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Space Race Timeline
Timeline: The Space Race
DESIGNED BY: Jameson Hardin
October 4, 1957:
The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite, marking the beginning of the Space Race
October 4, 1957
A 1957 American political cartoon titled “Another Race We Can Lose.”
November 3, 1957:
The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 2, carrying Laika the dog, the first animal to orbit Earth.
November 3, 1957
A 1959 cigarette company trading card featuring Laika
January 31, 1958:
The United States launches its first satellite, Explorer 1.
January 31, 1958
A 1961 model of Explorer I
October 1, 1958:
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is established in the United States.
October 1, 1958
April 12, 1961:
Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space and completes one orbit around Earth on Vostok 1.
April 12, 1961
A 1961 American political cartoon published after cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space
May 5, 1961:
Alan Shepard becomes the first American in space, aboard the Freedom 7 Mercury capsule.
May 5, 1961
February 20, 1962:
John Glenn becomes the first American to orbit Earth, completing three orbits on the Friendship 7 Mercury mission.
February 20, 1962
June 16, 1963:
June 16, 1963
Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first woman in space, orbiting Earth 48 times on the Vostok 6 mission.
March 18, 1965:
Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov conducts the first spacewalk during the Voskhod 2 mission.
March 18, 1965
June 3, 1965:
Edward White becomes the first American to perform a spacewalk on the Gemini 4 mission.
June 3, 1965
December 15, 1965:
US Gemini 6A and Gemini 7 perform the first space rendezvous between two crewed spacecraft.
December 15, 1965
March 16, 1966:
US Gemini 8 achieves the first docking between two spacecraft, an essential skill for future lunar missions.
March 16, 1966
December 24-25, 1968:
US Apollo 8 orbits the Moon, with astronauts Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders becoming the first humans to see the far side of the Moon.
December 24-25, 1968
July 20, 1969:
US Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first humans to set foot on the Moon, while Michael Collins orbits above.
July 20, 1969
Footage from the Apollo 11 lunar landing, placing the US flag on the moon
December 1972:
US Apollo 17 marks the last manned mission to the Moon during the Space Race era.