Space Race Timeline

First animal in space by USA

Feb 20, 1947

These animals were fruit flies with no name.

First satellite in space by USSR

Oct 4, 1957

The Sputnik I

First animal in space by USSR

Nov 3, 1957

Astronaut Laika, the Soviet dog.

First satellite in space by US

Jan 31, 1958

The Explorer 1

Creation of NASA

Oct 1, 1958

Founded by Dwight D. Eisenhower

First man to orbit Earth by USSR

Apr 12, 1961

Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin was the first human being to travel in space.

First man to orbit Earth by USA

Feb 20, 1962

John Glenn was the first American to orbit Earth

JFK's Speech and determination to get to the Moon

Sep 12, 1962

"For the eyes of the world now look into space, to the moon and to the planets beyond, and we have vowed that we shall not see it governed by a hostile flag of conquest, but by a banner of freedom and peace." -JFK . This speech was to show that the accomplishment of going to the Moon would not just be an American success but a step forward for all humankind.

First man to do an EVA by USSR

Mar 18, 1965

Alexei Leonov was the first to do a extravehicular activity, a.k.a. a spacewalk.

Gemini 4

Jun 3, 1965

Ed White was the first man to do an EVA by USA.

Gemini 7 accomplished a 14-day endurance record

Dec 4, 1965

This mission carried Frank Borman and Jim Lovell

Gemini 8, first to link two spacecrafts together while in Earth's orbit

Mar 16, 1966

This mission carried Neil Armstrong and David Scott.

Gemini 10, first spacewalk between two spacecrafts and first rendezvous with two spacecrafts

Jul 18, 1966

John Young and Michael Collins were the astronauts carried on this mission

Death of Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee in Apollo 1 accident

Jan 27, 1967

A fire had broke out while preparing for Apollo 1 mission and caused the death of these 3 astronauts

Apollo 7, first three-person American crew to launch to space

Oct 11, 1968

These 3 astronauts were Donn F. Eisele, Walter M. Schirra Jr, and Walter Cunningham

Apollo 8, first crewed spacecraft to leave low Earth orbit, and the first human spaceflight to get to the moon

Dec 21, 1968

The astronauts were Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders

Apollo 9

Mar 3, 1969

James McDivitt, Russell Schweickart, and David R. Scott were the first to fly the lunar module in Earth's orbit.

Apollo 10

May 18, 1969

Thomas P. Stafford, John W. Young, and Eugene A. Cernan were the first to successfully fly and operate around the moon excluding an actual landing

Apollo 11

Jul 20, 1969

Neil Armstrong, Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin, Michael Collins were the first to land on the moon