The Soviet Union launches Salyut 1, the first space station

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) launches the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1,
to study Earth’s upper atmosphere. The satellite weighs 83 kg (184 lb) and circles Earth in 95
minutes. The launch of Sputnik 1 marks the inauguration of the space age.

Yuri Gagarin (1934-1968), Soviet cosmonaut and first human to fly in space. Gagarin flew
into space aboard Vostok 1 on April 12, 1961, and made one orbit of the earth.

Valentina Tereshkova, born in 1937, Soviet cosmonaut and parachutist, the first woman to fly
in space. Tereshkova flew aboard Vostok 6 (see Vostok Program), from June 16 to June 19,
1963.

Ariane (rocket), family of rockets used primarily to launch artificial satellites for
telecommunications companies.

The United States Army launches the first U.S. satellite, Explorer 1, into orbit around Earth. It
is used to study cosmic rays.

U.S. astronaut Alan B. Shepard, Jr. becomes the first American in space. His suborbital flight
aboard Mercury 3 lasts 15 minutes and reaches an altitude of 187.5 km (116 mi). The flight
capsule, Freedom 7, is recovered 488.8 km (300 mi) downrange.

The Hubble Space Telescope, free of the distorting effects of the earth’s atmosphere, has an
unprecedented view of distant galaxies. Placed in orbit in 1990,

The spacecraft Sputnik 2, launched by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), is
placed in orbit carrying a dog named Laika.

Michael Collins (astronaut), born in 1930, American astronaut, born in Rome, Italy. Collins
was the command module pilot in lunar orbit during Apollo 11, the first lunar landing mission

Neil Armstrong, born in 1930, one of the first civilian United States astronauts and the first
human to set foot on the moon. Armstrong was the commander of the first Apollo program
mission to land on the moon—Apollo 11—in July 1969.

Buzz Aldrin, born in 1930, United States astronaut, aerospace engineer, author, and pilot. On
July 20, 1969, Aldrin became the second human being to set foot on the moon.

The Mars Express orbiter went on to study the planet in detail, returning important new
information about minerals and the existence of water on and below the surface of Mars.

The U.S. space probe Magellan maps 98 percent of the surface of Venus to a resolution of 100
m (350 ft).