Timeline of space exploration


This is a timeline of space exploration which includes notable missions, achievements, first accomplishments and milestones in humanity's exploration of outer space.
This timeline generally does not distinguish achievements by a specific country or private company, as it considers humanity as a whole. See otherwise the timeline of private spaceflight or look for achievements by each space agency.

1900–1956

DateMission successCountryMission name
1903Publication of Exploration of the Universe with Rocket-Propelled Vehicles that showed physical space exploration was theoretically possible, including the Tsiolkovsky rocket equation, multi staged rockets and using liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen in liquid propellant RussiaKonstantin Tsiolkovsky
1914Goddard files for and is subsequently awarded U.S. patents on multistage and liquid-fueled rockets. United StatesRobert H. Goddard
1917First observation of an extrasolar planet round Van Maanen 2 although it is not recognised as such at the time. NetherlandsAdriaan van Maanen
1919Goddard's widely influential paper "A Method of Reaching Extreme Altitudes" discussed solid- and liquid-fueled rocketry. United StatesRobert H. Goddard
Die Rakete zu den Planetenräumen self-published after its rejection as a doctoral thesis. GermanyHermann Oberth
1924Society for Studies of Interplanetary Travel founded. USSRMembers include Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, Friedrich Zander, Yuri Kondratyuk
Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket. United StatesRobert H. Goddard
1927Verein für Raumschiffahrt formed; it includes many top European rocket scientists. Germany
1927Завоевание межпланетных пространств discusses rocket mechanics and orbital effects including the gravitational slingshot. USSRYuri Kondratyuk
1928Das Problem der Befahrung des Weltraums – der Raketen-Motor discusses space travel and its potential uses for scientific experiments. GermanyHerman Potočnik
British Interplanetary Society founded. UKPhilip E. Cleator
First detection of radio waves from an astronomical object. United StatesKarl Jansky
Establishment of the Soviet rocket research lab Reactive Scientific Research Institute by combining the Group for the Study of Reactive Motion with the Gas Dynamics Laboratory. USSRKey people Sergei Korolev & Valentin Glushko
First spaceflight in history.
First human-made object in space.		 Germany V-2 rocket
Article in Wireless World, "Extra-Terrestrial Relays — Can Rocket Stations Give Worldwide Radio Coverage?" makes first discussion of geostationary satellites as a means of communication. UKArthur C. Clarke
First space research flight. United Statescaptured and improved V-2 rocket
First pictures of Earth from 105 km. United StatesV-2
20 February 1947Fruit flies become the first animals in space to survive a space flight. United StatesV-2
First two-stage liquid-fueled rocket, that sets a record altitude of 244 miles . United StatesBumper-5
First mammal in space.
First primate in space.		 United StatesV-2
First mammal to survive a space flight.. USSRSoviet space dogs
The composite image taken from specially modified cameras on board an Aerobee sounding rocket produces the first color picture of Earth and the first detailed view of a tropical cyclone.
United States
Dr. Otto Berg's films
First rocket to pass the thermopause and enter the exosphere. At 682 miles altitude and 3,335 miles range, the 3-stage Jupiter-C breaks both records and achieves Mach 18 velocity. United StatesJupiter-C

1957–1959

DateMission achievementsCountry/organizationMission name
First artificial satellite.
First human-made signals from space.		 USSRSputnik 1
First mammal in orbit, the dog Laika. USSRSputnik 2
Confirmed existence of the Van Allen radiation belt. USA Explorer 1
First use of solar power in space.
The oldest artificial object still in space.		 USA Vanguard 1
First rocket to reach Earth escape velocity.
First spacecraft to attempt to impact the Moon's surface.
First artificial object in heliocentric orbit.
First detection of solar wind.		 USSRLuna 1
First weather satellite. USA Vanguard 2
First photograph of Earth from Earth orbit. USA Explorer 6
First spacecraft to impact another celestial body.
First delivery of national pennants to a celestial body.		 USSRLuna 2
First photos of another world from space: the far side of the Moon.
First gravity assist.		 USSRLuna 3

