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Soviets Launch Sputnik I
Sputnik 1 was the first artificial Earth satellite. It was launched into an elliptical low Earth orbit by the Soviet Union on 4 October 1957 as part of the Soviet space program. This event was significant because it started the space race and gave the former Soviet Union the distinction of putting the first human-made object into space. -
N.A.S.A. is Created
On July 29, 1958, President Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 establishing the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). This event was significant because if it was not created it would've put America not only at a technical disadvantage but also an economic and perhaps even military one. -
Americans successfully launch and return Ham, a chimpanzee
On January 31, 1961, after several hours of waiting on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, FL, 3 ½ year old Ham was propelled into space, strapped into a container called a “couch.” Ham's flight lasted approximately 16 ½ minutes. He travelled at a speed of approximately 5800 mph, to a height of 157 miles above the earth. This is a significant event because it put the US ahead of the USSR in the space race. -
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first man in space
Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin was a Soviet pilot and cosmonaut who, aboard the first successful crewed spaceflight, became the first human to journey into outer space. Traveling on Vostok 1, Gagarin completed one orbit of Earth. This is an important event because it led the Soviet Union to have an advantage over the United States. -
Mariner 4 becomes the first satellite to reach Mars
NASA's Mariner 4 was the first craft to finally reach Mars. The spacecraft launched on Nov. 28, 1964, and was the first to fly by the planet on July 14, 1965. It sent 21 photos of its target back to Earth. This is a significant event because it stands as a historic milestone in humankind's relationship with Mars. -
Americans land on the moon
Apollo 11 was the American spaceflight that first landed humans on the Moon. Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin landed the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle on July 20, 1969. This is an important event because it taught us about the composition of the moon. It gave us the first perspective of the Earth from Space. -
Soviets launch the first space station
The Soviet Union launched the world's first space station, Salyut. Six improved Salyuts were launched during the next ten years. The Salyuts were designed to make human presence in space routine and continuous. This is a very significant event in the space race because the space station has made it possible for people to have an ongoing presence in space. -
The first joint mission between the U.S. and U.S.S.R.
The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, the first international human spaceflight. On July 15, 1975, an Apollo spacecraft launched carrying a crew of three and docked two days later on July 17, with a Soyuz spacecraft and its crew of two. The joint U.S.-USSR crew for the Apollo Soyuz Test Project. This event is important because it showed a sense of ending the space race and coming together to achieve a common goal between the US and the USSR.