Space Race Timeline

USSR Sputnik 1 Launch

Oct 4, 1957

The first artificial satellite to orbit Earth which orbited at 29,000 miles per hour for 3 months. Sergei Korolev founded and led the Soviet space effort.

Sputnik 2 Laika Dog Launch

Nov 3, 1957

The first animal (dog) named Laika to orbit Earth. Laika only survived for 2 days while the orbit lasted 162 days.

Explorer 1 Launch

Jan 31, 1958

The first satellite launched by the US. This began the Cold War Space Race between the USSR and the US. Guided by rocket scientist Wernher von Braun. It transmitted data for 4 months until its battery died but, it remained in orbit for 12 years.

Creation of NASA

Jul 29, 1958

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration passed legislation as a civilian agency responsible for coordinating America's activities in space. Founded by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

USA's First Animal in Space (Ham the Chimp)

Jan 31, 1961

The US's first launch of an animal into space was a chimpanzee named Ham. He was launched on a Mercury-Redstone rocket which traveled 9,000 kilometers per hour and took 16 minutes from launch to return to the ground.

USSR's First Man in Space/First Orbit Around Earth (Yuri Gagarin)

Apr 12, 1961

Yuri Gagarin was the first human to journey into outer space. He completed a full orbit of Earth on-board the Vostok 1. The launch lasted 1 hour and 48 minutes.

USA's First Man in Space (Alan Shepard)

May 5, 1961

Alan Shepard piloted the Freedom 7 space capsule, making him the first American astronaut to travel into space. The flight lasted 15 minutes.

JFK's Speech

May 25, 1961

JFK announced the dramatic and ambitious goal of sending an American safely to the moon before the end of the decade.

USA's First Orbit Around Earth (John Glenn)

Feb 20, 1962

John Glenn orbited the Earth 3 times in 4 hours and 56 minutes making him the first American to do so. He was recovered 800 miles southeast of Bermuda.

First EVA by USSR (Alexei Leonov)

Mar 18, 1965

Alexei Leonov was the first man to do an EVA (extravehicular activity) in which he exited the capsule during the Voskhod 2 mission for 12 minutes and 9 seconds and conducted a spacewalk.

Gemini 3 Mission (Gus Grissom & John Young)

Mar 23, 1965

The Gemini 3 mission was the first crewed mission by NASA's Gemini program in which the first 2 Americans flew together into space. Those 2 astronauts were Gus Grissom and John Young.

First EVA by USA (Ed White)

Jun 3, 1965

Ed White was the first American to do a spacewalk and floated in space attached to a 23-foot tether and 25-foot umbilical for 20 minutes.

Gemini 9 Disaster (Elliot See & Charles Basset)

Feb 28, 1966

Elliot See and Charles Basset were the original crew member for the Gemini 9 mission but they were sadly killed in a crash while flying a T-38 jet trainer to the McDonnell Aircraft plant in St. Louis Missouri to inspect their aircraft.

Gemini 8 Mission (Neil Armstrong & David Scott)

Mar 16, 1966

The Gemini 8 mission was the first successful dual launch and docking with the Gemini Agena Target Vehicle (GATV), completing the world's first on-orbit docking of two spacecraft. The 2 astronauts on board were Neil Armstrong and David Scott and the mission lasted 6 hours and 33 minutes.

Gemini 10 Mission (John Young & Michael Collins)

Jul 18, 1966

The Gemini 10 mission was used to test an astronaut's ability to fly long-duration missions and to understand how spacecraft could rendezvous and dock in orbit around the Earth and the moon. The 2 astronauts on board this mission were John Young and Michael Collins.

Apollo 1 Disaster (Gus Grissom, Ed White & Roger Chaffee)

Jan 27, 1967

Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee were killed when a fire accidentally started in the cockpit of the Apollo 1 right before take-off. Their mission was to land the first American on the moon.

Apollo 7 Mission

Oct 11, 1968

The Apollo 7 mission was the first mission with a human crew in which they orbited the Earth to clear the way for a proposed lunar-orbit mission to follow. The astronauts on board were Walter Schirra, Donn Eisele, and Walter Cunningham.

Apollo 8 Mission

Dec 21, 1968

The Apollo 8 mission was the first crewed spaceflight to leave low Earth orbit and also the first human spaceflight to reach another astronomical object (the Moon). The astronauts on board were Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders.

Apollo 9 Mission

Mar 3, 1969

The Apollo 9 mission was the first flight of the full Apollo spacecraft including the command and service module with the Lunar Module. The Astronauts in this mission were James McDivitt, David Scott, and Russell Schweickart.

Apollo 10 Mission

May 18, 1969

The Apollo 10 mission was the first "dress rehearsal" for the first Moon landing in which they tested all the components and procedures. The astronauts in this mission were Thomas Stafford, John Young, and Eugene Cernan.

Apollo 11 Mission (Moon Landing)

Jul 16, 1969

The Apollo 11 mission was the first successful spaceflight to land humans on the Moon. The astronauts on board were Neil Armstrong, Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin, and Michael Collins.