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Sputnik 1 launched by the USSR
The Soviet satellite, the first artificial satellite put into space, is launched this day, beginning the Space Race between the US and USSR for international supremacy in spaceflight amid government tensions. -
Sputnik 2 launched by the USSR
The second Soviet satellite in one year is launched into space, containing the first living organism: a dog named Laika. Laika later died during flight from overheating due to failure in part of the craft. -
Launch and failure of Vanguard TV3 as a retaliation attempt by US
The satellite's launch to space fails as the booster rocket lost thrust after four seconds and then crashed back to the ground and exploded on launch pad located in Cape Canaveral. -
The USSR puts the first man up in space
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first man to be launched into space and orbit the Earth, which he does once, in the spacecraft Vostok 1. -
Alan Shepard becomes the first American in space
The US's Alan Shepard becomes the second man up in space in the mission Freedom 7. He does not orbit the Earth though, coming back down in the Mercury spacecraft after flying 116 statute miles high. -
John Glenn (US) orbits the Earth 3 times
Astronaut John Glenn becomes the first man to orbit our lovely planet in the Friendship 7 space capsule. He goes around 3 times before heat shield failure was reported and came (safely) back down to Earth. -
"We chose to go to the moon." (JFK's speech at Rice University)
John F. Kennedy addresses a large crowd at Rice Stadium to help inspire people to aid in their help to send men to the moon before the USSR. -
Luna 9 (USSR) becomes the first spacecraft to soft land on the moon
The Soviet spacecraft becomes the first man made object to successfully land on the moon, in the midst of the US's previous many failures and lunar impacts. -
"One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin (both from the US) become the first people in history to land on the moon on their mission Apollo 11, while their crewmate Michael Collins orbited around the moon.
