Space Race Timeline

Sputnik 1

Oct 4, 1957

The USSR launched the first satellite into space, beating the United States.

First animal launched into space (USSR)

Nov 3, 1957

Laika was the first ever animal to be launched into space with no intent of her being safe.

First US satellite

Jan 31, 1958

The explorer 1 was the first satellite to be launched by the US and started the Cold War between the USSR and the US

Creation of NASA

Oct 1, 1958

NASA or The National Aeronautics and Space Administration was created to help the US beat the soviets in the space race.

First animal launched into space (USA)

Jan 31, 1961

Ham the chimp was the first animal launched into space by the US and came home safely.

First man in space (USSR)

Apr 12, 1961

Yuri Gagarin was the first man to be sent into space by the USSR. He was in the Vostok capsule 1.

First man to go into orbit (USSR)

Apr 12, 1961

Yuri Gagarin was also the first Soviet to orbit the earth.

First man in space (USA)

May 5, 1961

Alan Shepard was the first US man to reach sub orbital flight on the Freedom 7

JFK's commitment to going to space

May 25, 1961

JFK needed to commit to going to space so they could beat the USSR in the "Space Race".

First man to go into orbit (USA)

Feb 20, 1962

John Glen was the first American to orbit the Earth.

Gemini 8- dual docking

Feb 16, 1965

First ever dual launch and docking

First cosmonaut to do an EVA (USSR)

Mar 18, 1965

Alexei Leonov was the first cosmonaut to do an EVA and spent 12 minutes outside of his space craft.

First astronaut to do an EVA (USA)

Jun 3, 1965

Ed White was the first astronaut to do an EVA

Gemini 6 - First rendezvous

Dec 15, 1965

First rendezvous with another space craft.

Gemini honourable mentions

Feb 28, 1966

Elliot See and Charles basset passed away during a plane crash on their way to the training facility.

Apollo 1

Feb 21, 1967

Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger B. Chaffee were all aboard a test flight when the cabin had caught fire killing all three of them.

Apollo 7

Oct 11, 1968

First manned three man flight with astronauts

Walter M. Schirra
Donn F. Eisele
R. Walter Cunningham

Apollo 8

Dec 21, 1968

First circumlunar flight where they got out of low Earth orbit

Frank F. Borman II
James A. Lovell Jr.
William A. Anders

Apollo 9

Mar 3, 1969

First EVA tested

James A. McDivitt
David R. Scott
Russell L. Schweickart

Apollo 11

Jul 16, 1969

First landing on the sea of tranquility

Neil A. Armstrong
Michael Collins
Edwin E. Aldrin Jr.