Earth from moon

History of Space Exploration

By s-rsaathoff
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    History of Space Flight

  • Sputnik Launched

    The Soviet Union launched the first ever man-made object into space.

  • Sputnik Two Launched

    First dog into space

  • Venere 1 Launched

  • First American into Space

    Alan Shepard, aboard the Freedom 7 spacecraft, became the first American into Space.

  • 1st Mariner Probe Launched

    Designed to investigate Mars, Venus, and Mercury.

  • First Spacewalk

    NASA wanted longer duration space flights in support of Apollo. The spacecraft orbited from April 8-12.

  • First Picture from another Planet

    Taken by Mariner 1

  • Venera 10 Launched

  • Venera 3 Launched

  • Venera 7 Launched

  • Pioneer 10 Launched

    It would be the first spacecraft to pass through the Asteroid Belt. It would then study Jupiter.

  • Pioneer 11 Launched

    It would study Jupiter and Saturn.

  • Last Mariner Probe Launched

    There were 10 total spacecraft; 3 of the missions failed.

  • Viking 1 Launched

    Created to study Mars and attempt to find proof of water on Mars.

  • Viking 2 Launched

    Continued Viking One Mission

  • Viking 1 Enters Mars Orbit

  • Viking 2 Enters Mars Orbit

  • Voyager 2 Launch

    Continued Voyager 1 Mission of investigating Jupiter and Saturn.

  • Voyager 1 Launched

    Created to study Jupiter and Saturn. This was the first ever space mission beyond the Moon.

  • Communications with Viking 2 Lost

    The lander explored Mar's surface and took dirt samples.

  • Viking 1 Stops Working

    After taking more than 26,000 pictures of Mars, the Viking Missions were now over.

  • First Space Shuttle Launched

    This was the first launch of a historic program that would last for decades and provide countless amounts of information for science.

  • MIR Space Station Launched

    This was a historic Soviet space station that would be used to conduct many experiments in space.

  • Magellan Probe Launched

    Created to explore Venus.

  • Hubble Space Telescope Launched

    Operational up to the present day, this telescope is one of the most important space exploration tools created.

  • Magellan enters orbit of Venus

    The Magellan spacecraft was the first one to use Aerobreaking.

  • Galileo Launched

    Its mission was to study Jupiter and one of its moons, Europa.

  • Communications with Magellan Lost

    After mapping 98% of Venus's surface, communications were lost and the spacecraft crashed shortly after.

  • NEAR Shoemaker Probe Launched

    Designed to orbit and land on the asteroid Eros.

  • Cassini Launched

    Cassini was created to investigate Saturn.

  • Galileo Finishes Primary Science Mission

    After finishing its study of Jupiter, the Galileo spacecraft would now study one of Jupiter's moons, Europa.

  • MIR Space Station Abandoned

    It had been occupied for 13 years.

  • NEAR Probe reaches Eros

    NEAR Probe enters orbit of Eros; will stay for one year.

  • MIR crashes into Earth

    After 15 years in space, it came crashing down.

  • Galileo Finishes Study of Europa

    The Galileo mission was now over.

  • NEAR Probe Lands on Eros

    Although not designed to be a lander, the probe continued to operate for 16 days.

  • Contact with NEAR Probe Lost

    After 16 days on the surface, NEAR could no longer be reached.

  • Cassini enters Orbit around Saturn

    Cassini captured the first close-up picture of Saturn.

  • Mars Rover Launched

    Its mission was to collect data about the existence of water on mars.

  • Mars Rover lands on Mars

    It would take soil samples and pictures of the Martian surface.

  • Space Shuttle Program Over

    After costing $23.9 Billion, delivering countless satellites and spacecraft to orbit, and building the largest structure in space, Humanity's first reusable spacecraft was now grounded.

  • Galileo Flyby of Asteroid Gaspran