Events with tag - Spaceflight

October 7, 1958

Project Mercury Launch

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.

January 1, 1961

NASA Apollo Program Launch

The Apollo program began in 1961 when President John F. Kennedy declared America's intention to land humans on the Moon before the decade's end. This ambitious $28 billion initiative involved over 400,000 people and led to numerous technological breakthroughs.

April 12, 1961

First Human in Space

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.

February 20, 1962

Mercury-Atlas 6: First American Orbital Flight

On February 20, 1962, astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth aboard Friendship 7 spacecraft during the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission. The historic flight lasted 4 hours and 55 minutes, completing three orbits around Earth at an altitude of 162 miles.

April 8, 1964

NASA Project Gemini Launch

NASA launched Project Gemini as its second human spaceflight program, conducting 12 missions between 1964-1966. The program served as a crucial bridge between Mercury and Apollo missions, developing essential capabilities for lunar exploration.

July 20, 1969

Apollo 11 Moon Landing

On July 20, 1969, NASA's Apollo 11 mission achieved the first human landing on the Moon, with astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin becoming the first humans to walk on lunar surface while Michael Collins orbited above.

May 14, 1973

Launch of Skylab

NASA launched Skylab, America's first space station, using a modified Saturn V rocket from Kennedy Space Center. The 169,950-pound orbital workshop marked the beginning of permanent human presence in space.

September 28, 2008

SpaceX Falcon 1 First Orbital Launch

SpaceX made history when its Falcon 1 became the first privately developed liquid-fuel rocket to reach Earth's orbit from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, marking a revolutionary moment in commercial spaceflight.

June 4, 2010

First Falcon 9 Launch

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket completed its historic first launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, revolutionizing commercial spaceflight with innovative design and reusability concepts.

December 21, 2015

SpaceX Falcon 9 First Landing

SpaceX achieved a historic milestone by successfully landing its Falcon 9 rocket's first stage booster at Cape Canaveral, marking the first-ever vertical landing of an orbital-class rocket while delivering 11 Orbcomm-2 satellites to orbit.

February 6, 2018

SpaceX Falcon Heavy Launch

SpaceX made history with the successful launch of Falcon Heavy, the world's most powerful operational rocket, carrying Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster with 'Starman' mannequin into space orbit beyond Mars.

February 6, 2018

SpaceX Tesla Roadster Launch

SpaceX made history by launching a Tesla Roadster into space aboard its Falcon Heavy rocket, featuring 'Starman' mannequin in the driver's seat. The mission demonstrated the world's most powerful operational rocket system while creating unprecedented media attention.

May 11, 2018

SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 Debut

SpaceX achieved a historic milestone with the inaugural launch of Falcon 9 Block 5, their most advanced reusable rocket. The mission successfully deployed Bangladesh's first geostationary communications satellite while demonstrating revolutionary reusability features.

May 30, 2020

SpaceX Demo-2 Mission

SpaceX made history by launching the first private crewed mission to the International Space Station, carrying NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft.

May 30, 2020

SpaceX Crew Dragon Demo-2

Historic SpaceX mission that launched NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station, becoming the first commercial spacecraft to carry humans to orbit and marking America's return to human spaceflight from U.S. soil since 2011.

August 30, 2020

SpaceX SAOCOM 1B Launch

SpaceX successfully launched the SAOCOM 1B Earth observation satellite from Cape Canaveral, achieving a historic double booster landing and marking the first polar orbit mission from Florida's Space Coast in decades.

April 16, 2021

NASA Selects SpaceX Starship for Moon Missions

NASA awarded SpaceX a historic $2.9 billion contract to develop Starship as the lunar landing system for the Artemis program, marking a significant shift towards commercial partnerships in space exploration.

April 1, 2023

SpaceX Dear Moon Mission

SpaceX plans historic lunar mission 'Dear Moon' to send eight civilian passengers and crew on a six-day journey around the Moon using their revolutionary Starship spacecraft.