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Launching of Sputnik 1
TRying to beat the US, the USSR sent the Sputnik 1 into space. It was the first manmade item sent into space ever. -
Laika
Laike was a dog sent by the USSR as the first animal to be in outer space. However, due to stress and overheating, Laika had died in the flight. -
Explorer 1
The US, in order to beat the USSR, sent an unmanned probe in orbit. Because of this mission, the Van Allen Belts of radiation that surround the Earth were found. -
Yuri Gagarin
Yuri Gagarin, sent by the USSR, was the first man to enter into space. He orbited the Earth for 108 minutes. During his flight, he was riased from a Lieutenant to a Major. -
Alan Shephard
Alan Shepard was the firs tamerican to enter into space. Although he did not orbit anything, he was in Zero-G for 4 minutes, and traveled for 15 minutes; -
Vostok 3
This mission by the USSR was intended to determine the ability of the human body to function in conditions of weightlessness and test the endurance of the Vostok 3KA spacecraft over longer flights. -
Valentina Tereshkova
On Vostok 6, the USSR sent the first woman into outer space. The flight lasted about 3 days, and during the flight, she tested herself to see how a woman would react in outer space. -
Aleksei Leonov
Sent by the USSR, Aleksei Leonov was the first man in space to "walk" in spaceflight. He had 45 minutes of oxygen and walked for a total of 12 minutes. -
Apollo 1
The crew was scheduled to set off into space on February 21, but due to an accidental fire in their capsule test, they died and were not able to go on with the mission. They all died in about 17 seconds. -
Apollo 7
This mission was the first mission sent by the US after the Apollo 1 tragedy. It was also the first 3-manned flight. This mission naturally became the confidence builder mission. -
Apollo 8
This was the American flight that was the first to use the Saturn V Rocket. It went to within 70 modules of the lunar surface and after orbiting for awhile, the crew came back home safe and sound. -
Apollo 9
This mission was the testing of the Lunar Module that was to be used in later missions. For the tests, it stayed in orbit with the Earth. -
Apollo 11
Neil Armstrong, Buzz Alrdin, and Michael Collins were sent by the US to set foot on the moon. Through this event, the US beat the USSR in the space race. On this mission, Neil Armstrong said the famous quote “That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” He became a national hero. -
Apollo 13
The original plan of this mission was for the US to go set foot on the moon again, however due to an explosion the astronauts had to work through many challenges and barely made it back home. To some, they did the impossible. -
Apollo 17's return from the moon
After a 12-day mission, Apollo 17 returned form the moon on Decemeber 19. The US sent Eugene Cernan, Ronald Evans, and Harrison Shmitt.
