Space Race Key Dates By alex09182012 Oct 4, 1957 Sputnik 1 launched. First man-made object in orbit. Jan 31, 1958 Explorer 1 launched. First American satellite in orbit. Oct 1, 1958 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is founded. Apr 12, 1961 Vostok 1 launched. Yuri Gagarin becomes first man in space. Feb 20, 1962 Mercury Freedom 7 is launched with the first American in orbit. John Glenn Jr. Jun 16, 1963 Vostok 6 safely carries Valentia Tereshkov to become the first woman in space. Jul 31, 1964 US Ranger 7 relays a series of close-range photos of the moon. showing it was possible to land on the Moon. Dec 4, 1965 Gemini 7 launched Frank Borman, James A. Lovell Jr. into orbit. Made 206 successful orbits around Earth. Apr 23, 1967 Soviet Soyuz 1 crashes, killing Vladimir Komarov. First Space Race fatality. Dec 15, 1968 Soviet Zond 5. First spacecraft to orbit moon and return. Dec 21, 1968 Apollo 8. first staffed spacecraft to orbit moon. Made 10 orbits on 6-day mission. Jun 20, 1969 Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin Jr. made first staffed soft landing on moon. they used th Apollo 11 spacecraft.