Space Mission Timeline

Reaching for the Stars

In 1957, a small metal sphere circling Earth changed everything. Sputnik proved we could venture beyond our atmosphere—and launched the Space Age. In the decades since, humanity has walked on the Moon, landed robots on Mars and Venus, sent probes to every planet, and begun building a permanent presence in orbit.

Our Space Mission Timeline chronicles this incredible journey. Explore landmark missions from the Space Race to today, understand the technologies that made them possible, and glimpse the missions planned for the coming decades. This is the story of humanity becoming a spacefaring species.

From Dreams to Reality

The NASA mission archives document the technical achievements of space exploration. What seemed impossible in 1950 became routine within decades. Our ISS Tracker & Spotter lets you follow today’s orbital outpost.

The Space Race Era (1957-1975)

First Steps

• Sputnik 1 (1957): First artificial satellite. Its radio beeps announced the Space Age
• Vostok 1 (1961): Yuri Gagarin becomes first human in space, orbiting Earth once
• Mercury-Atlas 6 (1962): John Glenn becomes first American to orbit Earth
• Voskhod 2 (1965): First spacewalk by Alexei Leonov
• Gemini Program (1965-66): Mastered rendezvous, docking, and EVAs needed for Moon missions

To the Moon

• Apollo 8 (1968): First humans to orbit the Moon and see Earthrise
• Apollo 11 (1969): Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk on the Moon—humanity’s greatest exploration achievement
• Apollo 13 (1970): “Successful failure”—crew survives explosion and returns safely
• Apollo 17 (1972): Last humans on the Moon (so far). Calculate your lunar age with our Planetary Age Calculator

Space Stations and Human Spaceflight

Orbital Outposts

• Salyut/Almaz (1971-1986): First space stations; established long-duration spaceflight
• Skylab (1973-1979): America’s first space station; studied solar physics and human adaptation
• Mir (1986-2001): Pioneered modular station construction; hosted international crews
• International Space Station (1998-present): Largest structure ever built in space; continuously crewed since 2000. Track it with our ISS Tracker & Spotter
• China Space Station (2021-present): Tiangong, China’s permanent orbital laboratory

Space Shuttle Era (1981-2011)

The Space Shuttle flew 135 missions, deploying satellites, repairing Hubble, and building the ISS. Despite Challenger and Columbia tragedies, it enabled unprecedented capabilities. Explore orbital mechanics with our Orbital Speed Calculator.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many people have been to space?

As of 2024, about 600 people have reached space (using the 100km Kármán line definition). Only 24 have traveled beyond low Earth orbit, and only 12 have walked on the Moon—all American men during Apollo missions.

What’s the farthest humans have traveled?

Apollo 13 traveled about 400,171 km from Earth during its emergency return—the farthest any humans have ever been from home. The Moon landings reached about 384,400 km.

When will humans reach Mars?

Current estimates suggest the 2030s or 2040s for the first crewed Mars mission. SpaceX aims for earlier dates, while NASA’s Artemis program focuses on Moon missions first. The main challenges are technical (landing, life support) and medical (radiation, zero-gravity effects).

Which country has launched the most space missions?

Russia/USSR leads in total launches (over 3,000), followed by the United States (over 1,500). China, Europe, Japan, and India have also become significant spacefaring powers. Private companies like SpaceX now launch more than some national agencies.