Space History Timeline

67 events spanning launches, landings, missions, discoveries, and milestones

Today in space history · September 5

1 event

1977launch

Voyager 1 launched on a Titan IIIE rocket to explore the outer planets. It later became the first human-made object to enter interstellar space.

Decade

2026

1 event

April 1, 2026missionfeatured

Artemis II — First crewed lunar flyby since Apollo

Artemis II launched a crew of four astronauts (Wiseman, Glover, Koch, Hansen) on a trajectory around the Moon, marking humanity's first crewed voyage beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972 and validating life support and navigation systems ahead of Artemis III.

2024

2 events

June 6, 2024milestone

Starship completes first fully successful orbital-class flight

SpaceX's Starship completed its fourth integrated flight test, achieving a full orbital-class trajectory with a successful controlled splashdown of both the booster and upper stage for the first time.

June 5, 2024mission

Boeing Starliner's first crewed test flight

Boeing's CST-100 Starliner launched its first crewed mission to the ISS, carrying astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. Thruster issues led NASA to extend their stay and return them on a SpaceX Crew Dragon instead.

2023

2 events

August 23, 2023landing

Chandrayaan-3 lands near the lunar south pole

India's Chandrayaan-3 successfully soft-landed near the lunar south pole, making India the fourth country to land on the Moon. The Pragyan rover conducted in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar regolith.

April 20, 2023launch

Starship's first integrated flight test

SpaceX launched the fully stacked Starship/Super Heavy vehicle for the first time from Boca Chica, Texas. The rocket was destroyed minutes after launch, but the test provided invaluable data for the world's most powerful rocket.

2022

4 events

November 16, 2022launchfeatured

Artemis I launches

NASA launched Artemis I on the Space Launch System rocket, sending an uncrewed Orion capsule on a 25-day mission around the Moon.

September 26, 2022mission

DART impacts asteroid Dimorphos

NASA's DART spacecraft deliberately impacted the asteroid Dimorphos, successfully altering its orbit in the first planetary defense test.

July 12, 2022discovery

JWST releases its first full-color images

President Biden unveiled JWST's first image — SMACS 0723 — followed by a suite of full-color science releases from the new observatory.

April 8, 2022launch

Axiom-1 — first fully private mission to ISS

Axiom Space launched Axiom-1 aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon, the first fully private astronaut mission to the International Space Station.

2021

4 events

December 25, 2021launchfeatured

James Webb Space Telescope launched

The James Webb Space Telescope launched aboard an Ariane 5 from French Guiana, bound for the Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point.

July 11, 2021milestone

Commercial suborbital tourism begins

Virgin Galactic launched founder Richard Branson aboard VSS Unity, followed days later by Blue Origin launching founder Jeff Bezos aboard New Shepard, inaugurating the era of commercial suborbital space tourism.

April 19, 2021milestone

Ingenuity performs first powered flight on Mars

NASA's Ingenuity helicopter completed the first powered, controlled flight on another planet, a 39-second hover over Jezero Crater.

February 18, 2021landing

Perseverance rover lands on Mars

NASA's Perseverance rover landed in Jezero Crater, carrying the Ingenuity helicopter and instruments to search for signs of ancient life.

2020

2 events

October 13, 2020policy

Artemis Accords signed

Eight founding nations signed the Artemis Accords, establishing principles for the peaceful exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond, building on the Outer Space Treaty for responsible resource utilization.

May 30, 2020launchfeatured

Crew Dragon Demo-2 — first commercial crew launch

SpaceX Crew Dragon Demo-2 launched Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the ISS, the first crewed orbital flight from US soil since 2011.

2019

4 events

December 20, 2019policy

US Space Force established

The United States Space Force was signed into law as the sixth branch of the US military, consolidating military space operations under a dedicated service branch.

April 11, 2019mission

Beresheet — First privately funded lunar landing attempt

Israel's SpaceIL attempted to land Beresheet, the first privately funded lunar lander, which crashed during descent — but demonstrated that nations and private entities beyond traditional space powers could attempt lunar missions.

April 10, 2019discovery

First direct image of a black hole released

The Event Horizon Telescope collaboration released the first direct image of a black hole's shadow, in galaxy M87, using a planet-scale array of eight radio telescopes to confirm predictions of general relativity.

January 1, 2019mission

New Horizons flies past Arrokoth

NASA's New Horizons spacecraft flew past Kuiper Belt object Arrokoth (2014 MU69), the most distant object ever visited.

2018

1 event

February 6, 2018launch

Falcon Heavy demonstration flight

SpaceX launched Falcon Heavy on its maiden flight, sending a Tesla Roadster toward Mars orbit and recovering two of three boosters.

