Timeline of space exploration

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Template:Short description Script error: No such module "about". Script error: No such module "Unsubst". This is a timeline of space exploration which includes notable 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.

Pre-20th century

Date Event leading to space exploration Country Researcher(s) Ref(s).
1610 First telescopic observation of the night sky: discovery of the Galilean moons, lunar craters and the phases of Venus. File:Flag of Most Serene Republic of Venice.svg Venice Galileo Galilei
1668 First reflecting telescope. File:Flag of England.svg England Isaac Newton
1781 First telescopic discovery of planet (Uranus). File:Flag of Great Britain (1707–1800).svg Great Britain William Herschel
1801 First discovery of asteroid (Ceres). File:Bandiera del Regno di Sicilia 4.svg Sicily Giuseppe Piazzi
1813 First exposition of the rocket equation based on Newton's third law of motion: Treatise on the Motion of Rockets. File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg UK William Moore
1840 First clear telescopic photograph of another world: the Moon. File:US flag 26 stars.svg United States John William Draper
1845 First proper observation of other galaxies which are termed "whirlpool nebulae". File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg UK William Parsons
1861 A Journey Through Space makes first proposal of using rockets for space flight. File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg UK William Leitch
1895 First proposal of space elevator. File:Flag of Russia.svg Russia Konstantin Tsiolkovsky

1900–1956

Template:Sticky header

Date Mission success Country Mission name Ref(s).
1903 Publication of Exploration of the Universe with Rocket-Propelled Vehicles[1] 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 File:Flag of Russia.svg Russia Konstantin Tsiolkovsky [2]
1914 Goddard files for and is subsequently awarded U.S. patents on multistage and liquid-fueled rockets. File:US flag 48 stars.svg United States Robert H. Goddard
1917 First observation of an extrasolar planet (exoplanet) round Van Maanen 2 although it is not recognised as such at the time. File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands Adriaan van Maanen
1919 Goddard's widely influential paper "A Method of Reaching Extreme Altitudes" discussed solid- and liquid-fueled rocketry. File:US flag 48 stars.svg United States Robert H. Goddard
Template:Dts Script error: No such module "Lang". ("By Rocket into Planetary Space") self-published after its rejection as a doctoral thesis. File:Flag of Germany.svg Germany Hermann Oberth
1924 Society for Studies of Interplanetary Travel founded. File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1924-1936).svg USSR Members include Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, Friedrich Zander, Yuri Kondratyuk
Template:Dts Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket. File:US flag 48 stars.svg United States Robert H. Goddard
1927 Verein für Raumschiffahrt (Society for Space Travel) formed; it includes many top European rocket scientists. File:Flag of Germany.svg Germany  
1927 Завоевание межпланетных пространств (The Conquest of Interplanetary Space) discusses rocket mechanics and orbital effects including the gravitational slingshot. File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1924-1936).svg USSR Yuri Kondratyuk
1928 Script error: No such module "Lang". (The Problem of Space Travel – The Rocket Motor) discusses space travel and its potential uses for scientific experiments. File:Flag of Germany.svg Germany Herman Potočnik
Template:Dts British Interplanetary Society founded. File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg UK Philip E. Cleator
Template:Dts First detection of radio waves from an astronomical object. File:US flag 48 stars.svg United States Karl Jansky
Template:Dts Establishment of the Soviet rocket research lab Reactive Scientific Research Institute (RNII) by combining the Group for the Study of Reactive Motion (GIRD) with the Gas Dynamics Laboratory (GDL). File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1924-1936).svg USSR Key people Sergei Korolev & Valentin Glushko [3]
Template:Dts First spaceflight in history.

First human-made object in space (later defined as above the Kármán line).

