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Period: to
space race
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Sputnik 1
Sputnik 1 was launched as the first artifical object to enter space -
Sputnik 2
The Sputnik 2 was launched into space with a dog aboard -
Explorer 1
- Explorer 1, the first U.S. satellite in orbit, lifts off at Cape Canaveral using a modified ABMA-JPL Jupiter-C rocket. It carries a scientific experiment of James A. Van Allen, and discovers the Earth's radiation belt
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Explorer 2
Explorer 2 is launched by a Jupiter-C rocket, and fails to reach orbit. -
Luina 1
Luna 1, first man-made satellite to orbit the moon, is launched by the U.S.S.R. -
Pioneer 4
Pioneer 4, fourth U.S.-IGY space probe was launched by a Juno II rocket, and achieved an earth-moon trajectory, passing within 37,000 miles of the moon. It then fell into a solar orbit, becoming the first U.S. sun orbiter. -
Tiros 1
Tiros 1, the first successful weather satellite, is launched by the U.S. -
Mercury Freedom 7
Mercury Freedom 7 carries Alan B. Shepard,Jr., the first U.S. Astronaut into space, in a suborbital flight -
Friendship 7
Mercury Friendship 7 lifts off with John H. Glenn, Jr., the first American in orbit, and orbits the Earth three times. -
Telestar 1
Telstar 1, U.S. satellite, beams the first live transatlantic telecast -
Ranger 9
Ranger 9 transmits high-quality images of the moon, many of which were shown live in the first television spectacular about the moon -
Gemini 7
Gemini 7 is launched carrying Frank Borman and James A. Lovell, Jr., making 206 orbits around Earth and proving a trip to the Moon possible -
Venera 4
Venera 4 sends a descent capsule into the Venusian atmosphere, returning data about its composition. -
Moon Landing
Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, Jr. make the first manned soft landing on the Moon, and the first moonwalk, using Apollo 11. -
Apollo 13
Apollo 13 is launched, suffering an explosion in its SM oxygen tanks. Its Moon landing is aborted, and the crew, James A. Lovell, Jr., John L. Swigert, Jr. and Fred W. Haise, Jr., return safely. -
Skylab
Skylab Workshop is launched by the U.S., and maintained by three crews -
SMS-1 satellite
NASA launches the first Synchronous Meteorological Satellite, SMS-1. -
Viking 1 mars pictures
Pictures of the Martian surface are taken by Viking 1, the first U.S. attempt to soft land a spacecraft on another planet -
Venus research
Two Pioneer spacecraft reach Venus. One drops four probes into the atmosphere, while the other maps the surface. -
Pioneer 11
Pioneer 11 reaches Saturn, flying to within 13,000 miles and taking the first close-up photographs. -
Apollo 18 spacecraft rendezvous
American Apollo (18) and Soviet Soyuz 19 dock, the first international spacecraft rendezvous.
