Sputnik• On October 4, 1957, the

former Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite into orbit around Earth.

• It was called “Sputnik”, the Russian word for “satellite.”

• The Soviets’ success caught Americans, who were expecting to be first in space, by surprise.

Another First!

• Then the Russians achieved the Big One.

• Major Yuri Gagarin became the first to go into space.

• He orbited the Earth.• The Soviets seemed

unstoppable.

President Kennedy

• On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy presented a bold challenge before a joint session of Congress: Send a man to the Moon by the end of the decade.

President Kennedy

• "I believe this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth,"

Project Mercury

• 1958-1963• Goals:• To orbit a manned

spacecraft around Earth;

• To investigate man's ability to function in space;

• To recover both man and spacecraft safely.

The Gemini Program

• 2 unmanned flight tests of equipment.

• 10 manned flights.• Goals:• Longer time in space.• Practice docking with

other space vehicles.• Practice entering the

atmosphere and landing.

The Apollo Program

• 1963-1972• 1 Goal:• Land humans on the

Moon and bring them back safely to Earth.

July 20, 1969

• Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong took a small step for himself and a giant step for humanity, leaving a dusty trail of footprints on the moon.

Apollos 11, 12, 14, 15, 16 and 17 landed on the Moon.

• A total of 12 Apollo astronauts would reach the lunar surface over the next three years, collecting rocks, driving buggies and even practicing a little golf.

• In memory of those who have given their lives in the quest to explore space.

Apollo 1 27 January 1967

• Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, Commander

Edward H.White II, Command Module

Pilot Roger B. Chaffee,

Lunar Module Pilot

Soyuz 1 24 April 1967

• Vladimir M. Komarov, Commander

Soyuz 11 / Salyut 1 29 June 1971

• Georgi T. Dobrovolsky, Commander

Vladislav N. Volkov, Flight Engineer

Viktor I. Patsayev, Research Engineer

Challenger, 51-L 28 January 1986

• Francis R. Scobee, Commander

Michael J. Smith, Pilot Judith A. Resnik, Mission

Specialist Ellison S. Onizuka, Mission

Specialist Ronald E. McNair, Mission

Specialist Gregory B. Jarvis, Payload

Specialist Sharon Christa McAuliffe,

Payload Specialist

Columbia, STS-107 1 February 2003

• Rick D. Husband, Commander William C. McCool, Pilot

Michael P. Anderson, Payload Commander

Kalpana Chawla, Mission Specialist

David M. Brown, Mission Specialist

Laurel B. Clark, Mission Specialist

Ilan Ramon, (Israel) Payload

Specialist