1981 ⟶ Maiden Flight of Space Shuttle Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia, the first of NASA's reusable Space S...
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🚀 Konstantin Tsiolkovsky publishes article on space flight
Konstantin Tsiolkovsky publishes his first article on the possibility of space flight. His greatest discovery is that a rocket, unlike other forms of propulsion, will work in a vacuum. He also outlines the principle of a multistage launch vehicle.⟶
SpaceflightRocketryTsiolkovsky, KonstantinMultistage RocketsAstronauticsSpace ExplorationVacuum20th CenturyTheoretical PhysicsAerospace Engineering
Russia👨🚀 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🚀 Maiden Flight of Space Shuttle Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia, the first of NASA's reusable Space Shuttles, makes its maiden flight, ten years in development, the Shuttle will make space travel routine and eventually open the path for a new International Space Station.⟶
Space ShuttleNASASpace ExplorationColumbia1980sReusable SpacecraftAerospace EngineeringTechnology
United States🚀 Challenger Space Shuttle Disaster and Program Halt
NASA's spaceflight program comes to a halt when Space Shuttle Challenger explodes shortly after launch. A thorough inquiry and modifications to the rest of the fleet kept the shuttles on the ground for nearly three years.⟶
Space ExplorationSpace ShuttleNASASpaceflightEngineeringDisaster1980sChallengerAeronauticsSpace Program
United States🛰️ Magellan Probe Maps Venus
The Magellan probe, launched by NASA, arrives at Venus and spends three years mapping the planet with radar. Magellan is the first in a new wave of probes that include Galileo, which arrives at Jupiter in 1995, and Cassini which arrives at Saturn in 2004.⟶
Space ExplorationVenusPlanetary ScienceRadar MappingMagellanNASA1980sAstronomyGeologyRemote Sensing
United States🚀 Space Shuttle Columbia Disintegrates Upon Reentry
Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrates upon reentry into Earth's atmosphere⟶
Space ExplorationSpace Shuttle ProgramNASAAeronauticsSpace Disasters21st Century ScienceEngineering
United States