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U-2 Spyplane First Flight
Lockheed U-2 prototype flies, which will be used to spy on the Soviet Union during the Cold War. -
Rosa Parks Arrested
Rosa Parks is arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white person on the bus in a significant fight for civil rights -
Eisenhower Reelected
Incumbent Dwight D Eisenhower defeats Adlai Stevenson for the presidency of the United States. -
Space Race Begins
Russians Launch Sputnik, which is the first manmade satellite to orbit the Earth, beginning the Space Race. -
America Enters the Space Race
America launches their first satellite, Explorer 1 into orbit, meeting the USSR into the Space Race. -
NASA Created
US Congress creates National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which takes over from NACA and works on space exploration. -
Alaska added as State
Alaska joins the United States as the 49th state. -
Kennedy Elected President
John F Kennedy is elected over Richard Nixon in a very close race, becoming the youngest elected president. -
NASA Launches Mariner 2
NASA launches Mariner 2, which was sent towards Venus, becoming the first probe to have a planetary encounter. -
High Tensions in the Cold War
A training jet the US Air Force was operation strayed into East Germany and is subsequently shot down resulting in 3 casualties. -
SR-71 goes into service
The SR-71, the fastest production jet ever goes into service. -
Apollo 9 Returns
The Apollo 9 of the Apollo program returns to Earth Safely after testing the Lunar Module -
Space Race Ends
America make it to the Moon, ending the Space Race. -
Watergate Scandal
Evidence was found that Nixon was trying to use nefarious means to win his reelection, and later was forced to resign. -
Apollo-Soyuz Project
American Apollo spacecraft and a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft meet and dock in orbit for the first time between the two countries.