File:Flag of the German Reich (1935–1945).svg Germany (Wehrmacht) V-2 rocket (MW 18014)
Template:Dts 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. File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg UK Arthur C. Clarke
Template:Dts First space research flight (cosmic radiation experiments). File:US flag 48 stars.svg United States captured and improved V-2 rocket
Template:Dts First pictures of Earth from 105 km (65 mi). File:US flag 48 stars.svg United States V-2 [4][5]
20 February 1947 First animals in space (fruit flies). File:US flag 48 stars.svg United States V-2 [4][6]
Template:Dts First two-stage liquid-fueled rocket, that sets a record altitude of 244 miles (393 km) (WAC Corporal missile mounted onto a V-2 rocket). File:US flag 48 stars.svg United States Bumper-5
Template:Dts First mammal in space (Albert II, a rhesus monkey).

First primate in space.

File:US flag 48 stars.svg United States V-2
Template:Dts First dogs in space (Dezik and Tsygan).

First living organisms to fly in space and safely return.

File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1924-1936).svg USSR Soviet space dogs [7]
Template:Dts 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.

File:US flag 48 stars.svg United States

Dr. Otto Berg's films

[8] [9] [10]

Template:Dts First rocket to pass the thermopause and enter the exosphere. At 682 miles (1,098 km) altitude and 3,335 miles range, the 3-stage Jupiter-C breaks both records and achieves MACH 18 velocity. File:US flag 48 stars.svg United States Jupiter-C [11][12]

1957–1959

Script error: No such module "about".

Date Mission achievements Country/organization Mission name Ref(s).
Template:Dts First artificial satellite.
First human-made signals from space. 		File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Sputnik 1
Template:Dts First mammal in orbit, the dog Laika. File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Sputnik 2
Template:Dts Confirmed existence of the Van Allen radiation belt. File:US flag 48 stars.svg USA (ABMA) Explorer 1
Template:Dts First use of solar power in space.
The oldest artificial object still in space. 		File:US flag 48 stars.svg USA (NRL) Vanguard 1
Template:Dts 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.

File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Luna 1
Template:Dts First weather satellite. File:US flag 48 stars.svg USA (NRL) Vanguard 2
Template:Dts First photograph of Earth from Earth orbit. File:US flag 49 stars.svg USA (NASA) Explorer 6
Template:Dts First spacecraft to impact another celestial body (the Moon).
First delivery of national pennants to a celestial body. 		File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Luna 2
Template:Dts First photos of another world from space: the far side of the Moon.

First gravity assist.

File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Luna 3

1960–1969

Script error: No such module "about". Template:Sticky header

Date Mission success Country/organization Mission name Ref(s).
Template:Dts First solar probe. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Pioneer 5
Template:Dts First plants and animals to return alive from Earth orbit. File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Sputnik 5
25 September 1960 First rocket engine fired in space. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Pioneer P-30 [13]
Template:Dts First hominidae in space (chimpanzee Ham).

First tasks performed in space.

File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) M-R 2
Template:Dts First launch from Earth orbit of upper stage into a heliocentric orbit.
First mid-course corrections.
First spin-stabilisation. 		File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Venera 1
Template:Dts First human spaceflight (Yuri Gagarin).
First human-crewed orbital flight. 		File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Vostok 1 [14][15]
Template:Dts First human-piloted space flight (Alan Shepard).
First human-crewed suborbital flight. 		File:Flag of the United States.svg USA Freedom 7
Template:Dts First planetary flyby (within 100,000 km of Venus – no data returned). File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Venera 1
Template:Dts First crewed space flight lasting over twenty four hours by Gherman Titov, who is also the first to suffer from space sickness. File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Vostok 2
Template:Dts First orbital solar observatory. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) OSO-1
Template:Dts First spacecraft to impact the far side of the Moon. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Ranger 4 [16]
Template:Dts First dual crewed spaceflight.
First communication between two crewed space vehicles in orbit.
First person to float freely in microgravity. 		File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Vostok 3 and Vostok 4
18 August 1962 First auroral research rocket launched into the ionosphere.
File:Flag of Norway.svg
Norway 		Ferdinand 1
Template:Dts First Mars flyby (11,000 km) but contact was lost. File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Mars 1
Template:Dts First planetary flyby with data returned (Venus).

First successful planetary science mission.

