Space Race Timeline

By mianoril
  • First satellite in space by USSR

    First satellite in space by USSR

    Sputnik I was launched by the Soviet Union on October 4, 1957. This was the first satellite in space sent by the USSR.
  • First animal in space by USSR

    First animal in space by USSR

    The first animal launched into space by the USSR was a dog named Laika on the Sputnik 2.
  • First satellite in space by USA

    First satellite in space by USA

    The first satellite launched into space by the USA was the Explorer 1. The Explorer 1 was the first satellite to carry science instruments.
  • Creation of NASA

    Creation of NASA

    The creation of NASA was authorized by President Eisenhower. He signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act and created a law.
  • First animal in space by USA (Ham the chimp)

    First animal in space by USA (Ham the chimp)

    The first animal in space by the USA was a chimpanzee. He flew on the Mercury-Redstone 2 and was apart of the Project Mercury.
  • First man in space by USSR

    First man in space by USSR

    Yuri Gagarin was from the Soviet Union and the first human in space. He had a vehicle named Vostok 1 and it circled Earth with flight time of 108 minutes.
  • First man in space by USA

    First man in space by USA

    The first man in space sent by the USA was Alan Shepard and had a capsule The Freedom 7 Mercury.
  • JFK's speech and commitment to getting to the moon

    JFK's speech and commitment to getting to the moon

    President Kennedy made a speech to congress saying that the USA achieve the goal by the end of the decade of landing a man on the moon and having a safe way back to Earth.
  • First man to orbit Earth by USA

    First man to orbit Earth by USA

    The first man to orbit Earth sent by the USA was John H. Glenn. He orbited 3 times which lasted about 4 hours 55 minutes.
  • Gemini 1

    Gemini 1

    The mission plan was to orbit 3 times almost 5 hours after the launch the third orbit the spacecraft was tracked until it reentered and disintegrated.
  • Gemini 2

    Gemini 2

    Gemini 2's mission purpose was to test the spacecrafts module heat protection for the heat increase on the return. This was to also test the system altogether.
  • First man to do an EVA by USSR

    First man to do an EVA by USSR

    Alexei Leonov was the first man from the USSR to do a EVA. He spent about 12 minutes and 9 seconds outside of the Voskhod 2 spacecraft.
  • Gemini 3

    Gemini 3

    The Gemini 3 mission was the first launch with people in the Gemini Project. The goal was to test EVA and test long missions.
  • First man to do an EVA by USA

    First man to do an EVA by USA

    The first man sent by the USA to do a EVA was Edward White. The Gemini 4 spacecraft was his vehicle.
  • 1st Tragedy-Original Gemini 9 Crew

    1st Tragedy-Original Gemini 9 Crew

    The original crews command pilot (Elliot See) and other pilot (Charles Bassett) died in a crash February 28, 1966.
  • Tragedy 2-Apollo 1 Crew

    Tragedy 2-Apollo 1 Crew

    The Apollo 1 tragedy happened on the launch pad due to a fire in the command module. Which killed Virgil Grissom, Edward White and Roger Chaffee.
  • Apollo Missions 7

    Apollo Missions 7

    The Apollo 7 mission was the first mission to test the command and service module with a crew on board. This was the first to test the spacecraft called the New Block 2.
  • Apollo 8

    Apollo 8

    The Apollo 8 had 3 people and was sent to a 114 by 118 mile parking orbit.
  • Apollo 9

    Apollo 9

    The Apollo 9 capsule re-entered Earth atmosphere and crashed into the Atlantic.
  • Apollo 10

    Apollo 10

    The Apollo 10 was injected into Earth's trajectory.
  • Apollo 11

    Apollo 11

    Apollo 11 was the first spacecraft to land on the moon with people.