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Space Race
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Sputnik 1 is Launched
On October 4, 1957, the Russians launch Sputnik 1 into outer space, being the first satellite to orbit Earth. -
First Animal in Space
The Soviet Union launch Sputnik 2, another satellite, with a female dog in it. Laika, the female dog, is the first animal to go into outer space. -
The Forming of NASA
NASA is formed after Congress passes the National Aeronautics and Space Act. -
First Human in Space
The Soviet Union send Yuri Gagarin into space, being the first man in space. -
First American in Space
Alan Shepard becomes the first American to go into outer space. -
First American to Orbit Earth
John Glenn circles Earth three times in 4 hours and 56 minutes, becoming the first man to orbit Earth. -
First Woman into Space
The Soviets launch Valentina Tereshkova on Vostok 6, becoming the first woman to ever go into outer space. -
Proposed Joint U.S.-U.S.S.R. Moon Program
On September 20, 1963, in a speech before the United Nations General Assembly, President Kennedy proposed that the United States and the Soviet Union join forces in their efforts to reach the moon. Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev initially rejected Kennedy's proposal; however, during the next few weeks he concluded that both nations might realize cost benefits and technological gains from a joint venture. -
First Person to Space Walk
Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov takes the first space walk ever. -
First Deaths in Space
During a test on the launchpad, a fire kills Apollo 1 astronauts Virgil "Gus" Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee. -
First Moon Landing
During the flight of Apollo 11, Neil Armstrong becomes the first man to walk on the moon. Buzz Aldrin is the second. -
First Space Rescue
An oxygen tank explodes aboard Apollo 13. With help from Mission Control, the crew — Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and John Swigert — return to Earth safely four days later, it becoming the first space rescue -
First Space Station
The Soviets launch Salyut 1, the first orbiting space station. -
First American Space Station
The American space station, Skylab, is the first space station to be sent into outer space by America. -
First International Docking in Space
American and Soviet spacecraft dock together in space in a show of peaceful cooperation during the Apollo-Soyuz mission. -
First Mars Landing
Viking 1, an unmanned scientific probe controlled by scientists on Earth, was the first object to ever land on Mars. -
Launch of Pioneer Venus's
Launch of the first of two spacecraft called Pioneer Venus, which would study the Venusian atmosphere. -
First Reusable Space Vehicle
The space shuttle Columbia takes John Young and Robert Crippen into space, it later becoming the first reusable space vehicle ever. -
First Mission in NASA's Space Shuttle Program
Aboard the space shuttle Columbia, Robert L. Crippen and John W. Young make the first mission in NASA's space shuttle program. -
First American Woman in Space
Sally Ride is the first American Woman to ever enter outer space. -
First African American to enter Space
Guion S. Bluford, Jr., becomes first African-American man in space with launch of shuttle mission STS-8 aboard the space shuttle Challenger. -
First Woman to Do a Space Walk
Svetlana Savitskaya becomes the first woman to do a space walk. -
First Civilian Death
The space shuttle Challenger explodes, killing all seven crew members — including the first teacher in space, Christa McAuliffe. -
Mir
Mir space station launches. -
First Year in Space
Musa Manarov and Vladimir Titov complete 366 days on the Russian space station, Mir. -
Atlantis launches Galileo
Space shuttle Atlantis launches Galileo to study Jupiter and its moons.
