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First satellite in space by USSR
The Soviet Union launched Sputnik I. -
First animal in space to orbit Earth for USSR
The first animal/dog in space to orbit Earth. Named Laika. Was killed on re-entry. -
First satellite in space by USA
Explorer 1, the first successfully launched satellite by the USA. -
Creation of NASA
Eisenhower, the president at the time, signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act, creating NASA. -
First chimpanzee used to perform tasks in space by USA (Ham the chimp)
Ham was the first chimp in space during the Mercury-Redstone 2 mission. He survived. -
First man in space by USSR
Yuri Gagarin from the Soviet Union was the first human in space. -
First man in space by USA
Alan Shepard is the first American and second man to travel in space. He was aboard the NASA's Mercury spacecraft Freedom 7. -
First man to orbit Earth by USA
Astronaut John H. Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth during the three-orbit Mercury-Atlas 6 mission, aboard the spacecraft he named Friendship 7. -
JFK's speech and commitment to getting to the moon
JFK's main reason for wanting to go to the moon was that if the US could reach it before the USSR it would demonstrate that the US was a leader in science and technology. -
First man to do an Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) by USSR
Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, the first EVA was preformed by the USSR. He spent 12 minutes and 9 seconds outside the Voskhod 2 spacecraft. -
Gemini III
Was the first crewed Earth-orbiting spacecraft. It was piloted by astronauts Virgil "Gus" Grissom and John Young. It was a flight test. With the primary objective of demonstrating the crewed qualifications of the Gemini spacecraft. -
First man to do an EVA by USA
Ed White was the first American to conduct a spacewalk. This was during the Gemini 4 mission. -
Gemini IX
The seventh crewed Earth-orbiting mission. It carried astronauts Tom Stafford and Gene Cernan. Primary mission objectives were to demonstrate rendezvous techniques and docking with a target vehicle to simulate maneuvers to be carried in the future. analyze EVA and AMU and precision landing capability. -
Gemini X
Was the eighth crewed Earith-orbiting spacecraft. John Young and Michael Collins were on board. Its primary purpose was to conduct rendezvous and docking tests with the Agena target vehicle. -
The tragedy of Apollo 1
A fire ignited in the Apollo 1 command module in the middle of a launch rehearsal. All three astronauts inside died. they included Roger Chaffee, Ed White, and Virgil "Gus" Grissom. -
Soyuz 1 disaster
A cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov in space flight. Soyuz 1 the first Soviet space vehicle that aimed at someday reaching the moon. But when the solar panels and parachutes failed, Komarov was unable to escape, crashing to the ground. -
The launch of Apollo 7
Apollo 7 laid the groundwork for the journey of orbiting and eventually landing of the moon. This was the first crewed flight to space. The crew included: Walter "Wally" Schirra (Commander), Donn Eisele (Command Module Pilot) and Walter Cunningham (Lunar Module Pilot). -
Apollo 8
Apollo 8 was the first crewed spacecraft to successfully orbit the moon. The crew included: Mission Commander Frank Borman, Lunar Module Pilot William Anders and Command Module Pilot James Lovell. -
Apollo 9
Carried out a full test of the lunar landing mission in Earth orbit. The astronauts that were there included, James McDivitt, David Scott, and Russell Schweickart. -
Apollo 10
The second mission to orbit the moon and the first to travel to the moon with the entire Apollo spacecraft configuration. Thomas Stafford, commander, John Young Command module pilot, and Eugene Cernan, lunar module pilot, were aboard. -
Apollo 11
Humans walked on the moon for the first time! It carried Commander Neil Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin.