Space Race

By blackbrandt
  • First ICBM

    First ICBM

    The first intercontinental ballistic missile is launched by the Russians.
  • First Satellite

    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

    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 Launched by USSR

    Luna 1 was the first human made satellite to orbit the moon.
  • First US Satellite

    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 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

    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

    Sputnik 3 is deployed by Russia.
  • Sputnik 3 Launched by USSR

    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

    First ICBM

    The first intercontinental ballistic missile is launched by the Russians.
  • NASA Founded

    NASA Founded

  • First Launch by NASA

    First Launch by NASA

    Pioneer 1 became the first rocket launched by NASA.
  • First Communications Satellite

    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

    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

    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

    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

    Luna II was the first man made object to ever hit the moon.
  • First Photo of the Far side of 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

    Tiros 1

    First successful weather satellite launched by the US.
  • First Animals and Plants to be returned alive from space

    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 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

    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

    First American in Orbit

    Mercury Friendship 7 orbited the Earth 3 times with John Glenn, Jr as a payload.
  • First Woman in space

    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

    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'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

    First Planetary Flyby by the US

    The Mariner 2 had a planetary flyby of Venus on this date.
  • First Geosynchronous Satellite

    First Geosynchronous Satellite

    The Syncom 2 was the first satellite to achieve a geosynchronous orbit.
  • First Space Walk

    First Space Walk

    Soviet Vostok 2 allowed Russian cosmonaut Alexei Leonov to complete a 12 minute spacewalk.
  • First flight of Gemini Program

    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

    First Close range image of Mars

    US Mariner 4
  • First Spacecraft to Reach another planet

    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

    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

    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

    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

    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

    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

    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

    First Soviet Spaceship docking

    Soyuz 4 and Soyuz 5