File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Mariner 2 [17]
Template:Dts First woman in space (Valentina Tereshkova). File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Vostok 6
Template:Dts First reusable crewed spacecraft (suborbital). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) X-15 Flight 90
25 April 1964 First launch of a lithergol rocket, burning solid fuel and a liquid oxidizer, LEX, from the Levant Island. File:Flag of France.svg France
Template:Dts First multi-person crew (3) in orbit. File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Voskhod 1
Template:Dts First space walk/extra-vehicular activity (Alexei Leonov). File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Voskhod 2
Template:Dts First crewed spacecraft to change orbit. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Gemini 3
Template:Dts First flyby of Mars (returned pictures). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Mariner 4 [18]
Template:Dts First photographs of another planet from deep space (Mars). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Mariner 4 [18]
26 November 1965 France launches its first satellite, Asterix, from a rocket Diamant, becoming the world's third space power. File:Flag of France.svg France Diamant
Template:Dts First orbital rendezvous (parallel flight, no docking). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Gemini 6A/Gemini 7
Template:Dts First soft landing on another world (the Moon).
First photos from another world. 		File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Luna 9 [19]
Template:Dts First impact into another planet (Venus). File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Venera 3
Template:Dts First orbital docking between two spacecraft. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Gemini 8/Agena target vehicle
Template:Dts First artificial satellite around another world (the Moon). File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Luna 10
23 Template:Dts First picture of Earth from another astronomical object (the Moon).

First probe to map the Moon.

File:Flag of the United States.svg USA Lunar Orbiter 1 [20]
26 January 1967 First sounding rocket launch from Antarctica, a Dragon rocket from the Dumont-d'Urville Antarctic Base. File:Flag of France.svg France Dragon [21]
8 May 1967 First polar orbit around the Moon. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA Lunar Orbiter 4 [22]
July 1967 First photos of the Lunar south pole. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA Lunar Orbiter 4 [22]
Template:Dts First automated (crewless) docking. File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Cosmos 186/Cosmos 188
17 November 1967 First liftoff from another celestial body (the Moon). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA Surveyor 6 [23]
Template:Dts First animals and plants to leave Earth orbit and travel to and around the Moon.

First lunar spacecraft to be recovered successfully.

File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Zond 5 [24]
Template:Dts First orbital ultraviolet observatory. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) OAO-2
Template:Dts First human excursion beyond low Earth orbit.

First in-person observations of Earth from a distance.
First Trans-Earth injection.

File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Apollo 8 [25]
24 December 1968 First human flight to another celestial body (the Moon) and to enter its gravitational influence. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Apollo 8 [25]
Template:Dts First docking between two crewed spacecraft in Earth orbit.

First crew exchange in space.

File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Soyuz 4 and Soyuz 5
Template:Dts First spacecraft to parachute in Venus's atmosphere, lost contact before landing. File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Venera 5
Template:Dts First docking of two crewed spacecraft around another celestial body.

First lunar mission to include a lunar landing module.

File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Apollo 10 [26]
Template:Dts First human on another celestial body (the Moon).

First words spoken from another world.

File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Apollo 11 [27]
21 July 1969 First space launch from another celestial body.

First sample return from another celestial body.

File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Apollo 11 [27]
Template:Dts First rendezvous on the surface of a celestial body.

First meet up between human explorers and a robotic spacecraft in space (on the Moon).

File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Apollo 12/Surveyor 3 [28]


1970–1979

Template:Sticky header

Date Mission success Country/organization Mission name Ref(s).
Template:Dts Farthest distance from Earth traveled by humans. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Apollo 13 [29]Template:NoteTag
Template:Dts First automatic sample return from the Moon. File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Luna 16
Template:Dts First rover on another celestial body (the Moon).

First lunar rover.

