Strict Standards: strftime() [function.strftime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. Please use the date.timezone setting, the TZ environment variable or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PST/-8.0/no DST' instead in /home/thespa2/public_html/forum/Sources/Subs.php on line 797

Strict Standards: strftime() [function.strftime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. Please use the date.timezone setting, the TZ environment variable or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PST/-8.0/no DST' instead in /home/thespa2/public_html/forum/Sources/Subs.php on line 797

Strict Standards: strftime() [function.strftime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. Please use the date.timezone setting, the TZ environment variable or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PST/-8.0/no DST' instead in /home/thespa2/public_html/forum/Sources/Subs.php on line 803

Strict Standards: strftime() [function.strftime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. Please use the date.timezone setting, the TZ environment variable or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PST/-8.0/no DST' instead in /home/thespa2/public_html/forum/Sources/Subs.php on line 803

Strict Standards: strftime() [function.strftime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. Please use the date.timezone setting, the TZ environment variable or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PST/-8.0/no DST' instead in /home/thespa2/public_html/forum/Sources/Subs.php on line 821

Strict Standards: strftime() [function.strftime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. Please use the date.timezone setting, the TZ environment variable or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Los_Angeles' for 'PST/-8.0/no DST' instead in /home/thespa2/public_html/forum/Sources/Subs.php on line 821
TheSpaceRace.com - Timeline (1957-1959)
Timeline of Space Exploration
1957-1959 1960-1969 1970-1979 1980-1989 1990-1999 2000-Present

1957 - 1959
1957 Oct. 4 - USSR launches Sputnik 1.
Nov. 3 - USSR launches Sputnik 2 which carried a small dog named Laika into orbit.
1958 Jan. 31 - Explorer 1, the first American satellite to reach orbit, is launched. It carried scientific equipment that lead to the discovery of the Van Allen radiation belt.
Mar. 5 - Explorer 2 is launced but it fails to reach orbit.
Mar. 17 - The Vanguard 1 satellite is launched. It continues to function for 3 years.
May 15 - Sputnik 3 is launched.
Oct. 1 - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is formed, it replaces the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA).
Oct. 11 - Pioneer 1 is launched to a height of 70,700 miles.
1959 Jan. 2 - Luna 1 is launched by the USSR. It is the first man made object to orbit the Sun.
Mar. 3 - Pioneer 4 is launched on a Earth-Moon trajectory. It passed within 37,000 miles of the Moon before falling into a solar orbit.
Apr. 2 - The "Mercury Seven" astronauts are selected by NASA.
Sep. 12 - Luna 2 is launched. It impacts the Moon on September 13, becoming the first man-made object to do so.
Oct. 4 - Luna 3 orbits the Moon and photographs 70% of it's surface.


1960's