Space Exploration By chloe_reed Period: Jan 1, 1957 to Jan 1, 2012 Space Exploration Oct 4, 1957 First Earth Orbiter Jan 2, 1959 First Lunar Fly By Sep 12, 1959 First Lunar impact Oct 4, 1959 First images of far side of moon Apr 12, 1961 First Manned Earth Orbiter Aug 27, 1962 First Succesful Venus Flyby and First Succesful planetary encounter Nov 28, 1964 First Mars flyby Nov 16, 1965 First Venus impact Jan 31, 1966 First Luner lander Mar 31, 1966 First Lunar orbiter Jun 12, 1967 First Venus atmospheric probe Sep 15, 1968 First lunar flyby and return to Earth Dec 21, 1968 First manned lunar orbiter Jul 16, 1969 First manned Lunar landing Aug 17, 1970 First Venus lander Sep 12, 1970 First robotic lunar sample return Nov 10, 1970 First lunar rover May 19, 1971 First Mars impact May 28, 1971 First Mars lander and first Mars atmospheric probe May 30, 1971 First Mas orbiter Mar 3, 1972 First Jupiter flyby Apr 5, 1973 First Saturn flyby Nov 4, 1973 First Mercury flyby Jan 15, 1976 Closest Solar approach Aug 12, 1978 First comet flyby Oct 15, 1997 First Saturn orbiter Oct 15, 1997 First Titan lander Feb 7, 1999 First comet coma return Aug 8, 2001 First Solar wind sample return Jan 12, 2005 First comet impact Jan 19, 2006 First Pluto flyby