Timeline of Space Exploration

Timeline of Space Exploration First Timeperiod

Period: Jan 1, 1609 to Dec 31, 1957

Publication of the Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica

Jan 1, 1687

1687, Publication of the Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica, England, Sir Isaac Newton.

First exposition of the rocket equation based on Newton's third law of motion: Treatise on the Motion of Rockets

Jan 1, 1813

1813,First exposition of the rocket equation based on Newton's third law of motion: Treatise on the Motion of Rockets, United Kingdom UK,William Moore

Inspired by the writings of Jules Verne, first serious work published that showed physical space exploration was theoretically possible: The Exploration of Cosmic Space by Means of Reaction Devices

Jan 1, 1903

1903, Inspired by the writings of Jules Verne, first serious work published that showed physical space exploration was theoretically possible: The Exploration of Cosmic Space by Means of Reaction Devices, Russia Konstantin Tsiolkovsky

Society for Studies of Interplanetary Travel founded in Soviet Union

Jan 1, 1924

1924 Society for Studies of Interplanetary Travel founded in Soviet Union, Soviet Union members include Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, Friedrich Zander, Yuri Kondratyuk

Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket

Mar 16, 1926

16 March 1926 Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket United States Robert H. Goddard

Society for Space Travel Formed

Jan 1, 1927

1927 Verein für Raumschiffahrt (Society for Space Travel) formed; it includes many top European rocket scientists. Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg Germany

First German military liquid-fueled rocket engines developed

Jan 1, 1931

1931 First German military liquid-fueled rocket engines developed Germany Walter Riedel

Work begins on the Aggregate series of rockets which leads to the V-2 rocket

Jan 1, 1933

1933 Work begins on the Aggregate series of rockets which leads to the V-2 rocket. Germany Wernher von Braun

irst vehicle to cross the Kármán line

Oct 3, 1942

3 October 1942 First vehicle to cross the Kármán line (100 km/~62 mi above the Earth's surface) and thereby enter outer space Germany V-2 rocket, military program

First space research flight

May 10, 1946

10 May 1946 First space research flight (cosmic radiation experiments) United States captured and improved V-2 rocket

irst U.S.-designed rocket to reach edge of space

May 22, 1946

22 May 1946 First U.S.-designed rocket to reach edge of space (80 km (49 mi)) United States WAC Corporal

First pictures of earth from 65 miles (Space)

Oct 24, 1946

24 October 1946 First pictures of earth from 105 km (65 mi) United States V-2

First animals in space

Feb 20, 1947

20 February 1947 First animals in space (fruit flies) [1][2] Flag of the United States.svg United States V-2

First artificial satellite

Oct 4, 1957

4 October 1957 First artificial satellite
First signals from space USSR Sputnik 1

First animal in orbit,

Nov 3, 1957

3 November 1957 First animal in orbit, the dog Laika Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR Sputnik 2

Timeline of Space Exploration Second Timeperiod

Period: Jan 1, 1958 to Dec 31, 1980

First firing of a rocket in Earth orbit

Jan 2, 1959

January 1959 First firing of a rocket in Earth orbit
First reaching Earth escape velocity or Trans Lunar Injection
First detection of solar wind USSR Luna 1

First artificial satellite to reach the Moon

Jan 4, 1959

4 January 1959 First artificial satellite to reach the Moon vicinity and first artificial satellite in heliocentric orbit USSR Luna 1

First human spaceflight

Apr 12, 1961

12 April 1961 First human spaceflight–(Yuri Gagarin)
First human-crewed orbital flight USSR Vostok 1

First planetary flyby by USA

Dec 14, 1962

14 December 1962 First planetary flyby by USA (Venus closest approach 34,773 kilometers) Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Mariner 2

First woman in space

Jun 16, 1963

16 June 1963 First woman in space (Valentina Tereshkova) USSR Vostok 6

First soft landing on another world

Feb 3, 1966

3 February 1966 First soft landing on another world (the Moon)
First photos from another world USSR Luna 9

First piloted orbital mission of another celestial body

Dec 21, 1968

21 December 1968 First piloted orbital mission of another celestial body (Moon),first-ever Trans-Earth injection (25 December) USA (NASA) Apollo 8

First human on the Moon

Jul 21, 1969

21 July 1969 First human on the Moon and first space launch from a celestial body USA (NASA) Apollo 11

First rendezvous on the surface of a celestial body

Nov 19, 1969

19 November 1969 First rendezvous on the surface of a celestial body USA (NASA) Apollo 12/Surveyor 3

First lunar rover

Nov 23, 1970

23 November 1970 First lunar rover USSR Lunokhod 1

Timeline of Space Exploration Third Timeperiod

Period: Jan 1, 1981 to Dec 31, 2014

First Reusable manned spacecraft

Apr 12, 1981

12 April 1981 First Reusable manned spacecraft (orbital) USA (NASA) STS-1

First Uranus flyby

Jan 24, 1986

24 January 1986 First Uranus flyby (closest approach 81,500 kilometers) USA (NASA) Voyager 2

Record longest duration spaceflight

Mar 22, 1995

22 March 1995 Record longest duration spaceflight (437.7 days) set by Valeri Polyakov Russia Mir

First orbit of Jupiter

Dec 7, 1995

7 December 1995 First orbit of Jupiter USA (NASA) Galileo

First operational rover on another planet

Jul 4, 1997

4 July 1997 First operational rover on another planet (Mars) Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Mars Pathfinder

First landing on an asteroid

Feb 12, 2001

12 February 2001 First landing on an asteroid (433 Eros) USA (NASA) NEAR Shoemaker

First soft landing on Titan

Jan 14, 2005

14 January 2005 First soft landing on Titan ESA USA (NASA) ASI Cassini–Huygens

First sample return from comet

Jan 15, 2006

15 January 2006 First sample return from comet (81P/Wild) USA (NASA) Stardust

First orbit of Mercury USA

Mar 18, 2011

18 March 2011 First orbit of Mercury USA (NASA) MESSENGER

First manmade probe in interstellar space.

Aug 25, 2012

25 August 2012 First manmade probe in interstellar space. USA (NASA) Voyager 1