The History of Space Exploration

  • Soviet Union

    Soviet Union
    Soviet Union successfully launched Sputnik 1.
  • Friendship 7

    Friendship 7
    Friendship 7- Project Mercury carries John H. Glenn, Jr. and orbits the Earth three times.
  • First man flight

    First man flight
    First manned flight of the Gemini program,Gemini 3 carrying Virgil.
  • Soviet Union 3 impacts on Venus.

    Soviet Union 3 impacts on Venus.
    Soviet Union 3 impacts on Venus. The first space craft to reach another planet. It fails to return data.
  • Lunar Orbiter

    Lunar Orbiter
    U.S. Lunar Orbiter 1 enters moon orbit and take the first picture of the Earth. From the distance of the Moon.
  • Apollo 8

    Apollo 8
    Apollo 8-First apollo to use the Saturn V rocket. Frank Borman, James A,Lovell Jr., and William A. Anders orbited the moon 10 times then returned safely.
  • Apollo 13

    Apollo 13
    Apollo 13- on their way to the moon, James A, Lovell Jr., John Swigert, and Fred W. Haise Jr, have an oxygen tank explosion. Moon landing not accomplished, the astronauts returned safely to Earth.
  • Apollo 18

    Apollo 18
    Apollo 18 and Soyuz 19 doc and because the first international spacecraft rendezvous in space.
  • STS 7

    STS 7
    STS-7- Challenger mission launches with the first American woman in space-Sally K. Ride
  • Space shuttle challenger

    Space shuttle challenger
    The space shuttle challenger explodes shortly after liftoff mission STS-S1L.
  • Space shuttle discovery.

    Space shuttle discovery.
    Space shuttle discovery launches on STS-31, deploying Edwin P. Hubble Space.
  • Mir Space station fire breaks out

    Mir Space station fire breaks out
    Mir Space station fire breaks out. The fire is quickly contained before serious damage occurs.
  • Zarya is launched

    Zarya is launched
    International Space Station Zarya is launched on a Russian rocket.
  • Space Shuttle Discovery

    Space Shuttle Discovery
    Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off for the newly functional international space station.
  • China launches Shenzhou

    China launches Shenzhou
    China launches Shenzou the first unmanned test of their capsule.
  • American businessman pays $20 million to become first tourist in space

    American businessman pays $20 million to become first tourist in space
    An American businessman paid $20 million to become the first tourist on the International Space Station. The Russian space industry transported him to and from the station.
  • Rover lands on Mars.

    Rover lands on Mars.
    Rover lands on Mars and takes a 3-D panoramic view.
  • Kepler Spacecraft is launched by the U.S.

    Kepler Spacecraft is launched by the U.S.
    Kepler Spacecraft is launched by the U.S. with a mission to detect planets outside of the solar system. As of 2015 over 1000 planets have been detected.