Space Program History: 5 Events Everyone Should Know

From the launch of Sputnik to the Hubble Telescope, from the first man on the moon to discovering new galaxies, from a dog in orbit to the Challenger disaster, the space program is filled with interesting historical events.

Sputnik, the beginning of the "Space Race". On October 4, 1957, the former Soviet Union (USSR) launched Sputnik 1. Unmanned, Sputnik 1 was the first artificial satellite to orbit Earth. Sputnik 2 was launched in November 1957 with a dog on board. That was the first time a living animal was sent into space, and unfortunately the dog, Laika, did not survive the entire flight. However, the United States and the Soviet Union continued to work separately toward sending living creatures into space.

In 1959, the United States launched two monkeys into space. Able, a rhesus monkey, and Baker, a squirrel monkey, both survived the trip. (The first U.S. attempt to send a monkey into space was in 1948, so it took over a decade before there was a successful trip.) This was all a lead-up to sending humans into space.

First humans in space. The very first attempt to send a human into space was successful! On April 12, 1961, the Soviet Union sent cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin into space. Gagarin successfully completed a 108-minute orbit of Earth in the Vostok 1. About a month later, U.S. astronaut Alan Shepherd became the first American in space. Shepherd traveled in Freedom 7, part of the Mercury program, making Shepherd one of the Mercury 7.

The first woman in space was Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova. In June of 1963, Tereshkova orbited Earth 48 times. Twenty years later, the U.S. sent its first woman, Dr. Sally Ride, into space.

Notably, the first space walk was in 1965 when American Edward H. White II went up on Gemini IV. Four years later, the U.S. would send a man to the moon.

First man on the moon. Apollo 11 is a momentous event in space program history because it marks man's first walk on the moon. The three astronauts on board-- Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, and Michael Collins -- have since become famous historical figures. Apollo 11 itself was a three-part space craft, with a lunar module called The Eagle. The famous words, "The Eagle has landed," come from when the lunar module touched down on the moon's surface during the mission. Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon. His steps were captured in one of the most famous photographs in history. His words, "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," are etched upon the American psyche.

The Apollo 11 mission took place July 16-24, 1969, and secured the U.S.'s lead in the Space Race.

Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster. The very first space shuttle was launched on April 12, 1981, in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's flight. The program seemed to be going well until January 28, 1986, when the space shuttle Challenger exploded as it took off from Cape Canaveral. All seven people on board - Francis R. Scobee, Michael J. Smith, Gregory B. Jarvis, Christa McAuliffe, Judith A. Resnik, Ellison S. Onizuka, and Ronald E. McNair - were killed. After the Challenger disaster, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) suspended space shuttle flights for two years. Eventually, the space shuttle Endeavor replaced the Challenger.

A second space shuttle disaster, Columbia, occurred in 2003. Astronauts Rick D. Husband, William C. McCool, Michael P. Anderson, David M. Brown, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark, and Ilan Ramon were killed as Columbia exploded during re-entry. The space shuttle program is scheduled to be discontinued in 2010.

Hubble Telescope. The history of the Hubble Space Telescope far predates its launch in 1990. The idea for a large space telescope was conceived in 1962, although federal funding was not approved until 1977. Construction of the Hubble Space Telescope was completed in 1985, but its first launch was delayed due to the Challenger disaster. Initial pictures from the Hubble telescope were blurry and a crew was sent to space to fix it. The Hubble Space Telescope can see more than 10 billion years back in time. This allows researchers to see galaxies, planets and stars at various stages of development.

Sources:
http://www.nasm.si.edu/exhibitions/GAL100/sputnik.html
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104578202
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/sts1/gagarin_anniversary.html
http://www2.lucidcafe.com/lucidcafe/library/96may/ride.html
http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/whos_who_level2/tereshkova.html
http://www.nasm.si.edu/exhibitions/GAL100/apollo11.html
http://www.aerospaceguide.net/spaceshuttle/challenger_disaster.html
http://www.aerospaceguide.net/spacehistory/hubble-history.html