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First ICBM
The first intercontinental ballistic missile is launched by the Russians. -
First Satellite
Sputnik 1 was the first satellite put into space. It also was the first object to transmit signals from space. -
First Dog in Orbit
Laika was the first dog put into orbit. She was launched aboard Sputnik 2. -
Luna 1 Launched by USSR
Luna 1 was the first human made satellite to orbit the moon. -
First US Satellite
Explorer 1 was the first satellite put into orbit by the US. While in orbit, it discovered evidence of the Earth's radiation belt. -
Explorer II Fails
Explorer 2 failed to reach orbit on March 5 due to the Jupiter-C rocket on board not igniting and the launch being scrubbed. -
Vanguard Satellite Launched into Orbit
The Vanguard Satellite was launched into orbit on Mar 17. This is the oldest human made satellite still in orbit today. -
Sputnik 3
Sputnik 3 is deployed by Russia. -
Sputnik 3 Launched by USSR
Sputnik 3 was launched to explore the upper atmosphere and near space areas. It contained instruments for geophysical research. -
First ICBM
The first intercontinental ballistic missile is launched by the Russians. -
NASA Founded
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First Launch by NASA
Pioneer 1 became the first rocket launched by NASA. -
First Communications Satellite
The first satellite for the purpose of communication was launched by the US.. The project name was Project SCORE-ABMA -
First Satellite in a polar orbit
The Discoverer 1-USAF/ARPA was the first satellite to complete a polar orbit (in other words, an orbit that crosses the poles of the earth instead of following the equator). -
Pioneer IV Launched
During its launch, this satellite fell into a solar orbit. This was the first US solar orbiter. -
First Photograph of Earth from Orbit
The Explorer 6 was the first mission to take a picture of Earth while in orbit. -
Luna II
Luna II was the first man made object to ever hit the moon. -
First Photo of the Far side of the moon
The Luna 3 mission by the USSR was the first mission to take pictures of the far side of the Moon. -
Tiros 1
First successful weather satellite launched by the US. -
First Animals and Plants to be returned alive from space
Sputnik 5 had the first live payload to be returned alive from space. -
Vostok 1
Vostok I was launched by the USSR. This was the first spaceflight of the Vostok program. It also was the first mannede spaceflight in history. -
First US Astronaut into Suborbital flight
Mercury freedom 7 put Alan Shepard into a suborbital flight. This was also the first pilot-controlled space flight. -
First American in Orbit
Mercury Friendship 7 orbited the Earth 3 times with John Glenn, Jr as a payload. -
First Woman in space
Vostok 6 carried the first woman into space. She orbited the earth 48 times. This was also the first civilian to be in space. -
First Live Transatlantic Telecast
The Telstar 1, a US Satellite, streamed the first transatlantic live telecast, featuring Walter Cronkite. -
John F. Kennedy's Moon Speech Delivered
John F. Kennedy delivered his famous moon speech on September 12, 1962, at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas. This speech included his famous line, "We chose to go to the moon, not because it was easy, but because it was hard." -
First Planetary Flyby by the US
The Mariner 2 had a planetary flyby of Venus on this date. -
First Geosynchronous Satellite
The Syncom 2 was the first satellite to achieve a geosynchronous orbit. -
First Space Walk
Soviet Vostok 2 allowed Russian cosmonaut Alexei Leonov to complete a 12 minute spacewalk. -
First flight of Gemini Program
The first flight of the Gemini program carried John Young and Virgil Grissom 3 times around the earth. -
First Close range image of Mars
US Mariner 4 -
First Spacecraft to Reach another planet
The Soviet's Venera III hit Venus. Although it did not return any data, this spacecraft was the first to hit another planet. -
First Artificial Satellite to Orbit another Celestial Body
The Luna 10 mission was the first satellite to orbit another celestial body. It orbited the Moon. -
First Human Space Flight Fatality
On April 23rd, Soviet Soyuz launched Vladimir Komarov into orbit. A day later, on the 24th, it crashed. His parachutes would not work and his spacecraft crashed into Earth. -
First Satellite recovered intact from Orbit
The Discoverer 13 was the first satellite to be recovered intact from an orbit around Earth. -
First Spacecraft to Orbit the moon and Return
Soviet Zond 5. -
Dr Love's Birthday?
Through a bit of research, social media, and a few guesses, our beloved teacher's birthday was guessed to be on this date. -
First Manned Landing on the Moon
Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, Jr, perform the first moonwalk during the Apollo 11 mission. -
First Man to Dance on the Moon/First precisely target piloted landing on the Moon
Pete Conrad is the first man to dance on the moon. Also, the Surveyor 3 site is the first precise landing spot on the moon. -
First Soviet Spaceship docking
Soyuz 4 and Soyuz 5
