1968 ⟶ Apollo 8: First Human Spaceflight to Orbit Another Celestial Body
NASA's Apollo 8 mission becomes the first human spaceflight ...
Year
1958
1959
1961
1962
1968
1969
🚀 NASA Established
July 29 marks the beginning of the NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), agency newly created by the United States to catch up with Soviet space technologies. It absorbs all research centers and staffs of the NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics), an organization founded in 1915.⟶
Space ExplorationNASASpace RaceCold WarGovernment AgenciesScientific OrganizationsAeronauticsNACA
United States🌑 Soviet Luna Program Achieves Lunar Firsts
The USSR and the US both launch probes to the Moon, but NASA's Pioneer probes all failed. The Soviet Luna program was more successful. Luna 2 crash-lands on the Moon's surface in September, and Luna 3 returns the first pictures of the Moon's farside in October.⟶
Space ExplorationMoonLuna ProgramSpace RaceSoviet UnionNASALunar MissionsPioneer Probes
Soviet UnionUnited States👨🚀 First Hominid and American in Space
As part of NASA's Mercury-Redstone 2 mission, the chimpanzee Ham becomes the first Hominidae in space. Yuri Gagarin becomes the first person to orbit Earth in April. NASA astronaut Alan Shepard becomes the first American in space a month later, but does not go into orbit.⟶
Space ExplorationNASASpace RaceMercury-Redstone ProgramYuri GagarinAlan ShepardHam the Chimp
United StatesSoviet Union🚀 John Glenn Orbits Earth, Mariner 2 Flies by Venus
John Glenn becomes the first American to orbit Earth. Mariner 2 becomes the first probe to reach another planet, flying past Venus in December. NASA follows this with the successful Mariner 4 mission to Mars in 1965, both the US and the USSR send many more probes to planets through the rest of the 1960s and 1970s.⟶
Space ExplorationNASASpace RacePlanetary ScienceVenusMarsCold WarAstronautsRockets
United States🚀 Apollo 8: First Human Spaceflight to Orbit Another Celestial Body
🌕 US Lands Humans on the Moon (Apollo 11)
The US wins the race for the Moon as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin step onto the lunar surface on July 20. Apollo 11 is followed by five further landing missions, three carrying a sophisticated Lunar Roving Vehicle.⟶
Space ExplorationApollo ProgramMoon LandingNASAHuman SpaceflightSpace RaceNeil ArmstrongBuzz Aldrin
United States