File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Lunokhod 1
Template:Dts First X-ray orbital observatory. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Uhuru
Template:Dts First soft landing on another planet (Venus).
First signals from another planet. 		File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Venera 7
Template:Dts First space station. File:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR Salyut 1
Template:Dts First crewed orbital observatory. File:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR Orion 1
30 July 1971 First motor vehicle on another celestial body (Lunar Roving Vehicle). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Apollo 15 [30]
Template:Dts First spacecraft to orbit another planet (Mars). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Mariner 9
Template:Dts First spacecraft to impact another planet (Mars). File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Mars 2
Template:Dts First soft landing on Mars.
First signals from Martian surface.
First photograph from Martian surface. 		File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Mars 3
Template:Dts First spacecraft on a trajectory out of the Solar System.

First spacecraft to use all-nuclear electrical power (SNAP-19 RTGs).

File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Pioneer 10 [31]
Template:Dts First spacecraft to enter the asteroid belt.

First spacecraft beyond the orbit of Mars.

File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Pioneer 10 [31]
Template:Dts First orbital gamma ray observatory. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) SAS 2
3 November 1973 First mission sent to study Mercury. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Mariner 10 [32]
Template:Dts First flyby of Jupiter.

First spacecraft beyond the Inner Solar System.

File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Pioneer 10 [31]
January 1974 First spacecraft to return data on a long-period comet. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Mariner 10 [32]
Template:Dts First mission to explore two planets in a single mission (Mercury and Venus).
First photograph of Venus from space.

First use of solar wind for spacecraft orientation.

File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Mariner 10 [32]
Template:Dts First flyby of Mercury. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Mariner 10 [32]
21 Sept. 1974 First spacecraft to flyby the same planet multiple times (Mercury). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Mariner 10 [32]
Template:Dts First multinational crewed mission. File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Apollo-Soyuz Test Project
Template:Dts First spacecraft to orbit Venus. File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Venera 9
Template:Dts First successful photos from the surface of another planet (Venus). File:Flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1980).svg USSR Venera 9
Template:Dts First successful photos and soil samples from the surface of Mars. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Viking Lander
Template:Dts First real time remotely operated ultraviolet orbital observatory. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA)
File:Flag of Europe.svg ESA
File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg UK (SERC) 		International Ultraviolet Explorer
20 November 1978 First spacecraft to orbit the Sun at Lagrange 1. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) ISEE-3/ICE [33]
Template:Dts First extended (multi-year) orbital exploration of Venus (from 1978 to 1992). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Pioneer Venus Orbiter
Template:Dts Jupiter flyby (closest approach 349,000 km)
Encounters with five Jovian moons.
Discovery of volcanism on Io. 		File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Voyager 1
Template:Dts First flyby of Saturn.

First photograph of Titan from deep space.

File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Pioneer 11

1980–1989

Template:Sticky header

Date Mission success Country/organization Mission name Ref(s).
Template:Dts Saturn flyby (closest approach 124,000 km), close encounter of Titan and encounters with a dozen other moons. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Voyager 1
Template:Dts First reusable crewed orbital spacecraft (Space Shuttle). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) STS-1
Template:Dts First Venus soil samples

First sound recording of another world (Venus).

File:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR Venera 13
10 June 1982 First spacecraft to conduct a deep survey of Earth's magnetic tail. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) ISEE-3/ICE [33]
Template:Dts First mixed gender crew aboard space station, and first woman, Svetlana Savitskaya, on space station. File:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR Salyut 7
1982 First plants grown in space (Arabidopsis). File:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR Salyut 7 [34][35]
Template:Dts First Infrared orbital observatory. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA)
File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg UK (SERC)
File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands (NIVR) 		IRAS
Template:Dts First spacecraft beyond the orbit of Neptune.

First spacecraft beyond all Solar System planets.

