19574 October
Robotic exploration
A signal from orbit
Sputnik 1 becomes the first artificial satellite of Earth.
Read the sourceWe have always looked up.
Moments that changed the horizon. A curated timeline beginning with a small satellite in 1957.
196112 April
Human spaceflight
The first human in space
Yuri Gagarin completes an orbit of Earth aboard Vostok 1.
Read the source196316 June
Human spaceflight
Valentina Tereshkova reaches orbit
Vostok 6 carries the first woman into space.
Read the source196920 July
Moon
Footprints on another world
Apollo 11 lands in the Sea of Tranquility. The first moonwalk follows on July 21 UTC.
Read the source197119 April
197620 July
Mars
A new view from Mars
Viking 1 begins the first fully successful long-duration surface mission on Mars.
Read the source19775 September
Deep space
A message to the stars
Voyager 1 begins its journey toward the outer planets.
Read the source199024 April
Telescopes
A window above the atmosphere
Space Shuttle Discovery launches the Hubble Space Telescope.
Read the source199820 November
Space stations
An international laboratory begins
Zarya, the first element of the International Space Station, launches.
Read the source20126 August
Mars
A laboratory lands on Mars
Curiosity touches down in Gale crater using the sky crane landing system.
Read the source201514 July
202125 December
Telescopes
The infrared universe awaits
The James Webb Space Telescope launches aboard an Ariane 5.
Read the source202226 September
Robotic exploration
A small push. A planetary first.
DART intentionally impacts Dimorphos, demonstrating a kinetic technique for planetary defense.
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