Space Race

Sputnik 1

Oct 4, 1957

Sputnik was the first artificial Earth satellite. It was launched by the USSR and orbited Earth for three days. This was the first event that sparked the space race.

First animal in space

Nov 3, 1957

Sputnik 2 of the USSR put the first animal into space, a dog named Laika.

Explorer 1

Jan 31, 1958

Explorer 1 was the first satellite that the US successfully got into space. America had officially entered the space race.

Creation of NASA

Jul 29, 1958

In response to Sputnik 1, Congress agrees to create NASA, a program about going into space.

USA's first animal in space

Jan 31, 1961

The US sent out Ham, chimpanzee, into space.

First man in space (USSR)

Apr 12, 1961

Gagarin of the USSR was the first man in space. He was shot into space in a Vostok rocket, and he made it back to Earth safely.

First man into Earth's orbit (USSR)

Apr 12, 1961

Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, of the USSR, is the first man launched into Earth's orbit on the Vostok 1.

First man in space (USA)

May 5, 1961

Commander Alan Shepard is the first American in space, less than a month after the USSR puts their first man in space.

JFK's Speech

May 25, 1961

In a speech, JFK decided to shoot for the moon by the end of the decade. It seemed like an impossible task, but the speech inspired Americans to reach for hard things.

First man in Earth's orbit (USA)

Feb 20, 1962

John Glenn becomes the first American to orbit Earth, going around the planet three times in about five hours.

First EVA (USSR)

Mar 18, 1965

Alexei Leonov of the USSR is the first person to perform an EVA. He remained outside of the spacecraft for 12 minutes and flew up in the Voskhod 2.

First EVA (USA)

Jun 3, 1965

On Gemini 4, Ed White performed the first American spacewalk. He floated for roughly 20 minutes and travelled 6,500 miles.

Gemini 7

Dec 4, 1965

Frank Borman and Jim Lovell spend 2 weeks in space to prove that man can survive in space. 2 weeks is more than enough time it will take to get to the moon.

Gemini 9 tragedy

Feb 28, 1966

Elliot See and Commander Pilot Charles Bassett, the original crew for Gemini 9, died in a jet training crash in St. Louis, Missouri. It is the first tragedy of the NASA missions.

Gemini 9-A

Jun 3, 1966

Gemini 9-A had achieved the longest spacewalk done yet, with a time of 2 hours and 8 minutes, done by Gene Cernan.

Gemini 12

Nov 11, 1966

Gemini 12 was the last gemini mission. It achieved EVA (Extra Vehicular Activity) after 2 previous failed attempts before, done by Buzz Aldrin.

Apollo 1 tragedy

Jan 27, 1967

During training, a fire started in Apollo 1, killing all three of its astronauts: Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee. They all died from asphyxia caused by toxic fumes from the fire.

Apollo 7

Oct 11, 1968

Apollo 7 was the first human occupied space flight of the apollo missions. It was to test equipment, which didn't achieve anything big, but was still important to do.

Apollo 8

Dec 21, 1968

Apollo 8 was the first crewed spaceflight to leave Earth orbit, and the first to reach another astronomical object. They were the first to orbit the moon.

Apollo 9

Mar 3, 1969

Apollo 9 was the first flight of the full Apollo spacecraft. It was a test to see if it could make it and land on the moon, without actually landing on the moon.

Apollo 10

May 18, 1969

Apollo 10 was the mission that would work as a dress rehearsal for Apollo 11, which would actually go to the moon. It tested all the components needed to make sure Apollo 11 would be successful.

Apollo 11

Jul 16, 1969

Apollo 11 was the first, and only spacecraft to land on the moon. It was the end of the space race, and was one of the greatest achievements of mankind.