File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Pioneer 10 [31]
Template:Dts First untethered spacewalk (Bruce McCandless II). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) STS-41-B
Template:Dts First spacewalk by a woman (Svetlana Savitskaya). File:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR Salyut 7
Template:Dts First balloon deployed on another planet (Venus). File:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR Vega 1
11 September 1985 First spacecraft to flyby a comet (21P/Giacobini-Zinner).Template:NoteTag File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) ISEE-3/ICE [33]
Template:Dts First spacecraft to flyby Uranus. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Voyager 2 [36]
Template:Dts First consistently inhabited long-term research space station. File:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg USSR Mir
Template:Dts First close up observations of a comet (Halley's Comet, 596 kilometers). File:Flag of Europe.svg ESA Giotto
Template:Dts First suspected detection of an exoplanet (Gamma Cephei Ab).Template:NoteTag File:Flag of Canada.svg Canada Astronomers Bruce Campbell, Gordon Walker and Stephenson Yang. [37]
Template:Dts First astrometric satellite. File:Flag of Europe.svg ESA Hipparcos
Template:Dts First spacecraft to flyby Neptune.

First spacecraft to study all four of the Solar System's giant planets at close range.

File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Voyager 2 [36]
Template:Dts First orbital cosmic microwave observatory. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) COBE

1990–1999

Date Mission success Country/organization Mission name Ref(s).
Template:Dts First photograph of the whole Solar System (Family Portrait). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Voyager 1 [38]
Template:Dts First telescope designed to be repaired in space. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA)
File:Flag of Europe.svg ESA 		Hubble Space Telescope [39]
Template:Dts First time a spacecraft coming from deep space uses the Earth for a gravity-assist manoeuvre. File:Flag of Europe.svg ESA Giotto [40]
Template:Dts First asteroid flyby (951 Gaspra closest approach 1,600 km). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Galileo
1992 First confirmed observation of an exoplanet. File:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
File:Flag of Poland.svg Poland 		Aleksander Wolszczan & Dale Frail
Template:Dts First polar orbit around the Sun.

First mission to survey the space environment above and below the poles of the Sun.

File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA)
File:Flag of Europe.svg ESA 		Ulysses [41]
Template:Dts First spacecraft to map Venus in its entirety. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Magellan [42]
Template:Dts Record longest duration spaceflight to date (437.7 day by Valeri Polyakov). File:Flag of Russia.svg Russia (FKA) Mir
Template:Dts Identification and confirmation of the first exoplanet orbiting a main-sequence star. File:Flag of Switzerland.svg Switzerland Michel Mayor, Didier Queloz [43]
Template:Dts First orbit of Jupiter. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Galileo
Template:Dts First spacecraft to enter the atmosphere of a gas giant (Jupiter). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) [[Galileo (spacecraft)|GalileoTemplate:'s atmospheric entry probe]] [44]
1995 First laser communication from space. File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan (JAXA, NICT) ETS-VI [45]
Template:Dts First orbital radio observatory. File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan (ISAS) HALCA
Template:Dts First operational rover on another planet (Mars). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Mars Pathfinder / Sojourner
Template:Dts First spacecraft to use aerobraking to enter orbit (Martian orbit). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Mars Global Surveyor [46]
Template:Dts First multinational space station.
Largest artificial object built in space to date. 		File:Flag of Russia.svg Russia (FKA)
File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA)
File:Flag of Europe.svg Europe (ESA)
File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan (JAXA)
File:Flag of Canada.svg Canada (CSA) 		International Space Station

2000–2009

Date Mission success Country/organization Mission name Ref(s).
Template:Dts First orbit of an asteroid (433 Eros). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) File:Flag of Europe.svg ESA NEAR Shoemaker
Template:Dts Beginning of an uninterrupted human presence in space. File:Flag of Russia.svg Russia (FKA)
File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA)
File:Flag of Kazakhstan.svg Kazakhstan 		Expedition 1
Template:Dts First landing on an asteroid (433 Eros). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) NEAR Shoemaker
November 2001 First laser communication in space between two objects. File:Flag of Europe.svg ESA Template:FlagiconFrance (CNES) Artemis, SPOT 4 [47]
Template:Dts First amateur spaceflight. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (CSXT) CSXT GoFast [48]
Template:Dts First orbit of Saturn. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) File:Flag of Europe.svg ESA File:Flag of Italy.svg Italy (ASI) Cassini–Huygens
Template:Dts First sample return beyond lunar orbit (solar wind). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Genesis
Template:Dts First landing in the outer Solar System (Titan).

