Collins orbits around the Moon alone. -
Apollo 17's return from the moon
The Apollo mission consisted of a Command Module (CM) and a Lunar Module (LM). The CM and LM would separate after lunar orbit insertion. One crew member would stay in the CM, which would orbit the Moon, while the other two astronauts would take the LM down to the lunar surface. After exploring the surface, setting up experiments, taking pictures, collecting rock samples, etc., the astronauts would return to the CM for the journey back to Earth. -
Sally Ride
Dr Ride is best known as America’s first woman in space. She flew in space twice, first in 1983 aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger, then again aboard Challenger in 1984. While at NASA, she directed NASA’s first strategic planning effort, and founded and served as the first Director of NASA’s Office of Exploration
