Timeline of Space Exploration By dspears May 5, 1961 First Space Flight for USA USA sends first flight into space. Dec 12, 1968 Apolli 8 orbits the moon Space shuttle orbits the moon Jul 18, 1969 Armstrong's Giant Leap on the Moon Man walked on the moon Apr 12, 1981 The era of shuttles to space begins This begins an era of space shuttles flights to space Jan 12, 1986 Space shuttle Challenger explodes The Challenger explodes
