Most important dates in space exploration

By Cael McGuinness

  • Ben Franklin regulates waste

    Philadelphia committee came together to regulate the amount of waste and water pollution

  • Henry David Thoreau publishes Walden

    Thoreau published Walden in hopes of encouraging people to find there own way of life and to seek out nature.

  • The term ecology is created

    The term ecology is coined in German as Oekologie by Ernst Heinrich Philipp August Haeckel

  • The term acid rain is coined by Robert Angus Smith

    Acid Rain is a result of Volcanoes and fossil fumes.

  • The term smog is coined

    Henry Antoine Des Voeux in a London meeting to express concern over air pollution

  • US Congress created the National Park Service

    President Grant dedicated 2.2 million acres of land to public enjoyment.

  • First satellite Sputnik 1957

    In 1957 the Russians launched the first satellite to go into orbit called sputnik this was a very important event because it put the world most importantly the US into a frenzy to try and keep up with the Russians.

  • First Creature to return from space 1959

    in 1959 barely 2 years after Sputnik the US struck back at the USSR by sending a monkey Able and a squirrel Baker to space they returned home safe.

  • First man in space 1961

    In 1961 the Russians sent Yuri Gagarin to space he completed one orbit around earth and became a celebrity in Russia getting the highest military honor.

  • Rachel Carson publishes Silent Spring

    Rachel Carson's book shed light on the enviromental damage done by pesticides.

  • First woman in space 1963

    Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to go to space in 1963 she orbited the earth 48 times she remains the only women to do it solo.

  • First ever space walk 1965

    Alexi Leonov a Russian cosmonaut was the first person to step into space he went on a space walk for 12 minutes before his suit expanded like a balloon then having to let out air to fit back into the shuttle.

  • The Apollo 8 picture of Earthrise

    The picture of the earth rising over the moon was taken by apollo 8 when they orbited the moon 10 times.

  • First man on the moon 1969

    Neil Armstrong became the first man to step foot on the moon he and Buzz Aldrin walked around for three hours doing experiments planting a flag and a sign.

  • First Earth Day

    April 22. Millions of people gather in the United States for the first Earth Day. US Environmental Protection Agency established

  • The first space station Salyut 1971

    The salyut was in space in 1971 and stayed there for a record breaking 23 days upon its returned home it leaked and lost all its air killing the members on board.

  • US first space walk 1984

    Bruce McCandless went on a spacewalk in a new essentially a jet pack where he floated around for 90 minutes. untethered to the shuttle.

  • Montreal Protocol

    Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer entered into force

  • The Kyoto Protocol

    The Kyoto Protocol was negotiated in Kyoto, Japan in December. Countries commit to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide

  • Assembly of the ISS 1998

    Assembly began in 1998 and has been occupied since November of 2000 more then 200 people from 15 countries have visited.

  • U.S. rejects the Kyoto Protocol

    US Senate said it would cause economic harm.

  • First Tourist in space

    Dennis Tito a billionaire from California spent 20 Million dollars on an eight day trip to space he took off from Kazakhstan

  • U.S. stops participation in Paris climate agreement

    U.S. announces it will cease participation in the Paris Agreement on climate change mitigation

  • U.S. announces it will rejoin the Paris Agreement on climate change mitigation