-
First launch of the new R-7 rocket by the USSR.
-
First artificial satellite PS-1, known as Sputnik in the West, launches into orbit and starts sending radio signals to Earth.
-
Laika the dog becomes the first animal in orbit. Unfortunately, she did not survive the flight since the PS-2 satellite she was on overheated. This was a huge blow and further missions of this kind (with dogs on board) were halted for 3 years.
-
First American satellite, Explorer-1, is successfully launched into orbit.
-
This was the third artificial satellite (спутник) sent into orbit by the USSR. It conducted a lot of measurments critical to further development of the Soviet space program.
-
Two dogs were launched into Space, but there was malfunction during the launch and the landing capsule crash-landed in the Siberian forest. The capsule was found 4 days later. Miraculously, the dogs survived the rough landing.
-
Soviets send 2 dogs into orbit, but the rocket explodes on the launch pad.
-
Two more dogs are sent into space, this time successfully. The dogs spent 1 day in orbit and returned to Earth successfully.
-
Two more dogs flew into orbit. Everything was well, except on the descend the landing craft deviated from its original trajectory and was blown up.
-
Chernushka the dog is launched in the Satellite-9. She has good company - a manequin, a mouse and a guinea pig. On the return, the manequin catapulted and the rest landed successfully in the landing capsule.
-
Zvezdochka the dog was sent into orbit and successfully completed the mission. She was the last "Space dog" in the program. After her successful return, S.P. Korolev felt secure that a human being can be safely sent to space.