First landing on a moon other than Earth's Moon.

File:Flag of Europe.svg ESA File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) File:Flag of Italy.svg Italy (ASI) Cassini–Huygens
January–February 2005 First confirmed cryovolcano (Enceladus). File:Flag of Europe.svg ESA File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) File:Flag of Italy.svg Italy (ASI) Cassini–Huygens [49]
Template:Dts First spacecraft to impact a comet (Tempel 1). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Deep Impact
Template:Dts First asteroid ascent (25143 Itokawa).
First interplanetary escape without separating and discarding the landing gear. 		File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan (JAXA) Hayabusa
Template:Dts First sample return from a comet (81P/Wild). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Stardust [50]
Template:Dts First confirmed lakes on the surface of another celestial body (lakes of Titan). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) File:Flag of Europe.svg ESA File:Flag of Italy.svg Italy (ASI) Cassini–Huygens [51][52]
Template:Dts First spacecraft to photograph another spacecraft landing on another celestial body (Phoenix, on Mars). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter [53]
Template:Dts First discovery of lunar water in the form of ice.Template:NoteTag File:Flag of India.svg India (ISRO) Chandrayaan-1 [54][55]
Template:Dts First space telescope designated to search for Earth-like exoplanets. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Kepler Mission [56]
Template:Dts First images of the structures in the rings of a planet (rings of Saturn). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) File:Flag of Europe.svg ESA File:Flag of Italy.svg Italy (ASI) Cassini–Huygens [57][58]

2010–2019

Template:Sticky header

Date Mission success Country/organization Mission name Ref(s).
Template:Dts First solar sail. File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan (JAXA) IKAROS [59]
Template:Dts First sample return from an asteroid (25143 Itokawa). File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan (JAXA) Hayabusa
Template:Dts First spacecraft to orbit one of the Moon's Lagrange point (L2). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) ARTEMIS-P1 [60]
Template:Dts First spacecraft to orbit the Moon's Lagrange 1 point. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) ARTEMIS-P2 [60]
Template:Dts First orbit of Mercury. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) MESSENGER
Template:Dts First orbit of an object in the asteroid belt (4 Vesta). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Dawn
Template:Dts First use of a sky crane to land on another celestial body (Mars). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Mars Science Laboratory [61]
Template:Dts First spacecraft to leave the heliosphere.

First spacecraft in interstellar space.

File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Voyager 1 [62]
Template:Dts First laser communication with a lunar satellite. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter [63]
Template:Dts First spacecraft to orbit a comet nucleus (67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko). File:Flag of Europe.svg ESA Rosetta [64]
Template:Dts First soft landing on a comet (67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko). File:Flag of Europe.svg ESA Philae [65]
Template:Dts First flyby and orbit of a dwarf planet (Ceres).
First spacecraft to orbit two separate celestial bodies. 		File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Dawn [66]
Template:Dts First flyby of an object beyond Neptune (Pluto and its moons).

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.

File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) New Horizons [67]
Template:Dts First food grown in space eaten (lettuce). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan (JAXA) International Space Station [68]
Template:Dts First observation of gravitational waves. LSC – EGO LIGO – Virgo [69][70]
Template:Dts First propulsive landing of a rocket after sending something into space (suborbital). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (Blue Origin) New Shepard 2 [71]
Template:Dts First propulsive landing of an orbital rocket. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (SpaceX) Falcon 9 flight 20
Template:Dts First inflatable space habitat.Template:NoteTag File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (Bigelow Aerospace) BEAM [72]
Template:Dts First spacecraft to enter the atmosphere of Saturn. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) File:Flag of Europe.svg ESA File:Flag of Italy.svg Italy (ASI) Cassini–Huygens [73]
Template:Dts First known interstellar object detected passing through the Solar System. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (Haleakalā Observatory) Oumuamua
Template:Dts First operational rover on an asteroid (162173 Ryugu). File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan (JAXA) Hayabusa2 [74]
Template:Dts First recorded sounds from Mars. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) InSight [75]
Template:Dts First flyby of a classical Kuiper belt object (486958 Arrokoth).

