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Space
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Sputnik 1
Sputnik I was the first artificial satellite to successfully achieve earth orbit. It was unmanned. Sputnik was sent into space by Russia. -
Explorer 1
Explorer 1 was the first US artificial satellite. It was launched to counter Russia's Sputnik and prove that the US was just as capable. It was unmanned. -
Mercury Freedom 7
Mercury Freedom 7 was a US space capsule. It was the first US human spaceflight, manned only by pilot Alan Shepard. The main purpose of Mercury was to determine man's capabilities both in space and on the return to Earth. -
Gemini 3
Gemini 3 was the first US space flight with two astronauts aboard, command pilot Virgil I. Grissom and pilot John W. Young. Gemini's mission was to test the fully controllable space craft. It used Orbital Attitude Maneuvering System (OAMS) to create a controlled orbit and re-entry, creating the first fully manuverable manned US space craft. -
Apollo 11
The first space mission to successfully land men on the moon. It was controlled by commander Neil Armstrong, command module pilot Michael Collins, and lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin Jr. -
Viking 1
Viking 1 was the first of two probes sent to Mars by NASA in the Viking program. It's twin, Viking 2, launched a few weeks after Viking 1. The were sent to take images of Mars, one from the sky and one from the surface. -
Voyager 1
Voyager 1 was an unmanned space probe released by NASA to study the outer planets in our galaxy, specifically Jupitar and Saturn. After Voyager reached the two planets, it continued to travel through our solar system, expected to malfunction soon. However, Voyager 1 just recently left our solar system, and is now exploring deep space. -
Columbia Space Shuttle (first launch)
Sent into space by NASA, the Columbia Space Shuttle was the first shuttle to reach space. Its purpose was to perform test flights and landings. Columbia carried dozens of astronauts into space during the next two decades. On board it's first launch was commander John Young and pilot Bob Crippen. -
Mars Pathfinder
The Mars Pathfinder was an unmanned probe sent to, and landed on, Mars. The purpose was to study the atmosphere as the probe fell, but also to take pictures of the surface of Mars. It also had a rover with it called Sojourner. -
International Space Station (ISS)
The ISS is an American space station in low Earth orbit. It serves as a temporary home where crews of astronauts live and as a science laboratory. NASA is using the space station to learn more about living and working in space so we can send humans farther into space. -
Spirit and Opprotunity
Spirit was launched on June 10, but Opprotunity was launched July 7, 2003. They were US rovers sent to Mars to investigate the Martian surface. They are still exploring Mars. -
Kepler
Kepler is an unmanned space observatory launched by NASA. It's mission is to discover Earth-like planets orbiting other stars that could possibly be habitable. It's also supposed to determine the properties of stars that harbor planetary systems. -
Curiosity
Curiosity was landed on Mars by the Mars Science Laboratory, a robotic space probe mission to Mars launched by NASA. Curiosity's mission was to observe Mars' climate and geology, and whether or not certain sections of Mars could possibly support life. It is currently still observing Mars.
