Space Exploration

Celestial navigation

Related Lives

Art movement

A Journey Through Visual History

Turkey

The Land of Singing Trees

Angola

Land of contrasts, from bustling cities to breathtaking landscapes.

Roman Republic

Res Publica Romana

Argentina

Land of the Tango

Ireland

The Emerald Isle

Monarchy of the United Kingdom

The enduring legacy of the Royal Family.

Brazil

The Land of Samba and Soccer

Life cover image

1970

First soft landing on another planet

15 Dec 1970

First soft landing on another planet

First X-ray Orbital Observatory Launch

12 Dec 1970

First X-ray Orbital Observatory Launch

First rover on another celestial body

17 Nov 1970

First rover on another celestial body

First automatic sample return from the Moon

Sep 1970

First automatic sample return from the Moon

Farthest distance from Earth traveled by humans

Apr 1970

Farthest distance from Earth traveled by humans

1969

First rendezvous on the surface of a celestial body

19 Nov 1969

First rendezvous on the surface of a celestial body

First space launch from another celestial body

21 Jul 1969

First space launch from another celestial body

Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the Moon

20 Jul 1969

First docking between two crewed spacecraft

23 May 1969

First docking between two crewed spacecraft

First docking of two crewed spacecraft around another celestial body

23 May 1969

First spacecraft to parachute in Venus's atmosphere

15 Jan 1969

First spacecraft to parachute in Venus's atmosphere

1968

First human flight to another celestial body

24 Dec 1968

First human flight to another celestial body

First human excursion beyond low Earth orbit

21 Dec 1968

First human excursion beyond low Earth orbit

First Ultraviolet Observatory Launched by NASA

07 Dec 1968

First Ultraviolet Observatory Launched by NASA

First animals and plants to leave Earth orbit

15 Sep 1968

First animals and plants to leave Earth orbit

1967

First liftoff from another celestial body

17 Nov 1967

First liftoff from another celestial body

First Automated Crewless Docking Achieved

30 Oct 1967

First Automated Crewless Docking Achieved

First photos of the Lunar south pole

15 Jul 1967

First photos of the Lunar south pole

First polar orbit around the Moon

08 May 1967

First sounding rocket launch from Antarctica

26 Jan 1967

First sounding rocket launch from Antarctica

1966

First picture of Earth from another astronomical object

23 Aug 1966

First picture of Earth from another astronomical object

First artificial satellite around another world (Moon)

03 Apr 1966

First artificial satellite around another world (Moon)

First orbital docking between two spacecraft

16 Mar 1966

First orbital docking between two spacecraft

First impact into another planet

01 Mar 1966

First impact into another planet

First soft landing on Moon

03 Feb 1966

1965

First Orbital Rendezvous Achieved by NASA

15 Dec 1965

First Orbital Rendezvous Achieved by NASA

France launches its first satellite

26 Nov 1965

France launches its first satellite

First Successful Flyby of Mars by Mariner 4

14 Jul 1965

First Successful Flyby of Mars by Mariner 4

First Human Space Walk by Alexei Leonov

18 Mar 1965

First Human Space Walk by Alexei Leonov

First crewed spacecraft to change orbit

15 Mar 1965

First crewed spacecraft to change orbit