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The Soviet satellite "Sputnick 1" is the first object sent into space and to sucessfully orbit the Earth.
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The first "Earthling" a Soviet dog named Laika was successfully sent into space.
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The first United States satellite to orbit the Earth- "Explorer 1"- is launched.
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NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) is formed.
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Alan Shepard becomes the first United States citizen in space.
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Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes the first person in space. (He orbits the Earth)
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Astronaut John Glenn becomes the first US citizen to orbit the Earth.
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Apollo 11 crew member Neil Armstrong is the first man to walk on the moon. His fellow crew member Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin is right behind him, making him the second man to walk on the moon.
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Voyager 2, the first space probe to fly by the four gas giant planets - Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune - is launched.
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The first American space shuttle is launched. This is the first "re-usable" space craft in history.
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The space shuttle Challenger explodes shortly after take-off, killling all of its crew members including the first teacher in space, Christa McAuliffe.
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The Hubble Space Telescope is launched into orbit around the Earth.
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The un-manned American space probe, "Pathfinder" lands on Mars and begins its sucessful exploration of the planet.
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Human habitation in the International Space Station begins.
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The space shuttle Colimbia exploded upon re-entering the Earth's atmosphere.
