Space Race Timeline

By MikeHawk405

  • The Soviets Launched the R-7 Rocket

    R-7 was used to launch the first Soviet satellite, Sputnik 1, on October 4, 1957. A R-7 variant, the Vostok, launched the first Soviet cosmonauts, like Yury Gagarin, who on April 12, 1961, became the first human to orbit Earth.

  • Russia Sends a Dog to Space

    The USSR successfully launches Sputnik 2 that carries a dog named Laika into space. Russia then becomes the first nation to successfully send a living organism into orbit in space.

  • Explorer 1

    The US successfully launches the Explorer 1 satellite, the first one to reach orbit.

  • SCORE

    The US Launches SCORE, which is the first communication satellite. It broadcast-ed a Christmas message from President Eisenhower.