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The first man-made object to orbit the Earth, is launched by the U.S.S.R., and remains in orbit until January 4, 1958.
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USSR launches Sputnik 2 which carried a small dog named Laika into orbit. This was the first animal to reach outter space. Sputnik 2 remained in space until January 4, 1958.
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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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The Vanguard 1 satellite is launched. It continues to function for 3 years.
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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is formed, it replaces the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA).
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Luna 1 is launched by the USSR. It is the first man-made object to orbit the Sun.
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Soviets Luna 3, translunar satellite is launched, orbiting the moon and photographing 70 percent of the far side of the moon
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Tiros 1, the first successful weather satellite, is launched by the U.S.
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The U.S. launches Discoverer XIV. It is the first camera-equipped by Corona spy satellite.
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John F. Kennedy is elected the 35th President of the United States.
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Vostok 1 is launched by the U.S.S.R., carrying Cosmonaut Yuri A. Gagarin, the first man in space. He orbits the Earth once.
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Mercury Freedom 7 carries Alan B. Shepard,Jr., the first U.S. Astronaut into space, in a suborbital flight.
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President John F. Kennedy addresses Congress and challenges the nation to go to the Moon before the end of the decade.
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Mercury Friendship 7 lifts off with John H. Glenn, Jr., the first American in orbit, and orbits the Earth three times.
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Vostok 6 carries Soviet Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space and orbits the Earth 48 times
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The first spacewalk is made from Soviet Voskhod 2 by Cosmonaut Alexei A. Leonov. Duration is 12 minutes.
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Ranger 9 transmits high-quality images of the moon, many of which were shown live in the first television spectacular about the moon.
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Edward White II makes the first U.S. space walk from Gemini 4. Jim McDivitt remains in the Gemini capsule. Duration is 22 minutes.
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Soviet Venus 3 is launched, becoming the first man-made craft to impact Venus on March 1, 1966.
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Soviets launch Luna 10 which becomes the first satellite to orbit the Moon.
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U.S. Lunar Orbiter 1 enters moon orbit, and takes the first picture of the Earth from the distance of the moon.
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Soviets send Venera 4 into Venus's atmosphere, and returning data about its composition.
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Apollo 8 is launched with Frank Borman, James A. Lovell, Jr. and William A. Anders, the first Apollo to use the Saturn V rocket, and the first manned spacecraft to orbit the Moon, making 10 orbits on its 6-day mission.On Christmas Eve they take turns reading Genesis in a broadcast heard around the world.
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Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin become the first men to walk on the Moon while crewmate Michael Collins orbits around the Moon alone using Apollo 11.
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Pete Conrad and Alan Bean perform the first precision lunar landing, touching down just 600 feet from the Surveyor 3 probe that arrived two years earlier.
