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The USSR (Soviet Union) began the space race by launching the satellite "Sputnik" into space. -
The USSR takes a stray dog from Moscow named Laika, and puts here aboard the "Sputnik 2" Aircraft. With limited oxygen and food they launched her and she died within hours due to overwhelming heat and stress -
The first satellite launched into space by the USA was Explorer 1, on January 31, 1958. -
NASA was created on July 29, 1958, by President Dwight D. Eisenhower signing the National Aeronautics and Space Act. The agency was formed in response to the Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik 1 and integrated the existing National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) to lead America's civilian space program. -
Ham the chimpanzee was the first chimpanzee to perform tasks in space, completing a suborbital flight for the USA on January 31, 1961, as part of NASA's Mercury-Redstone program. -
On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin launched into space aboard the Vostok 1 spacecraft, becoming the first human to journey into space and orbit Earth. His historic flight lasted 108 minutes from launch to landing. -
The United States' first man in space was Alan Shepard, who completed a 15-minute suborbital flight on May 5, 1961, in the Freedom 7 capsule -
He set the goal of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth before the end of the decade, a goal he articulated as being difficult but essential for national progress, leadership, and uniting the country in a great adventure. -
John Glenn was the first American to orbit the Earth, completing three orbits on February 20, 1962, aboard the Friendship 7 spacecraft. -
The first man to perform an Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) for the USSR was cosmonaut Alexei Leonov on March 18, 1965, during the Voskhod 2 mission. He was outside the spacecraft for 12 minutes and 9 seconds. -
The crew of the Gemini III mission was Virgil "Gus" Grissom and John W. Young. This was the first crewed flight of the Gemini spacecraft, which launched on March 23, 1965. First crewed Gemini flight, Tested maneuverability of the spacecraft (first American orbital “orbit-changing” flight)
Evaluated spacecraft systems essential for future rendezvous and docking, and Demonstrated controlled re-entry. -
he first American to perform an Extravehicular Activity (EVA), or spacewalk, was astronaut Ed White on June 3, 1965, during the Gemini 4 mission. He spent 23 minutes outside the capsule, tethered by a cord, and used a handheld maneuvering unit to move around. -
Gemini V's purpose was to demonstrate a long-duration, 8-day crewed spaceflight and test technologies for the Apollo program, including long-duration flight, rendezvous and docking, and the use of fuel cells for power. The mission launched on August 21, 1965, and landed on August 29, 1965, with astronauts Gordon Cooper Jr. and Charles “Pete” Conrad Jr. on board. -
Gemini VII launched on December 4, 1965, with astronauts Frank Borman (command pilot) and Jim Lovell (pilot) on board. Its primary purpose was to test the effects of long-duration spaceflight, as the 14-day mission was a record at the time. A secondary purpose was to serve as the rendezvous target for the Gemini VI-A mission, which achieved the first successful rendezvous of two crewed spacecraft. -
The original Gemini 9 crew was Elliot M. See Jr. (Command Pilot) and Charles A. Bassett II (Pilot). Both astronauts died in a T-38 jet crash on February 28, 1966, before the mission launched -
The Apollo 1 disaster occurred on January 27, 1967, when a flash fire swept through the Command Module during a launch rehearsal, killing astronauts Virgil "Gus" Grissom, Edward White II, and Roger Chaffee. The tragedy, which happened on the launch pad at Cape Kennedy, was the first fatal accident for the U.S. space program and led to a complete reassessment of safety procedures and spacecraft design. -
Apollo 7 was the first crewed flight of NASA's Apollo program, successfully testing the spacecraft in Earth orbit for nearly 11 days in October 1968. The mission, commanded by Wally Schirra with crewmates Donn F. Eisele and Walter Cunningham, proved the Command and Service Modules were ready for lunar missions and featured the first live TV broadcasts from an American spacecraft. -
Apollo 8's mission was to become the first crewed spacecraft to orbit the Moon, accomplished by astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders from December 21-27, 1968. They were the first humans to leave Earth's orbit and see the lunar far side, famously witnessing and photographing "Earthrise"—the view of Earth above the lunar horizon. The mission also included a Christmas Eve television broadcast where they read from the Book of Genesis -
Apollo 9 was a critical manned mission that tested the new Lunar Module (LM) in Earth orbit, and it was crewed by Commander James McDivitt, Command Module Pilot David Scott, and Lunar Module Pilot Russell Schweickart. The mission successfully demonstrated the LM's systems, including its engines and life support, through undocking, separation, and redocking with the Command Module -
Apollo 10 was a "dress rehearsal" for the lunar landing mission that took place in May 1969, with the crew including Commander Thomas P. Stafford, Lunar Module Pilot Eugene A. Cernan, and Command Module Pilot John W. Young. The mission confirmed all aspects of a lunar landing, except for the actual touchdown, with the crew flying the Lunar Module (LM) within 9 miles of the Moon's surface. -
Apollo 11 was the first U.S. space mission to land humans on the moon on July 20, 1969, with astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walking on the lunar surface, while Michael Collins piloted the command module in orbit. The mission launched on July 16, 1969, and the astronauts returned to Earth on July 24, 1969.