2017

1 event

March 30, 2017milestone

SpaceX flies a reused Falcon 9 booster

SpaceX launched SES-10 on a Falcon 9 first stage previously flown on CRS-8 — the first orbital-class rocket booster reuse.

2016

1 event

January 22, 2016milestone

Blue Origin reflies a booster for the first time

Blue Origin reflew its New Shepard booster, making it the first rocket to vertically launch, reach space, and land for a second flight — demonstrating reusable suborbital vehicles.

2015

2 events

December 21, 2015milestone

SpaceX lands a Falcon 9 booster for the first time

SpaceX successfully landed a Falcon 9 first stage at Cape Canaveral after delivering 11 ORBCOMM satellites to orbit, proving rocket reusability and beginning to transform launch economics.

July 14, 2015mission

New Horizons flies past Pluto

NASA's New Horizons spacecraft flew past Pluto after a nine-year, three-billion-mile journey, revealing Pluto's heart-shaped nitrogen ice plain and complex geology.

2014

1 event

November 12, 2014landing

Rosetta's Philae lander touches down on a comet

ESA's Rosetta mission deployed the Philae lander onto Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, achieving the first-ever soft landing on a comet and providing unprecedented data on cometary composition.

2012

3 events

October 7, 2012launch

SpaceX Dragon CRS-1 launches

Dragon CRS-1 launched on Falcon 9 — the first fully operational commercial cargo delivery to the International Space Station.

August 6, 2012landingfeatured

Curiosity rover lands on Mars

NASA's Curiosity rover landed in Gale Crater using the revolutionary sky crane system, beginning the Mars Science Laboratory mission.

May 25, 2012milestone

Dragon becomes first commercial spacecraft to dock with the ISS

SpaceX's Dragon (COTS Demo Flight 2) became the first commercial spacecraft to berth with the International Space Station, validating NASA's strategy of partnering with private companies for ISS resupply.

2011

1 event

July 8, 2011mission

STS-135 — Final Space Shuttle mission launches

Space Shuttle Atlantis launched on the 135th and final Shuttle mission. The 30-year program carried 355 people to space, built the ISS, and deployed Hubble before closing this chapter of spaceflight.

2010

1 event

December 8, 2010milestone

Dragon becomes first commercial spacecraft recovered from orbit

SpaceX's Dragon capsule became the first commercially built and operated spacecraft to be recovered from orbit, a watershed moment for commercial spaceflight previously reserved for governments.

2009

1 event

March 7, 2009launch

Kepler Space Telescope launched

NASA launched the Kepler Space Telescope to search for Earth-size exoplanets. It confirmed more than 2,600 planets over its mission.

2008

1 event

September 28, 2008milestone

Falcon 1 becomes first privately developed rocket to reach orbit

On its fourth attempt, SpaceX's Falcon 1 became the first privately developed liquid-fueled rocket to reach orbit, proving a startup could build an orbital-class launch vehicle.

2006

1 event

March 24, 2006launch

SpaceX Falcon 1 — First launch attempt

SpaceX attempted its first Falcon 1 launch from Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific. The rocket failed 25 seconds after liftoff due to a fuel line leak, marking SpaceX's debut as a launch provider.

2004

3 events

October 4, 2004milestone

SpaceShipOne wins the Ansari X Prize

SpaceShipOne, funded by Paul Allen and designed by Burt Rutan, completed its second qualifying suborbital flight within two weeks to win the $10 million Ansari X Prize, proving private companies could reach space.

March 9, 2004discovery

Hubble Ultra-Deep Field released

NASA released the Hubble Ultra-Deep Field — one of the deepest views of the universe ever taken, revealing ~10,000 galaxies.

January 4, 2004landing

Spirit rover lands on Mars

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit landed in Gusev Crater, beginning a mission that far exceeded its 90-day design life.

2003

1 event

February 1, 2003missionfeatured

Space Shuttle Columbia disaster

Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart during reentry over Texas, killing all seven crew members aboard STS-107.

2001

1 event

April 28, 2001milestone

Dennis Tito — First space tourist

American businessman Dennis Tito became the world's first paying space tourist when he visited the ISS aboard a Russian Soyuz, reportedly paying $20 million for the eight-day trip.

1998

1 event

November 20, 1998launch

Zarya — first ISS module launched

The Russian-built Zarya control module launched on a Proton rocket, becoming the first component of the International Space Station.

1997

1 event

July 4, 1997landing

Mars Pathfinder lands on Mars

Mars Pathfinder touched down in Ares Vallis and deployed the Sojourner rover — the first successful rover on another planet.

1992

1 event

September 12, 1992milestone

Mae Jemison becomes first African American woman in space

Mae Jemison launched aboard STS-47 on Space Shuttle Endeavour, becoming the first African American woman in space.

