Space Exploration By ekrust Period: Jan 1, 1957 to Dec 31, 2030 Space Exploration Sep 12, 1957 First Luna Impact Oct 4, 1957 First Earth Orbiter Apr 12, 1961 First Manned Earth Orbiter Aug 27, 1962 First Venus Fly By and First Successful planetary Encounter Nov 28, 1964 First Mars Fly By Nov 16, 1965 First Venus Impact Jan 31, 1966 First Luna Lander Jun 12, 1967 First Venus Atmostpheic Probe Sep 15, 1968 First Luna Fly By and Return to Earth Dec 21, 1968 First Manned Luna Orbiter Jul 16, 1969 First Manned Luna Landing Aug 17, 1970 First Venus Lander May 30, 1971 First Mars Orbiter Mar 3, 1972 First Jupiter Fly By Apr 5, 1973 First Saturn Fly By Nov 4, 1973 First Mercury Fly By Jun 8, 1975 First Venus orbiter and lander; first images from surface of Venus Jan 15, 1976 Closest solar approach Aug 20, 1977 First Uranus/Neptune Fly BY Aug 12, 1978 First Comet Fly By Oct 18, 1989 first Asteroid fly By, first Asteroid Moon discovery, First Jupiter orbiter/atmospheric probe/largest moons flybys Feb 17, 1997 first near-Earth asteroid flyby, first asteroid orbit and first asteroid landing Oct 15, 1997 First Saturn Orbiter and First Titan Lander Feb 7, 1999 First comet coma sample return Aug 8, 2001 First solar wind sample return Jan 12, 2005 First comet impact Jan 19, 2006 First Pluto/Charon and Kuiper Belt flyby Jun 3, 2011 Late 2011/Early 2012 Photo's Sampler Return, Mars Orbiter May 1, 2012 Luna Orbiter Jun 3, 2013 Moon Lander Jun 3, 2014 Luna Orbiter/Lander/Rover Jun 3, 2015 Luna Orbiter/Lander/Surface Sample Return