Sputnik 1, the first manmade object to orbit the
Earth, is launched by the
U.S.S.R.
Mercury Friendship 7 lifts
off with John H. Glenn, Jr.,
the first American in orbit,
and orbits the Earth three
times
The first component of the
International Space Station,
Zarya, is launched on a
Russian rocket.
Sally K. Ride is the first U.S.
woman to travel in space,
on Challenger mission STS7
Mercury Freedom 7 carries
Alan B. Shepard,Jr., the first
U.S. Astronaut into space
Gemini 7 is launched
carrying Frank Borman and
James A. Lovell, Jr., making
206 orbits around Earth and
proving a trip to the Moon
possible.
N.A.S.A. is founded, taking
over existing National
Advisory Committee on
Aeronautics.
Space Shuttle Discovery
launches on STS-31,
deploying the Edwin P.
Hubble Space Telescope
(HST) astronomical
observatory
Space Shuttle Columbia lifts
off, carrying the Chandra XRay Observatory into orbit
U S. Ranger 7 relays the
first close-range
photographs of the Moon..
First manned flight of the
Gemini program, Gemini 3
carrying Virgil I. Grissom
and John W. Young. Made
three orbits around the
earth
Vostok 1 is launched by the
U.S.S.R., carrying
Cosmonaut Yuri A.
Gargarin, the first man in
space. He orbits the Earth
once
Neil Armstrong and Edwin
Aldrin, Jr. make the first
manned soft landing on the
Moon, and the first
moonwalk, using Apollo 11.
Viking 2 lands on Mars on
the Plain of Utopia, where it
discovered water frost
Explorer 1, the first U.S.
satellite in orbit, lifts off at
Cape Canaveral
October 4, 1957 - Sputnik 1, the first man-made object to orbit the Earth, is launched by the U.S.S.R., and
remains in orbit until January 4, 1958.
January 31, 1958 - Explorer 1, the first U.S. satellite in orbit
October 1, 1958 - N.A.S.A. is founded, taking over existing National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics.
April 12, 1961 - Vostok 1 is launched by the U.S.S.R., carrying Cosmonaut Yuri A. Gargarin, the first man in
space. He orbits the Earth once.
May 5, 1961 - Mercury Freedom 7 carries Alan B. Shepard,Jr., the first U.S. Astronaut into space
February 20, 1962 - Mercury Friendship 7 lifts off with John H. Glenn, Jr., the first American in orbit, and orbits
the Earth three times.
July 31, 1964 - U.S. Ranger 7 relays the first close-range photographs of the Moon.
March 23, 1965 - First manned flight of the Gemini program, Gemini 3 carrying Virgil I. Grissom and John W.
Young. Made three orbits around the earth.
December 4, 1965 - Gemini 7 is launched carrying Frank Borman and James A. Lovell, Jr., making 206 orbits
around Earth and proving a trip to the Moon possible.
July 20, 1969 - Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, Jr. make the first manned soft landing on the Moon, and the
first moonwalk, using Apollo 11.
September 3, 1976 - Viking 2 lands on Mars on the Plain of Utopia, where it discovered water frost.
June 18, 1983 - Sally K. Ride is the first U.S. woman to travel in space, on Challenger mission STS-7.
April 24, 1990 - Space Shuttle Discovery launches on STS-31, deploying the Edwin P. Hubble Space
Telescope (HST) astronomical observatory.
November 20, 1998 - the first component of the International Space Station, Zarya, is launched on a Russian
rocket.
July 23, 1999 - Space Shuttle Columbia lifts off, carrying the Chandra X-Ray Observatory into orbit.