Curated timeline

The Space Race and Beyond

Blast off into the rivalry between the USA and USSR that took humanity to the stars. Covers Sputnik, Apollo 11, the Space Shuttle era, and the modern era of commercial spaceflight.

• V-2 Rocket First Launch (October 3, 1942)

  Germany launches the V-2 rocket, becoming the first human-made object to reach the edge of space.

• Operation Paperclip (May 1945)

  The U.S. recruits German rocket scientists, including Wernher von Braun, after WWII.

• Albert II - First Monkey in Space (June 14, 1949)

  Albert II becomes the first monkey to reach space at 83 miles altitude aboard a V-2 rocket, though he died during re-entry.

• Sputnik 1 Launch (Space Age) (October 4, 1957)

  The USSR launches Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite, marking the start of the Space Race.

• Laika in Space (November 3, 1957)

  The dog Laika becomes the first living creature to orbit Earth aboard Sputnik 2.

• Explorer 1 Launched (January 31, 1958)

  The U.S. launches Explorer 1, its first successful satellite, which discovers the Van Allen radiation belts.

• NASA Founded (July 29, 1958)

  The U.S. establishes the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to lead its civilian space program.

• Able and Baker Monkey Flight (May 28, 1959)

  Able and Baker become the first monkeys to survive spaceflight and return safely on a suborbital mission.

• Luna 1 Launch (January 2, 1959)

  Luna 1 becomes the first spacecraft to escape Earth's gravity and fly by the Moon.

• Luna 2 Impact on Moon (September 13, 1959)

  The USSR's Luna 2 becomes the first human-made object to impact the Moon.

• Luna 3 Photographs Moon's Far Side (October 7, 1959)

  Luna 3 sends back the first images of the Moon's far side, never before seen from Earth.

• Belka and Strelka Return Alive (August 19, 1960)

  Soviet dogs Belka and Strelka become the first animals to orbit Earth and return alive, proving life support systems work.

• First Human in Space (April 12, 1961)

  Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space, orbiting Earth aboard Vostok 1.

• First American in Space (May 5, 1961)

  Alan Shepard becomes the first American in space aboard Freedom 7.

• JFK Moon Speech (May 25, 1961)

  President John F. Kennedy commits the United States to landing a man on the Moon before the decade ends.

• John Glenn Orbits Earth (February 20, 1962)

  John Glenn becomes the first American to orbit Earth aboard Friendship 7.

• Valentina Tereshkova Flies (June 16, 1963)

  Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first woman in space aboard Vostok 6.

• First Spacewalk by Alexei Leonov (March 18, 1965)

  Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov performs the first spacewalk during the Voskhod 2 mission.

• Gemini 4: First American Spacewalk (June 3, 1965)

  Ed White performs the first American spacewalk during the Gemini 4 mission.

• First Space Rendezvous (December 15, 1965)

  Gemini 6A and Gemini 7 achieve the first space rendezvous, coming within one foot of each other.

• First Space Docking (March 16, 1966)

  Gemini 8, piloted by Neil Armstrong, achieves the first docking in space with an Agena target vehicle.

• Apollo 1 Tragedy (January 27, 1967)

  A cabin fire during a launch test kills three Apollo 1 astronauts, leading to major safety changes.

• Apollo 8 Orbits the Moon (December 21-27, 1968)

  Apollo 8 becomes the first crewed spacecraft to orbit the Moon, sending back the famous Earthrise photo.

• Apollo 11 Moon Landing (July 20, 1969)

  Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin land on the Moon, fulfilling JFK's goal and marking the climax of the Space Race.

• Apollo 13 'Successful Failure' (April 11, 1970)

  Apollo 13 suffers an oxygen tank explosion en route to the Moon but returns safely in a famous rescue mission.

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