Space Exploration Timeline By sam sprockett Oct 4, 1957 first artificial satellite;Sputnik USSR Period: Oct 4, 1957 to Jan 1, 1997 Space Exploration Timeline Nov 3, 1957 1st mammal in orbit;Laika(dog)USSR Oct 7, 1959 Mercury Program began;U.S(1959) Apr 12, 1961 Yuri Gargarin(USSR)(1st man in space) May 5, 1961 Alan Shepard, 1st U.S astronaut in space Jan 3, 1962 Gemini Project began(U.S, 1962) Feb 20, 1962 John Glenn Jr.;1st US astronaut orbit earth Mar 1, 1963 Apollo Program began;US 1963 Jun 16, 1963 Valentia Tereshkova;1st woman in space(USSR) Jan 1, 1969 Neil Armstrong 1st man on the moon;US Apollo 11 Nov 14, 1971 Mariner 9; first spacecraft to orbit another planet Aug 20, 1977 Voyager 2 launched Sep 5, 1977 Voyager 1 launched Jan 1, 1981 Columbia 1st space shuttle mission;US Jul 6, 1997 Sojourner;first Mars rover
