1969 ⟶ US Lands Humans on the Moon (Apollo 11)
The US wins the race for the Moon as Neil Armstrong and Buzz...
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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🚀 Soviet Luna 9 Soft Landing on the Moon
Soviet Luna 9 probe makes the first successful soft landing on the Moon in January, while the US lands the far more complex Surveyor missions, which follows up to NASA's Ranger series of crash-landers, scout sites for possible crewed landings.⟶
Space ExplorationMoon LandingLuna ProgramSpace RaceSoviet Union1960sSoft LandingLunar Missions
Soviet Union🚀 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