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October 4
The Soviet Union launched the first satellite, Sputnik, into space. -
August 19
The Soviet craft Sputnik 5 was launched, carrying the dogs Strelka and Belka. They became the first living beings to survive a trip into space. -
February 3
The Russian spacecraft Luna 9 became the first spacecraft to land on the moon -
July 20
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men on the moon. -
1970
Apollo 13 was launched. -
April 4
The second Space Shuttle, Challenger, was launched -
1998
John Glenn became the oldest man in space. -
2005
Space Shuttle Discovery was launched with seven astronauts aboard; this was America’s first manned space shot since the 2003 Columbia disaster. -
2008
The NASA space probe Messenger skimmed 124 miles above Mercury. -
2011
NASA's Dawn spacecraft became the first man made craft to orbit an asteroid. -
2013
NASA launched the unmanned ladee spacecraft from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. -
2000
NASA’s Galileo mission ended a 14-year exploration of the solar system’s largest planet and its moons with the spacecraft crashing by design into Jupiter at 108,000 mph.
