Important Dates in Space Exploration

First telescopic observation

1610

First telescopic observation of the night sky: discovery of Jupiter's moons, lunar craters and the phases of Venus.

First solar probe.

1960

First solar probe.

First space walk/extra-vehicular activity (Alexei Leonov).

Mar 19, 1965

First human excursion beyond low Earth orbit.

Dec 6, 1968

First human excursion beyond low Earth orbit.
First in-person observations of Earth from a distance.
First Trans-Earth injection.

First photograph of Earth from Earth orbit

Aug 27, 1969

First photograph of Earth from Earth orbit.

First plants grown in space (Arabidopsis).

1982

First orbital radio observatory.

1997