1960–1969

DateMission successCountry/organizationMission name
First solar probe. USA Pioneer 5
First plants and animals to return alive from Earth orbit. USSRSputnik 5
25 September 1960First rocket engine fired in space. USA Pioneer P-30
First hominidae in space.
First tasks performed in space.		 USA M-R 2
First launch from Earth orbit of upper stage into a heliocentric orbit.
First mid-course corrections.
First spin-stabilisation.		 USSRVenera 1
First human spaceflight.
First human-crewed orbital flight.		 USSRVostok 1
First human-piloted space flight.
First human-crewed suborbital flight.		 USAFreedom 7
First planetary flyby. USSRVenera 1
First crewed space flight lasting over twenty four hours by Gherman Titov, who is also the first to suffer from space sickness. USSRVostok 2
First orbital solar observatory. USA OSO-1
First spacecraft to impact the far side of the Moon. USA Ranger 4
First dual crewed spaceflight.
First communication between two crewed space vehicles in orbit.
First person to float freely in microgravity.		 USSRVostok 3 and Vostok 4
18 August 1962First auroral research rocket launched into the ionosphere. NorwayFerdinand 1
First Mars flyby but contact was lost. USSRMars 1
First planetary flyby with data returned.
First successful planetary science mission.		 USA Mariner 2
First woman in space. USSRVostok 6
First reusable crewed spacecraft. USA X-15 Flight 90
First multi-person crew in orbit. USSRVoskhod 1
First space walk/extra-vehicular activity. USSRVoskhod 2
First crewed spacecraft to change orbit. USA Gemini 3
First flyby of Mars. USA Mariner 4
First photographs of another planet from deep space. USA Mariner 4
First orbital rendezvous. USA Gemini 6A/Gemini 7
First soft landing on another world.
First photos from another world.		 USSRLuna 9
First impact into another planet. USSRVenera 3
First orbital docking between two spacecraft. USA Gemini 8/Agena target vehicle
First artificial satellite around another world. USSRLuna 10
23 First picture of Earth from another astronomical object.
First probe to map the Moon.		 USALunar Orbiter 1
8 May 1967First polar orbit around the Moon. USALunar Orbiter 4
July 1967First photos of the Lunar south pole. USALunar Orbiter 4
First automated docking. USSRCosmos 186/Cosmos 188
17 November 1967First liftoff from another celestial body. USASurveyor 6
First animals and plants to leave Earth orbit and travel to and around the Moon.
First lunar spacecraft to be recovered successfully.		 USSRZond 5
First orbital ultraviolet observatory. USA OAO-2
First human excursion beyond low Earth orbit.
First in-person observations of Earth from a distance.
First Trans-Earth injection.		 USA Apollo 8
24 December 1968First human flight to another celestial body and to enter its gravitational influence. USA Apollo 8
First docking between two crewed spacecraft in Earth orbit.
First crew exchange in space.		 USSRSoyuz 4 and Soyuz 5
First spacecraft to parachute in Venus's atmosphere, lost contact before landing. USSRVenera 5
First docking of two crewed spacecraft around another celestial body.
First lunar mission to include a lunar landing module.		 USA Apollo 10
First human on another celestial body.
First words spoken from another world.		 USA Apollo 11
21 July 1969First space launch from another celestial body.
First sample return from another celestial body.		 USA Apollo 11
First rendezvous on the surface of a celestial body.
First meet up between human explorers and a robotic spacecraft in space.		 USA Apollo 12/Surveyor 3

1970–1979

DateMission successCountry/organizationMission name
Farthest distance from Earth traveled by humans. USA Apollo 13
First automatic sample return from the Moon. USSRLuna 16
First rover on another celestial body.
First lunar rover.		 USSRLunokhod 1
First X-ray orbital observatory. USA Uhuru
First soft landing on another planet.
First signals from another planet.		 USSRVenera 7
First space station. USSRSalyut 1
First crewed orbital observatory. USSROrion 1
30 July 1971First motor vehicle on another celestial body. USA Apollo 15
First spacecraft to orbit another planet. USA Mariner 9
First spacecraft to impact another planet. USSRMars 2
First soft landing on Mars.
First signals from Martian surface.
First photograph from Martian surface.		 USSRMars 3
First spacecraft on a trajectory out of the Solar System.
First spacecraft to use all-nuclear electrical power.		 USA Pioneer 10
First spacecraft to enter the asteroid belt.
First spacecraft beyond the orbit of Mars.		 USA Pioneer 10
First orbital gamma ray observatory. USA SAS 2
3 November 1973First mission sent to study Mercury. USA Mariner 10
First flyby of Jupiter.
First spacecraft beyond the Inner Solar System.		 USA Pioneer 10
January 1974First spacecraft to return data on a long-period comet. USA Mariner 10
First mission to explore two planets in a single mission.
First photograph of Venus from space.
First use of solar wind for spacecraft orientation.		 USA Mariner 10
First flyby of Mercury. USA Mariner 10
21 Sep 1974First spacecraft to flyby the same planet multiple times. USA Mariner 10
First multinational crewed mission. USSR USA Apollo-Soyuz Test Project
First spacecraft to orbit Venus. USSRVenera 9
First successful photos from the surface of another planet. USSRVenera 9
First successful photos and soil samples from the surface of Mars. USA Viking Lander
First real time remotely operated ultraviolet orbital observatory. USA
ESA
UK 		International Ultraviolet Explorer
20 November 1978First spacecraft to orbit the Sun at Lagrange 1. USA ISEE-3/ICE
First extended orbital exploration of Venus. USA Pioneer Venus Orbiter
Jupiter flyby
Encounters with five Jovian moons.
Discovery of volcanism on Io.		 USA Voyager 1
First flyby of Saturn.
First photograph of Titan from deep space.		 USA Pioneer 11

