The Space Race

By denver_sizemore

  • First Artificial Satellite in Earth Orbit

    First Artificial Satellite in Earth Orbit
    The Soviet Union launches the first artificial Earth satellite, Sputnik 1, into orbit.

  • First Dog in Orbit

    First Dog in Orbit
    The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 2 carrying Laika, a dog, as a passenger.

  • First Solar Powered Satellite

    First Solar Powered Satellite
    NASA's Vanguard 1 orbits the Earth powered on solar energy.

  • First Communications Satellite

    First Communications Satellite
    NASA launches Project SCORE which used a satellite to relay President Dwight D. Eisenhower's Christmas message to the entire US via shortwave radio.

  • First Photo of Earth Taken in Orbit

    First Photo of Earth Taken in Orbit
    Explorer 6, launched by NASA, takes a photograph of Earth while in orbit.

  • First Successful Spy Satellite

    First Successful Spy Satellite
    NASA launches GRAB-1 which collects electronic intelligence information on the Soviet Union and China.

  • First Satellite Recovered from Orbit Intact

    First Satellite Recovered from Orbit Intact
    NASA successfully recovers Discoverer 13 after returning to Earth from orbit.

  • First Life to Return From Space Alive

    First Life to Return From Space Alive
    Soviet Union's Sputnik 5 carrying two dogs, Belka and Strelka, and several plants and other animals returns to Earth with all passengers alive.

  • First Human Spaceflight

    First Human Spaceflight
    The Soviet Union launches the Vostok 1 with a human passenger, Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space.

  • First Piloted Spaceflight

    First Piloted Spaceflight
    NASA launches the Freedom 7 with Alan Shepard as a pilot. Shepard is in full control of the ship unlike the Soviet launch, and he returns to Earth with the ship in the first complete spaceflight.

  • First Solar Observatory in Orbit

    First Solar Observatory in Orbit
    NASA's OSO-1 is launches with the intentions of studying the Sun.

  • First Non-Superpower Satellite

    First Non-Superpower Satellite
    Canada launches the Alouette 1 satellite into orbit becoming the first non-superpower to enter the space race; Until this point, the United States and Soviet Union had been the only participants.

  • First Woman in Space

    First Woman in Space
    Soviet Union launches Vostok 6 carrying a passenger, Valentina Tereshkova, who became the first woman to enter space.

  • First Reusable Piloted Spacecraft

    First Reusable Piloted Spacecraft
    NASA's X-15 flown by William Knight officially becomes the first piloted spacecraft to be reuseable.

  • First Satellite Navigation System

    First Satellite Navigation System
    The US Navy launches the TRANSIT system or SATNAV, the first global navigation satellite.

  • First Flyby of Mars

    First Flyby of Mars
    NASA's Mariner 4 is the first spacecraft to reach Mars.

  • First Moon Landing

    First Moon Landing
    The Soviet Union's unmanned Luna 9 lands on the moon capturing the first photos on the moon's surface.

  • First Docking of Spacecraft

    First Docking of Spacecraft
    NASA's Gemini 8 performs a docking test with a target vehicle becoming the first spacecraft to dock with another in orbit.

  • First Artificial Satellite to Orbit the Moon

    First Artificial Satellite to Orbit the Moon
    Soviet Union's Luna 10 enters the Moon's orbit becoming the first man-made satellite to do so.

  • First Manned Spaceflight to Leave Earth's Orbit

    First Manned Spaceflight to Leave Earth's Orbit
    NASA's Apollo 8 leaves Earth's orbit on its mission to orbit the Moon. After taking the first photo of an "Earthrise", it returns home.

  • First Crew Exchange in Space

    First Crew Exchange in Space
    Soviet Union launches Soyuz 5 which docked with Soyuz 4 and exchanged its crew.

  • First Man on the Moon

    First Man on the Moon
    NASA's Apollo 11 lands on the Moon and Neil Armstrong becomes the first man to walk on the Moon.

  • First Remote Controlled Vehicle on the Moon

    First Remote Controlled Vehicle on the Moon
    Soviet Union's Lunokhod 1 is remotely controlled from Earth to explore the surface of the Moon.

  • First Spacecraft to Land on Venus

    First Spacecraft to Land on Venus
    Soviet Union's Venera 7 lands on Venus and transmits data back to Earth

  • First Manned Space Station

    First Manned Space Station
    The Soviet Union launches Salyut 1 with a human crew.

  • First Lunar Rover Driven by Humans

    First Lunar Rover Driven by Humans
    NASA's Apollo 15 carries the Lunar Roving Vehicle to the Moon where its crew drives it on the Moon's surface.

  • First Spacecraft to Orbit Mars

    First Spacecraft to Orbit Mars
    NASA's Mariner 9 enters Mars's orbit.

  • First Mars Landing

    First Mars Landing
    Soviet Union's Mars 3 lands on Mars and transmits data to Earth.

  • First Spacecraft Sent on Mission to Explore Outside Our Solar System

    First Spacecraft Sent on Mission to Explore Outside Our Solar System
    NASA's Pioneer 10 is sent on an escape trajectory away from our Sun and becomes the first spacecraft to leave our solar system.

  • First Multinational Manned Space Mission

    First Multinational Manned Space Mission
    USA and Soviet Union begin a joint operation that would dock an Apollo Command Module with Soyuz 19. The two crews conducted joint experiments and exchanged handshakes and gifts.