October 7, 1958
NASA initiates Project Mercury, America's first human spaceflight program, marking the beginning of the U.S. space program and its response to the Soviet Space Race following Sputnik 1's launch.
April 12, 1961
Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to journey into outer space, completing a 108-minute orbital flight aboard Vostok 1 spacecraft and marking a pivotal moment in human spaceflight history.
