Timeline of space exploration By Zimmermannpilot25 Period: 1609 to 1957 Early space exploration 1610 The first spotting of the moon through a telescope by Galileo Galilei 1929 Hermann Oberth launches first personal rocket with students 1933 Soviet Union launches first rocket of there own 1947 First animals launched into space (fruit flies) by the U.S Oct 4, 1957 The Soviet Union launched the first satellite, Sputnik, into space Period: 1958 to 1980 Middle space exploration Aug 16, 1960 The Soviet craft Sputnik 5 was launched, carrying the dogs Strelka and Belka. They became the first living beings to survive a trip into space. Apr 12, 1961 Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space. May 5, 1961 Astronaut Alan Shepard became the first American in space. 1969 First human on moon by the U.S. (Apollo 11) successful Apr 11, 1970 Apollo 13 “the most successful failure” was launched. Period: 1981 to 2017 Recent exploration 1983 First spacecraft beyond the orbit of Neptune by U.S. NASA 1990 First photograph of the whole solar system by U.S. NASA 2000 First orbit of an asteroid by U.S. NASA 2009 Kepler Mission launched first space telescope designated for research of Earth's expoplanets by USA 2012 NASA rover successfully lands on mars to seek out life-clues by U.S. NASA
