Space Race - Timeline

R-7 Semyorka (August 21, 1957): The R-7 Semyorka is the first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) developed by the Soviet Union.

Sputnik 1 (October 4, 1957): The Soviet Union created Sputnik 1 which was the first artificial satellite that sent the first signals from space to Earth.

Explorer 1-ABMA (January 31, 1958): The Explorer 1 was the first satellite sent in space by the US. It detected the Van Allen radiation belts.

Project SCORE-ABMA (December 18,1958): The US created the first communications satellite called Project SCORE-ABMA.

Explorer 6-NASA (August 7, 1959): The American satellitle, Explorer 6, took the first photograph of Earth from orbit.

Vostok 1 (April 12, 1961): The Soviet Union sent the first human (Yuri Gagarin) spaceflight. Vostok 1 was first orbital flight of a manned vehicle.

Freedom 7 (May 5, 1961): The U.S. sent the first pilot- controlled space flight (Alan Shepard) which was the first human space mission that landed with pilot still in spacecraft and thus the first complete human spaceflight by FAI definitions.

Vostok 6 (June 16, 1963): The Soviet Union sent the first woman/civilian (Valentina Tereshkova) in space.

Luna 9 (February 3, 1966): The Soviet Union had the first soft landing on another celestial body which was the moon and they took the first photos from another celestial body.

Gemini 8 / ATV-NASA (March 16, 1966): The U.S. was the first to have a spacecraft docking.

Apollo 11-NASA (July 20, 1969): NASA sent Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin, Jr. to the moon. This was the first time humans were on the moon and it was the first time there was a space launch to another celestial body.