1980–1989

DateMission successCountry/organizationMission name
Saturn flyby, close encounter of Titan and encounters with a dozen other moons. USA Voyager 1
First reusable crewed orbital spacecraft. USA STS-1
First Venus soil samples
First sound recording of another world.		 USSRVenera 13
10 June 1982First spacecraft to conduct a deep survey of Earth's magnetic tail. USA ISEE-3/ICE
First mixed gender crew aboard space station, and first woman, Svetlana Savitskaya, on space station. USSRSalyut 7
1982First plants grown in space. USSRSalyut 7
First Infrared orbital observatory. USA
UK
Netherlands 		IRAS
First spacecraft beyond the orbit of Neptune.
First spacecraft beyond all Solar System planets.		 USA Pioneer 10
First untethered spacewalk. USA STS-41-B
First spacewalk by a woman. USSRSalyut 7
First balloon deployed on another planet. USSRVega 1
11 September 1985First spacecraft to flyby a comet. USA ISEE-3/ICE
First spacecraft to flyby Uranus. USA Voyager 2
First consistently inhabited long-term research space station. USSRMir
First close up observations of a comet. ESAGiotto
First suspected detection of an exoplanet. CanadaAstronomers Bruce Campbell, Gordon Walker and Stephenson Yang.
First astrometric satellite. ESAHipparcos
First spacecraft to flyby Neptune.
First spacecraft to study all four of the Solar System's giant planets at close range.		 USA Voyager 2
First orbital cosmic microwave observatory. USA COBE

2010–2019

DateMission successCountry/organizationMission name
First solar sail. Japan IKAROS
First sample return from an asteroid. Japan Hayabusa
First spacecraft to orbit one of the Moon's Lagrange point. USA ARTEMIS-P1
First spacecraft to orbit the Moon's Lagrange 1 point. USA ARTEMIS-P2
First orbit of Mercury. USA MESSENGER
First orbit of an object in the asteroid belt. USA Dawn
First use of a sky crane to land on another celestial body. USA Mars Science Laboratory
First spacecraft to leave the heliosphere.
First spacecraft in interstellar space.		 USA Voyager 1
First laser communication with a lunar satellite. USA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
First spacecraft to orbit a comet nucleus. ESARosetta
First soft landing on a comet. ESAPhilae
First flyby and orbit of a dwarf planet.
First spacecraft to orbit two separate celestial bodies.		 USA Dawn
First flyby of an object beyond Neptune.
First flyby in the Kuiper belt.
First flyby of a trans-neptunian object.
Last original encounter with one of the nine major planets recognized before 2006.		 USA New Horizons
First food grown in space eaten. USA Japan International Space Station
First observation of gravitational waves.LSC – EGOLIGO – Virgo
First propulsive landing of a rocket after sending something into space. USA New Shepard 2
First propulsive landing of an orbital rocket. USA Falcon 9 flight 20
First inflatable space habitat. USA BEAM
First spacecraft to enter the atmosphere of Saturn. USA ESA Italy Cassini–Huygens
First known interstellar object detected passing through the Solar System. USA Oumuamua
First operational rover on an asteroid. Japan Hayabusa2
First recorded sounds from Mars. USA InSight
First flyby of a classical [Kuiper belt object].
First flyby of a contact binary.
First spacecraft to make two different flybys in the Kuiper belt.		 USA New Horizons
First soft landing on the far side of the Moon.
First germination of seeds on another celestial body.		dts|10 April 2019

Since 2020

DateMission successCountry/organizationMission name
First confirmed quake on another planet. USA InSight
First aerodynamically powered flight on another celestial body. USA Ingenuity
First in situ resource utilization.
First production of oxygen on another celestial body.		 USA MOXIE
First spacecraft to fly through the atmosphere of a star. USA Parker Solar Probe
Launch of the largest space telescope to date. USA ESA Canada James Webb Space Telescope
First spacecraft to measurably deflect an asteroid.
First spacecraft to make contact with an asteroid moon.		 USA DART
23 August 2023First landing at the lunar south polar region. India Chandrayaan-3
14 March 2024First successful demonstration of in space propellant transfer. USA Starship flight test 3
6 June 2024First successful instance of both stages of a launch vehicle returned for a controlled landing. USA Starship flight test 4
25 June 2024First samples returned from the far side of the Moon.