Race to the Moon: Major Events of the Space Race between the US and the Soviet Union

First monkey in space. (US)

Jun 14, 1949

Albert II, was the first monkey in space. He was a Rhesus monkey, a type of monkey that originally comes from Asia.
Albert went into space on 14th June, 1949 in a specially adapted American V2 rocket, that flew to a height of 83 miles from earth.

Sputnik 1 Launched by USSR

Oct 4, 1957

This is the first man-made object to orbit Earth.

First dog in space: Sputnik II (USSR)

Nov 3, 1957

Sputnik 2, carrying the dog Laika for 7 days in orbit, is launched by the U.S.S.R., and remains in orbit until April 13, 1958.

Explorer 1 satellite launched by US

Jan 31, 1958

Explorer 1, the first U.S. satellite in orbit, lifts off at Cape Canaveral using a modified ABMA-JPL Jupiter-C rocket. It carries a scientific experiment of James A. Van Allen, and discovers the Earth's radiation belt.

N.A.S.A founded

Oct 1, 1958

N.A.S.A. is founded, taking over existing National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics.

Luna 1 launched by USSR

Jan 2, 1959

Luna 1, first man-made satellite to orbit the moon, is launched by the U.S.S.R.

Tiros 1 (US) launched

Apr 1, 1960

Tiros 1, the first successful weather satellite, is launched by the U.S.

First man in space: Vostok 1 (USSR)

Apr 12, 1961

Vostok 1 is launched by the U.S.S.R., carrying Cosmonaut Yuri A. Gargarin, the first man in space. He orbits the Earth once.

First US astronaut in space: Mercury Freedom 7

May 5, 1961

Mercury Freedom 7 carries Alan B. Shepard,Jr., the first U.S. Astronaut into space, in a suborbital flight.

First woman in space: Vostok 6 (USSR)

Jun 16, 1963

Vostok 6 carries Soviet Cosmonaut Valentia Tereshkova, the first woman in space and orbits the Earth 48 times.

First soft landing on the moon: Luna 9 (USSR)

Feb 3, 1966

Soviet Luna 9 is the first spacecraft to soft-land on the moon.

US soft-lands on moon: Surveyor 1

Jun 2, 1966

Surveyor 1 is the first U.S. spacecraft to soft-land on the Moon. This was to test the landing before sending men to the moon.

First man on the moon: Apollo 11 (US)

Jul 20, 1969

Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, Jr. make the first manned soft landing on the Moon, and the first moonwalk, using Apollo 11.