Timeline: Space exploration | Timetoast

Oct 4, 1957

First Earth orbiter
Jan 2, 1959

First luner flyby
Jun 12, 1959

First luner impact
Oct 4, 1959

First images of far side of the moon
Apr 12, 1961

First manned Earth orbit
Aug 27, 1962

First successful Venus flyby
Nov 28, 1964

First Mars flyby
Nov 16, 1965

First Venus impact
Dec 21, 1968

First manned luner orbit
Jul 16, 1969

First manned luner landing
Aug 17, 1970

First Venus lander
Sep 12, 1970

First robotic lunar sample return
Mar 3, 1972

First Jupiter flyby
Apr 5, 1973

First Saturn flyby
Jun 8, 1975

First Venus orbiter
Jan 15, 1976

Closest solar approach
Aug 12, 1978

First comet flyby
Feb 7, 1996

first near-Earth asteroid flyby
Aug 25, 1997

First Saturn orbiter
Feb 7, 1999

First comet coma sample return