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 1957

The Russians launch Sputnik I

Sputnik II is launched, carrying the dog Laika

Vanguard TV-3 explodes on the launch pad

 1958

The first U.S. satellite Explorer I is launched

Explorer II launched but fails to reach orbit

The U.S. launch Vanguard I into orbit

Explorer III is successfully launched into orbit

Sputnik III placed into orbit with payload of 7000lbs

Pioneer 0 destroyed by explosion after take off

First official day of N.A.S.A.

The Pioneer I space probe is launched

Pioneer II fails to achieve lunar orbit

Pioneer III fails to place its payload in Moon's vicinity

 1959

Luna I is launched. First satellite to orbit the Sun

Vanguard II is launched

Pioneer IV achieves Earth-Moon trajectory

Two monkeys launched in a Jupiter nose cone

Luna II is launched, impacting the Moon

Luna III orbits the Moon taking photographs

Explorer VII is launched

 1960

Mercury I is launched unmanned

 1961

Mercury II launched containing the chimp Ham

Vostok I launched carrying Yuri Gagarin

Freedom VII launched carrying Alan Shepherd

Liberty Bell VII launched with Gus Grissom

Kennedy commits U.S. to Moon landing

Vostok II launched carrying Gherman Titov

Ranger I fails to achieve intended orbit

Ranger II gets stranded in low Earth orbit

 1962

Ranger III leaves Earth's orbit but misses Moon

John Glenn orbits Earth aboard Friendship VII

Ranger IV crash lands on the far side of the Moon

Aurora VII makes three orbits with Scott Carpenter

Vostok III flies in close orbit with Vostok IV

Vostok IV flies in close orbit with Vostok III

Wally Schirra flies six orbits aboard Sigma VII

Ranger V attempted Moon impact

 1963

Luna IV misses the Moon

Vostok V sets Soviet manned duration record

Vostok VI carries first woman into space

 1964

Ranger VI launched and impacts the Moon

Apollo command module tested atop Saturn I rocket

Ranger VII relays close range photos of Moon

Voskhod I becomes the first mulit-manned flight

 1965

Gemini II is launched unmanned

Ranger VIII transmits high quality images of Moon

First space walk by Alexei Leonov aboard Voskhod II

Gemini III makes three orbits around the Earth

Ranger IX transmits high quality images of Moon

Luna V impacts the Moon

Ed White makes space walk aboard Gemini IV

Luna VI misses Moon by 159,000km

Zond 3 lunar flyby

Gemini V spends eight days in space

Luna VII impacts the Moon

Luna VIII impacts the Moon

Gemini VII makes 206 orbits of the Earth

Gemini VI rendevous' with Gemini VII in orbit

 1966

Luna IX makes first soft landing on the Moon

Gemini VIII makes first coupling of two spacecraft

Luna X becomes the first craft to orbit the Moon

Surveyor I makes first U.S. landing on the Moon

Gemini IX is launched

Gemini X is launched

Lunar Orbiter I returns photos of Moon surface

Luna XI enters Moon orbit and returns pictures

Gemini XI is launched

Surveyor II is launched but engine fails

Luna XII achieves a Moon orbit

Lunar Orbiter II returns photos of Moon surface

Buzz Aldrin makes space walk aboard Gemini XII

Luna XIII returns lunar panoramas

 1967

Apollo I launch pad fire kills the crew

Lunar Orbiter III returns photos of Moon surface

Surveyor III makes a soft landing on the Moon

Vladimir Kamarov is killed aboard Soyuz I

Lunar Orbiter IV returns photos of Moon surface

Surveyor IV is launched but contact is lost

Lunar Orbiter V returns photos of Moon surface

Surveyor V returns data from all it's experiments

Surveyor VI lands on lunar surface successfully

Apollo IV launched to the Moon unmanned

 1968

Surveyor VII lands on rim of lunar crater

Apollo V is launched unmanned

Luna 1968A has a launch pad failure

Zond IV has it's test flight

Luna XIV is launched unmanned

Zond 1968A has a launch pad failure

Zond V becomes first craft to orbit Moon and return

Apollo VII makes a single Earth orbit

Soyuz II is launched unmanned

Soyuz III makes rendevous with Soyuz II

Zond VI returns a probe

Apollo VIII makes the first manned Moon orbit

 1969

Soyuz IV and V perform first Soviet space docking

Soyuz V transfers crew to Soyuz IV while docked

Zond 1969A has a launch failure

Luna 1969A has a launch failure

Zond L1S - 1 has a launch failure

Apollo IX makes first test of complete Apollo craft

Luna 1969B has a launch failure

Apollo X makes rehearsal for full lunar landing

Luna 1969C has a launch failure

Zond L1S - 2 explodes on the launch pad

Luna XV is launched

Apollo XI is launched, landing first man on Moon