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Period: to
Timeline of Space Exploration First Timeperiod
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Publication of the Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica
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
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
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
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
16 March 1926 Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket United States Robert H. Goddard -
Society for Space Travel Formed
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
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
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
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
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
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)
24 October 1946 First pictures of earth from 105 km (65 mi) United States V-2 -
First animals in space
20 February 1947 First animals in space (fruit flies) [1][2] Flag of the United States.svg United States V-2 -
First artificial satellite
4 October 1957 First artificial satellite
First signals from space USSR Sputnik 1 -
First animal in orbit,
3 November 1957 First animal in orbit, the dog Laika Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR Sputnik 2 -
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Timeline of Space Exploration Second Timeperiod
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First firing of a rocket in Earth orbit
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
4 January 1959 First artificial satellite to reach the Moon vicinity and first artificial satellite in heliocentric orbit USSR Luna 1 -
First human spaceflight
12 April 1961 First human spaceflight–(Yuri Gagarin)
First human-crewed orbital flight USSR Vostok 1 -
First planetary flyby by USA
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
16 June 1963 First woman in space (Valentina Tereshkova) USSR Vostok 6 -
First soft landing on another world
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
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
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
19 November 1969 First rendezvous on the surface of a celestial body USA (NASA) Apollo 12/Surveyor 3 -
First lunar rover
23 November 1970 First lunar rover USSR Lunokhod 1 -
Period: to
Timeline of Space Exploration Third Timeperiod
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First Reusable manned spacecraft
12 April 1981 First Reusable manned spacecraft (orbital) USA (NASA) STS-1 -
First Uranus flyby
24 January 1986 First Uranus flyby (closest approach 81,500 kilometers) USA (NASA) Voyager 2 -
Record longest duration spaceflight
22 March 1995 Record longest duration spaceflight (437.7 days) set by Valeri Polyakov Russia Mir -
First orbit of Jupiter
7 December 1995 First orbit of Jupiter USA (NASA) Galileo -
First operational rover on another planet
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
12 February 2001 First landing on an asteroid (433 Eros) USA (NASA) NEAR Shoemaker -
First soft landing on Titan
14 January 2005 First soft landing on Titan ESA USA (NASA) ASI Cassini–Huygens -
First sample return from comet
15 January 2006 First sample return from comet (81P/Wild) USA (NASA) Stardust -
First orbit of Mercury USA
18 March 2011 First orbit of Mercury USA (NASA) MESSENGER -
First manmade probe in interstellar space.
25 August 2012 First manmade probe in interstellar space. USA (NASA) Voyager 1