1990

2 events

April 24, 1990launch

Hubble Space Telescope launched

Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-31) deployed the Hubble Space Telescope into low Earth orbit, revolutionizing astronomy.

February 14, 1990discovery

Voyager 1 captures the "Pale Blue Dot"

From 6 billion kilometers away, Voyager 1 photographed Earth as a tiny pale blue dot in a sunbeam, at the request of Carl Sagan.

1986

1 event

January 28, 1986missionfeatured

Space Shuttle Challenger disaster

Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds after launch, killing all seven crew members including teacher Christa McAuliffe.

1983

1 event

June 18, 1983milestone

Sally Ride becomes the first American woman in space

Aboard STS-7, Sally Ride became the first American woman and the third woman to travel to space.

1981

1 event

April 12, 1981launch

STS-1 — Space Shuttle Columbia first launch

Space Shuttle Columbia launched on its maiden voyage (STS-1) with John Young and Robert Crippen, beginning the 30-year Shuttle era.

1977

1 event

September 5, 1977launch

Voyager 1 launched

Voyager 1 launched on a Titan IIIE rocket to explore the outer planets. It later became the first human-made object to enter interstellar space.

1976

1 event

July 20, 1976landing

Viking 1 lands on Mars

NASA's Viking 1 became the first successful US landing on Mars, transmitting the first high-resolution images from the Martian surface.

1975

1 event

July 17, 1975mission

Apollo-Soyuz Test Project docking

American and Soviet spacecraft docked in orbit for the first international crewed spaceflight, symbolizing a thaw in Cold War tensions and laying the groundwork for future cooperative missions.

1973

1 event

May 14, 1973launch

Skylab — First US space station launched

Skylab launched atop the final Saturn V rocket. Three crews performed 171 days of science aboard America's first space station.

1972

1 event

December 14, 1972milestone

Apollo 17 astronauts leave the Moon

Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt concluded the final Apollo lunar surface mission, the last time humans walked on the Moon to date.

1971

1 event

April 19, 1971launch

Salyut 1 — First space station launched

The Soviet Union launched Salyut 1, the world's first crewed space station. The Soyuz 11 crew lived aboard for 23 days, but tragically perished during re-entry due to a cabin depressurization.

1970

1 event

April 13, 1970mission

Apollo 13 oxygen tank explosion

Apollo 13's Service Module oxygen tank ruptured en route to the Moon. NASA and the crew turned the lunar lander into a lifeboat and returned safely.

1969

2 events

July 20, 1969landingfeatured

Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk on the Moon

Apollo 11's Lunar Module Eagle landed in the Sea of Tranquility. Neil Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface, followed by Buzz Aldrin.

July 16, 1969launchfeatured

Apollo 11 launches from Kennedy Space Center

Apollo 11 lifted off atop a Saturn V rocket, beginning the mission that would land humans on the Moon for the first time.

1968

1 event

December 21, 1968launch

Apollo 8 — First crewed mission to orbit the Moon

Apollo 8 launched Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders to lunar orbit, where they delivered the Christmas Eve broadcast and captured Earthrise.

1967

1 event

January 27, 1967mission

Apollo 1 cabin fire

A cabin fire during a launch rehearsal for Apollo 1 killed astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee.

1965

1 event

March 18, 1965milestone

Alexei Leonov performs the first spacewalk

Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov left the Voskhod 2 capsule for 12 minutes, becoming the first human to perform a spacewalk.

1963

1 event

June 16, 1963milestone

Valentina Tereshkova — First woman in space

Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova launched aboard Vostok 6 and became the first woman to fly in space.

1962

1 event

February 20, 1962milestone

John Glenn orbits the Earth

John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth, making three orbits aboard the Mercury capsule Friendship 7.

1961

3 events

May 25, 1961policy

Kennedy sets the Moon goal before Congress

President John F. Kennedy announced the goal of landing an American on the Moon and returning safely before the decade ended.

May 5, 1961mission

Alan Shepard — First American in space

Alan Shepard flew a suborbital Mercury-Redstone flight aboard Freedom 7, becoming the first American in space.

April 12, 1961milestonefeatured

Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space

Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin completed a single orbit of Earth aboard Vostok 1, becoming the first human in space.

1958

2 events

July 29, 1958policy

NASA is established

President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, establishing NASA on July 29, 1958.

January 31, 1958launch

Explorer 1 — First US satellite launched

The United States launched its first satellite, Explorer 1, which discovered the Van Allen radiation belts around Earth.

1957

2 events

November 3, 1957mission

Laika becomes the first animal in orbit

Aboard Sputnik 2, the Soviet dog Laika became the first living creature to orbit the Earth, paving the way for human spaceflight.

October 4, 1957launchfeatured

Sputnik 1 — The first artificial satellite

The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, Earth's first artificial satellite, marking the beginning of the Space Age and igniting the Space Race.

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