-
Jan 1, 1543
Copernicus Predicts that the Moon Orbits Earth and that Earth orbits the Sun
In 1543, Copernicus published: On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Bodies, a letter to the pope, explaining that he thought that Earth orbits the sun and the moon orbits Earth. Later Galileo would prove this theory. Photo:
http://www.windows2universe.org/people/ren_epoch/copernicus.html Title Photo;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_cluster -
Galileo Discovers Moons of Jupiter
In 1610 Galileo Galilei published a book telling about his discovery. This discovery proved Nicholas Copernicus's hypothesis that not all bodies in the solar system orbit the sun. Photo:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europa_(moon) -
Sputnik is Launched
On October 4, 1957, the USSR started the Space Race with the first artificial satellite, Sputnik. This satellite was only about 84 kilograms and the size of a beach ball. Photo:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sputnik_1#/media/File:Sputnik_asm.jpg -
First Dog in Space
On November 3, 1957, Laika,was the first dog to ever be sent into space. It died during the trip due to the lack of safety in the capsule. -
First US Satellite
On January 1, 1958, Explorer 1, the first American satellite was launched. It only sent NASA data for about 100 days before its batteries died. -
Yuri Gagarin Enters Space
On April 12, 1961, the USSR sent Yuri Gagarin into space as the first man in space. His spacecraft was know as the Vostok-1. Photo:
http://www.beliefnet.com/columnists/on_the_front_lines_of_the_culture_wars/2011/04/yuri-gagarin-first-human-in-space-was-a-devout-christian-says-his-close-friend.html -
Alan Shepard Enters Space
Alan Shepard was the first American to enter space when he flew his spacecraft Mercury on May 5, 1961. He flew 116 miles into the air then turned around, on a fifteen and a half minute space flight. Photo:
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/stories/nasa-knows/who-was-alan-shepard-k4.html -
First American Spacecraft to Orbit Moon
On August 14, 1966, Lunar Orbiter 1 became the first American spacecraft to orbit the moon. The Soviets first orbited the moon in April 1966 with Luna 10. -
Apollo 1 Disater
On January 27, 1967, Apollo 1 caught on fire killing three astronauts during a test. This happened about two and a half years before the first moon land. -
Neil Armstrong Lands on the Moon
On June 20, 1969, the US successfully landed a spacecraft on the moon. Neil Armstrong was the first person of the moon followed by Buzz Aldrin twenty minutes later. Photo:
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/apollo11.html -
First Chinese Satellite
On April 24, 1970, China launched Dongfanghong I, their first artificial satellite. It was used for satellite tests. -
First American Woman in Space
On June 18, 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space aboard a space shuttle. Her job was to work the robotic arm to launch satellites. Photo:
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/stories/nasa-knows/who-was-sally-ride-k4.html -
Challenger Disater
On January 28, 1986, the Challenger space shuttle was launched and blew up seventy-two seconds after takeoff. It was the first NASA shuttle mission carrying five crew members instead of seven. Photo:
http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/challenger-shuttle-disaster/ -
Period: to
USSR/ Russia's Space Station Mir
On February 20, 1986, the USSR launched the space station Mir. It was in orbit for about fifteen years before crashed into the South Pacific Ocean on March 23, 2001. Astronaut Anatoly Solovyev lived on the station for 651 days managing Americans. -
The Roman Catholic Church Admits that Galileo was Right
On October 31, 1992, Pope John Paul II, officially admitted that Earth orbits around the sun, and Galileo was pardoned. Galileo was put in prison for believing this almost 400 years ago. Photo:
http://pics-about-space.com/galileo-solar-system-model?p=3 -
Work on the International Space Station Begins
On November 20, 1998, Zarya, the first International Space Station module was set into orbit. Later, Zarya, would become one small part of what we now call the International Space Station and would be simply used as storage. Photo:
Public Domain -
Unity is Added to the International Space Station
On December 4, 1998, Unity was added to the International Space Station. It was the first American module, since Zarya, was Russian. -
Columbia Disaster
On February 1, 2003, while entering Earth's atmosphere, the space shuttle Columbia disintegrated killing all seven crew members. This event was caused by insulation breaking off and the shuttle becoming overheated. -
Curiosity Lands on Mars
On August 6, 2012, Curiosity, a car sized unmanned rover, landed on Mars. Currently it has been on Mars for 1373 days picking up samples to take back to NASA. Photo:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curiosity_(rover) -
Rosetta Lands on Comet
On August 6, 2014, unmanned spacecraft Rosetta, lands on Comet: 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. In order to land on this comet it took Rosetta seven hours to make its descent. Photo:
http://www.dailydot.com/geek/esl-rosetta-comet-landing-cometlanding-livestream-hashtag/ -
Orion Orbits the Moon
In December 2017, NASA plans to launch its Orion spacecraft on a trip around the Moon. This will test NASA's new Space Launch System. -
Inspiration Mars Will Flyby Mars
In January, 2018, NASA plans to launch Inspiration Mars. This would be a 501 days flight with a flyby of Mars and two astronauts.
