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The Space Race Begins
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The Soviet Union launch Sputnik 1
The Soviet Union responded to the US announcement four days earlier of intent to launch artificial satellites for the International Geophysical Year, by declaring they would also launch a satellite "in the near future". The Soviet Union beat the US to this, with the October 4, 1957 orbiting of Sputnik 1. -
The Soviet Union get the first human in Space
The Soviet Union beat the US to the first human in space. Yuri Gagarin got there on this date. -
Disaster Strikes!
On the same day the US and USSR signed the Outer Space Treaty, the crew of the first manned Apollo mission were killed in a fire that swept through their spacecraft cabin during a ground test, less than a month before the planned launch. An investigation determined it was most probably caused by an electrical spark, and quickly spiralled out of control. Pictured is the plaque that was placed on the moon in remembrance of the crew. -
The USA land Neil Armstrong on the Moon
The Space Race peaked with the July 20, 1969 US landing of Neil Armstrong on the Moon with Apollo 11.
