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In 1610 Galileo spotted and observed the moons of Jupiter.
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For the first time someone observed craters on the Moon, satellites around Jupiter had witnessed the phases of Venus like those of the Moon.
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The first rocket society the Soviet Union established was Society for Studies of Interplanetary Travel. It was renamed to the Society for the Study of Interplanetary Communications later.
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Robert H. Goddard, a US rocket scientist, launched the first liquid fueled rocket. The four feet tall rocket was launched from a farm in Auburn, Massachussetts. The fling lasted for 2 1/2 seconds. The rocket, named "Nell", reached an altitude of 41 feet at a speed of around 60 miles per hour.
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The Soviet Union ISSR launched the first ballistic missle. It was known as R-7 Semyorka. It would later be used to launch the first artificial satelite into space.
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The V-2 rocket, designed by rocket scientist Wernher von Braun, was launched by Germany. It was the first man-made spacecraft to achieve sub-orbital flight. It reached an altitude of 100 kilometers.
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The Wac Corporal was the US's first rocket to be launched. It was designed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. After being launched from White Sands Proving Grond, New Mexico, Wac Corporal covered 50 miles of altitude.
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The first animals/Insects in space were fruit files. They were still found in the V-2 rocket when it returned.
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The USSR launched the world's first artificial satellite, Sputnik. It was able to send radio signals back to earth. Sputnik was a major accomplishment, but it had a short timespan.
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The first living animal to go to space was Laika. She was launched on the spacecraft called, Sputnik 2. Laika didn't make it.
