-
Robert Goddard
Robert Goddard was an American inventor. He worked in the space race to help advance the U.S. in it. He is also credited with inventing the liquid rocket. -
V-2 Rocket
This rocket was used by Germany in WWII. This was used as a last resort in some of Germany’s last months. These rockets were used to attack allied cities and killed an estimated 9,000 military personnel. -
Sputnik I
This was the first man-made satellite to go into orbit. It was launched by the Soviet Union during the cold war in a time called the Space Race. It had a 58 cm diameter and was equipped with four external radio antennas. -
Sputnik II
This was the second satellite launched by the Soviets. This launch also made history by sending the first living creature into space, a dog by the name of Laika. The dog died within hours of the mission because of panic and overheating and is now remembered as a statue. -
Vangaurd Rocket TV3
The first attempt by the U.S. to launch a rocket into orbit. It began to launch and rose four feet before losing thrust and falling to the ground rupturing the fuel tank and combusting. The satellite inside was severely damaged and unable to be reused, but is now on display in the Smistonion -
Explorer I
The first successful satellite launch for the U.S. This satellite was launched only a few months after sputnik to keep the U.S. in the space race. It transmitted a signal for four years before the batteries died. -
Juno I
This 4 stage American rocket was what caught the U.S. up to the Soviet Union in the space race. This rocket launched the U.S.’s first satellite into space, the explorer 1. The explorer one then stayed in orbit for more than 12 years. -
NASA
NASA is the National aeronautics and space administration. This organization became the U.S.’s space exploration organization, creating all spacecraft the the U.S. launch. It was originally set up by JFK. -
Mercury Missions
The Mercury missions was the first human spaceflight missions in the United States. Going from the year 1959 to 1963. It launched the first U.S. astronaut into space. -
Wernher Von Braun
Von Braun was a rocket scientist originally for germany. He helped them design the V-2 rockets, but then came to America and became one of NASA’s leading rocket scientist helping the US be the first to land on the moon. -
Yuri Gagarin
This man will be known for ever inhistory for his work in the space program. As a Russian cosmonaut that worked in the russian space program. He then made his historic journey to be the first man to orbit the Earth. -
Alan Sheapard
This man flew in one of the Mercury missions. On his flight he became the second human, but first American to go into space. Therefore giving moral to the U.S. in the space race -
John Glen
John Glenn flew the friendship seven. On this flight he became the first american to do a full orbit around earth. He is now the last man from the mercury seven group to still be alive. -
Project Gemini
The Gemini Missions was the second human spaceflight program in the United States. These missions used ten, two person crews. It was able to make the first American space walk along with making preparations for the trip to the moon. -
Apollo Missions
This legendary space program was the third United States space flight program. This program made history to put the first human on the moon topping anything that the soviets did in the space race. Though it had some failures it is possibly the best of all American space programs. -
Apollo 1
This was the first rocket of the apollo program. February 21, 1967 was its planned launch, but in a practice there was a fire claiming the lives of all three crew members. NASA then retired the apollo 1 (a name chosen by the crew) in April of that year. -
Saturn V
This three stage liquid fuel rocket was launched 13 times. This rocket was associated with the apollo program to have human exploration of the moon. This rocket is still the only spacecraft to bring humans beyond low-Earth orbit. -
Apollo 11
This was the legendary flight that will live forever in history. On July 20, 1969 a small space capsule landed in the sea of tranquility on the moon. The capsule held two astronauts that would be the first to set foot on the moon. -
Neil Armstrong
Flew in the Apollo 11 mission and made one of the most legendary moments in human history. He was the first man to step on the moon and became the legendary first man to walk on the moon. Therefore winning the space race for the U.S. -
Apollo 13
This rocket was intended to be the third spacecraft to put humans on the moon, but was aborted when there was an explosion in the rocket in mid flight. This was a crippling event that would have caused the death of all crew members if it wasn't for quick thinking and the crew survived. -
James Lovell
James lovell was a US astronaut. He was the commander of the apollo 13 which suffered severe damage on route to the moon, but was saved by efforts of mission control and the crew. -
Skylab
Skylab was a space laboratory that was designed to do studies on outer space. It was first launched by an unmanned rocket and then crew was sent in. It was retired after a part of the lab was crippled. -
Space Shuttle Program
The space shuttle program introduced a new type of spacecraft instead of the average rocket. This new spacecraft known as a space shuttle was able to make an orbit and then land on a runway saving the craft. With these new rockets there was a new age in space exploration. -
Mir
The Mir was a russian space station that was the russian equivalent of Skylab. It was used for studies on what space did to humans. It was the largest satellite until March 21, 2001. -
International Space Station
This is a space station, or a habitable artificial satellite, in low Earth orbit. It is a modular structure that is used by multiple countries. Now the largest artificial body in orbit, it can often be seen with the naked eye from Earth.
