The History of the Space Program By harjass Oct 4, 1957 The Soviet Union launches the first satellite. wd Nov 3, 1957 The Soviet spacecraft Sputnik 2 is launched with a dog who does not survive the voyage. Feb 10, 1960 The Soviet craft Sputnik 5 is launched, carrying the dogs Strelka and Belka. Apr 12, 1961 Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space. Jul 14, 1965 The spacecraft Mariner 4 transmits the first pictures of Mars. Sep 15, 1968 The Soviet spacecraft Zond 5 was launched and later becomes the first spacecraft to orbit the moon and return to Earth. Period: Feb 24, 1969 to Feb 24, 1979 Skylab Apr 11, 1970 Apollo 13 is launched. Jan 31, 1971 Apollo 14 is launched More Information Period: Feb 24, 1972 to Feb 24, 2011 Space Shuttle program May 14, 1973 The U.S. launches its first space station, Skylab. Nov 13, 1980 Voyager 1 reaches Saturn and began transmitting images. Click for more Information Apr 12, 1981 Columbia becomes the first Space Shuttle to be launched. Click for more Information Aug 30, 1984 The third Space Shuttle, Discovery, is launched. Click for more Information Sep 25, 1992 Mars Observer is launched. Feb 24, 2003 Contact with Pioneer 10 is lost
