Space Explorations timeline By s-laslamy Oct 4, 1957 Sputnik 1 Launched Nov 3, 1957 Sputnik 2 launched Aug 17, 1959 Pioneer Program first launch Feb 1, 1961 Venera program launched Jun 14, 1967 The Mariner programs first launch Apr 19, 1971 Space Stations: Salyut 1 launches Aug 20, 1975 Viking 1 launched Aug 20, 1977 Voyager 2 Launches Apr 12, 1981 Space Shuttles first launch May 4, 1989 Fist launch of the Magellan Oct 18, 1989 First launch of the Galileo Spacecraft Apr 24, 1990 Hubble Spacecraft first launch Feb 7, 1996 NEAR expidition launched Jul 4, 1997 First Mars rover landed on mars Oct 15, 1997 First launch in Cassini Mission Aug 8, 2001 First launch of the Genisi program