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Launch of Sputnik 1
Sputnik 1 was the first artificial Earth satellite to go into Space. It was an accomplishment that came form the Soviet Union. It marked the beginning of the space age. Sputnik originally meant "fellow traveler" but the meaning got altered to "satellite" in Russian. -
Period: to
The Space Race
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Sputnik 2 is launched
Sputnik 2 was the second space craft launched into space by the Soviet Union. It was a cone-shaped capsule that was 4 meters high with a diameter of 2 meters. It's special passanger was Laika, an experimental dog. Laika never made it back to Earth. Using the Tral_D telemetry system, the capsule could transmit data to Earth for 15 minutes of each orbit. -
Explorer 1 is launched
Explorer 1 is launched and it is the first American satellite to orbit the earth. It was designed and built by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The satellite was launched from Cape Canaveral located in Florida. The Explorer 1 lead to the discovery of the Van Allen radiation belts. -
Luna 3 orbits the moon and photographs 70% of its surface
Luna 3 was the third space craft sent to the moon and the first to bring back pictures of the farside of the moon. The space craft was cylindrically shaped. -
Tiros 1, the first successful weather satellite, is launched
Tiros stands for Television Infrared Observation Satellite. The spacecraft weighed 270 pounds.
Objectives: To test experimental television techniques designed to develop a worldwide meteorological satellite information system. To test Sun angle and horizon sensor systems for spacecraft orientation. -
Yuri Gagarin orbits the Earth once and becomes the first man in space
Yuri Gagarin was the first man in space. He made a 108 minute orbital flight. He was in the spacecraft called Vostok 1. -
NASA announces the Gemini program
The Gemini program consisted of 19 launches, 2 initial uncrewed test missions, 7 target vehicles, and 10 crewed missions, each of which carried two astronauts to Earth orbit.
The program ended in 1966. -
Vostok 6 is launched
Vostok 6 had the first woman in space. During the flight, Vostok 6 came about five km of Vostok 5, the closest distance achieved during the flight, and established radio contact. -
First spacewalk
The frist space walk was made by Alexey Leonov. The first spacewalk was also known as extravehicular activity (EVA). Leonov was outside of his spacecraft for 12 minutes and nine seconds. Leonov experienced some complications with his suit and barely made it back into the capsule. -
Venus 3 is launched
Months after Venus 3 was launched, it become the first craft to impact Venus. Venus 3 impacted Venus on March 1, 1966. -
Luna 10 becomes the first satellite to orbit the Moon.
Luna 10 was not only the first spacecraft to orbit the moon, but also the first human made object to orbit beyond earth.
Objectives: to orbit the moon, gain orbital experience, and study the lunar environment. -
Lunar Orbiter 1 is launched
The Lunar Orbiter 1 had an objective to take pictures of the surface of the moon. -
Genesis reading on the moon
The reading of Genesis on the moon was made by the first manned mission to the moon, Apollo 8. It happened on Christmas Eve while on a live televison broadcast. The crew members were, Commander Frank Borman, Command Module Pilot Jim Lovell, and Lunar Module Pilot William Ander. -
The first Lunar rover is driven
This happened on the Apollo 15 mission. Astronauts David Scott and James Irwin accomplished such thing for America. -
Apollo 17 returns from the Moon
Apollo 17 consisted of the Command Module (CM) and a Lunar Module (LM). The mission of this flight was to land on the Moon's Taurus-Littrow region. The crew members were Eugene A. Cernan, Mission Commander, Ronald B. Evans, Command Module Pilot, and Harrison H. Schmitt, Lunar Module Pilot. This mission was the final of the Apollo missions. Apollo 17 was 363 feet tall.
