Space exploration timeline By Cricket_42 Jan 1, 1609 In Italy, Galileo uses telescope for astronomical purposes. He discovers 4 Jovian moons, the Moon's craters and the Milky Way galaxy. Jan 1, 1609 In Germany, Kepler's First and Second Laws of Planetary Motions are announced. Period: Jan 1, 1609 to Dec 31, 1956 1609-1956 Jan 1, 1842 Discovery of the 'Doppler Effect' by Austrian physicist and mathematician, Christian Doppler. Jan 1, 1923 Hubble shows that galaxies exist outside the Milky Way galaxy. Jan 1, 1923 Clyde Tombaugh discovers Pluto. Jan 1, 1956 Sputnik, first object to orbit the Earth, launched by the Russians. Period: Jan 1, 1957 to Jan 31, 1980 1957-1980 Jan 1, 1958 Explorer 1 launched. This was the first U.S. satellite to orbit the Earth. Jan 1, 1969 Armstrong and Aldrin walk on the Moon as part of Apollo 11 mission. Jan 1, 1970 The Russian Venera 7 becomes first to land softly on the surface of Venus Jan 1, 1976 The U.S. Viking probes land on Mars. Period: Jan 1, 1981 to Nov 24, 2015 1981-2015 Jan 1, 1995 Galileo space probe reaches Jupiter. Jan 1, 1998 Construction begins on the International Space Station. Nov 1, 1998 The Lunar Prospector reaches the Moon. Jan 1, 2000 New evidence found for water on Mars. Jan 1, 2000 Space Shuttle Endeavor makes a detailed, global map of Earth