Solar exploration

First Earth orbiter

Oct 4, 1957

Sputnik 1 by Russia

solar exploration

Period: Oct 4, 1957 to Jan 1, 2030

First lunar flyby

Jan 2, 1959

First lunar flyby by Russia luna 1

First lunar impact

Sep 12, 1959

First lunar impact Russia

first images of far side of Moon

Oct 4, 1959

first images of far side of Moon
Russia luna 3

First manned Earth orbiter

Apr 12, 1961

First manned Earth orbiter Vostok 1 russia

First successful Venus flyby and first successful planetary encounter

Aug 27, 1962

First successful Venus flyby and first successful planetary encounter Mariner 2 – 27 August 1962

First Mars flyby

Nov 4, 1964

Mariner 4 – 28 November 1964 – First Mars flyby

First Venus impact

Nov 16, 1965

Venera 3 – 16 November 1965 – Venus lander (contact lost) – First Venus impact us

First lunar lander

Jan 31, 1966

Luna 9 – 31 January 1966 – First lunar lander

First lunar flyby and return to Earth

Sep 15, 1968

Zond 5 – 15 September 1968 – First lunar flyby and return to Earth

first near-Earth asteroid flyby, first asteroid orbit

Feb 17, 1996

NEAR – 17 February 1996 – Eros orbiter, first near-Earth asteroid flyby, first asteroid orbit and first asteroid

First Saturn orbiter and first Titan lander

Oct 15, 1997

Cassini-Huygens – 15 October 1997 – First Saturn orbiter and first Titan lander

First solar wind sample return

Aug 8, 2001

Genesis – 8 August 2001 – First solar wind sample return

First comet impact

Jan 12, 2005

Deep Impact – 12 January 2005 – First comet impact

First Pluto/Charon and Kuiper Belt flyby

Jan 19, 2006

New Horizons – 19 January 2006 – First Pluto/Charon and Kuiper Belt flyby (expected arrival 14 July 2015)