First flyby of a contact binary.

First spacecraft to make two different flybys in the Kuiper belt.

File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) New Horizons [76]
Template:Dts First soft landing on the far side of the Moon.

First germination of seeds on another celestial body.

Template:Flagicon China (CNSA) Chang'e 4 [77]
Template:Dts First lunar rover (Yutu-2) traversing the far side of the Moon. Template:Flagicon China (CNSA) Chang'e 4 [78]
Template:Dts First direct photograph of a black hole and its vicinity. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Event Horizon Telescope [79]

Since 2020

Template:Sticky header

Date Mission success Country/organization Mission name Ref(s).
Template:Dts First confirmed quake on another planet (marsquake). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) InSight [80]
Template:Dts First aerodynamically powered flight on another celestial body (Mars). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Ingenuity [81]
Template:Dts First in situ resource utilization.

First production of oxygen on another celestial body (Mars).

File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) MOXIE [82][83]
Template:Dts First spacecraft to fly through the atmosphere of a star (the Sun's corona). File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) Parker Solar Probe [84]
Template:Dts Launch of the largest space telescope to date. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) File:Flag of Europe.svg ESA File:Flag of Canada.svg Canada (CSA) James Webb Space Telescope [85]
Template:Dts First spacecraft to measurably deflect an asteroid.

First spacecraft to make contact with an asteroid moon (impact on Dimorphos).

File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (NASA) DART [86]
23 August 2023 First landing at the lunar south polar region. File:Flag of India.svg India (ISRO) Chandrayaan-3 [87]
14 March 2024 First successful demonstration of in space propellant transfer. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (SpaceX) Starship flight test 3 [88]
06 June 2024 First successful instance of both stages of a launch vehicle returned for a controlled landing. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (SpaceX) Starship flight test 4 [89]
25 June 2024 First samples returned from the far side of the Moon. Template:Flagicon China (CNSA) Chang'e 6 [90]
13 October 2024 First catch of a rocket booster. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (SpaceX) Starship flight test 5 [91]
2 March 2025 First commercial company to complete a fully successful soft landing on the Moon. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (Firefly Aerospace) Blue Ghost Mission 1 [92]
1 April 2025 First crewed spaceflight to enter a Polar orbit around Earth. File:Flag of the United States.svg USA (SpaceX) Fram2 [93][94]

Notes

Template:Reflist

See also

References

Template:Reflist

External links

Template:Planetary exploration Template:Space exploration lists and timelines Template:Exploration

  1. ↑ Russian title Issledovaniye mirovykh prostranstv reaktivnymi priborami (Исследование мировых пространств реактивными приборами)
  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/mwre/83/6/1520-0493_1955_083_0119_arpoat_2_0_co_2.pdf
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  24. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  25. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  27. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  28. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  29. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  30. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  31. ↑ a b c d Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  32. ↑ a b c d e Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  33. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  34. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  35. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  36. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  37. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  38. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  39. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  40. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  41. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  42. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  43. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  44. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  45. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  46. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  47. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  48. ↑ Rocketman Enterprises (2005). CSXT: Civilian Space eXploration Team. Retrieved on 2007-01-27. http://www.the-rocketman.com/CSXT/default2.asp%7CTemplate:Dead link http://www.the-rocketman.com/CSXT/about/teamlist.htm#%7C Template:Webarchive http://www.the-rocketman.com/go-fast.html Template:Webarchive
  49. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  50. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  51. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  52. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  53. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  54. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  55. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  56. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  57. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  58. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  59. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  60. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  61. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  62. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  63. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  64. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  65. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  66. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  67. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  68. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  69. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
    • Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  70. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  71. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  72. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  73. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  74. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  75. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  76. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  77. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  78. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  79. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  80. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  81. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  82. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  83. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  84. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  85. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  86. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  87. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  88. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  89. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  90. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  91. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  92. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  93. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  94. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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