Space Exploration Timeline By minniepark Sep 20, 1951 Yorick was the 1st monkey sent to space and was sent by Russia Oct 4, 1957 Sputnik was the 1st artificial satellite launched and was launched by Russia Nov 3, 1957 Laika, a dog, was the 1st mammal that was sent into orbit around Earth and was sent by Russia Oct 7, 1959 The Mercury Program began by the U.S Apr 12, 1961 Yuri Gagarin was the 1st man sent into space and he was sent by Russia May 5, 1961 Alan Shepard was the 1st U.S astronaut that was sent to space Jan 3, 1962 The Gemini Space Program began by the U.S Feb 20, 1962 John Glenn was the 1st U.S. astronaut that orbited the Earth Mar 28, 1963 The Apollo Space program began Jun 16, 1963 Valentina Tereshkova was the 1st woman sent into space and she was sent by Russia Jul 20, 1969 Neil Armstrong was the 1st man on the moon from the mission Apollo 11 sent by the U.S Aug 20, 1977 The launch of Voyager 2 probe by the U.S Sep 5, 1977 The launch of the Voyager 1 probe by the U.S Apr 12, 1981 The 1st space shuttle mission was Columbia and was sent by the U.S Jan 28, 1986 The Challenger explodes in the U.S
