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Launching of Sputnik 1
The Soviet Unin launched of Sputnik 1 -
Explorer 1, the first American satellite
Explorer 1, the first American satellite to reach orbit, is launched. It carried scientific equipment that lead to the discovery of the Van Allen radiation belt. -
Launching of Sputnik 3
The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 3 -
Pioneer 4 is launched
Pioneer 4 is launched on a Earth-Moon trajectory. It passed within 37,000 miles of the Moon before falling into a solar orbit. -
Luna 1 is launched
Luna 1 is launched by the USSR. It is the first man made object to orbit the Sun. -
The US launches Discoverer XIV
The US launches Discoverer XIV, its first camera equipped spy satellite -
Yuri Gagarin orbits the Earth
Yuri Gagarin orbits the Earth once and becomes the first man in space -
Alan B. Shepard
Alan B. Shepard, becomes the first American in space. -
L. Gordon Cooper spends 34 hours in space
L. Gordon Cooper spends 34 hours in space. He is the last American to fly in space alone. -
Cosmonaut Valentia
Cosmonaut Valentia Tereshkova becomes the first woman in space for the Soviet Union -
Ed White performs America's first spacewalk.
Ed White performs America's first spacewalk. Jim McDivitt remains in the Gemini capsule. -
Apollo 1 catches fire
Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee are killed when a fire ignites in their Apollo 1 capsule while performing a test on the launch pad -
Apollo 7 mission
The crew of Apollo 7 begin a 10 day mission to study the new spacecraft. -
First men to walk on the moon
Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin become the first men to walk on the Moon while crewmate Michael Collins orbits around the Moon alone. -
Apollo 17
apollo's 17 return from the moon
