1951-Today
The Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, aboard a two-stage rocket on October 4,1957. To counter the new achievement, the U.S. Army launched the first American satellite on January 31, 1958. The satellite, Explorer 1, was launched into orbit with a Jupiter-C rocket.
Rockets are the only things strong enough to carry equipment and people into space. They have lifted hundreds of artificial satellites into orbit around Earth since 1957. Pictures of Earth's weather, information for scientific study, and transmitted communication to all around the world have been delivered through these satellites. Rockets also can carry scientific instruments into space for exploration and study. A cosmonaut by the name of Major Yuri A. Gagarin was the first cosmonaut sent into orbit around Earth. A Soviet rocket took the Major up on April 12, 1961. The first American to travel in space was Commander Alan B. Shepard, Jr. was was sent by a Redstone rocket on May 5, 1961. Then on April 12, 1981, the United States launch the first space shuttle to orbit Earth, the rocket-powered Columbia. The private company SpaceX, launched the first commercial orbiting spacecraft in 2010 which led to launching a spacecraft that reached the International Space Station in 2012.
Rockets are the only things strong enough to carry equipment and people into space. They have lifted hundreds of artificial satellites into orbit around Earth since 1957. Pictures of Earth's weather, information for scientific study, and transmitted communication to all around the world have been delivered through these satellites. Rockets also can carry scientific instruments into space for exploration and study. A cosmonaut by the name of Major Yuri A. Gagarin was the first cosmonaut sent into orbit around Earth. A Soviet rocket took the Major up on April 12, 1961. The first American to travel in space was Commander Alan B. Shepard, Jr. was was sent by a Redstone rocket on May 5, 1961. Then on April 12, 1981, the United States launch the first space shuttle to orbit Earth, the rocket-powered Columbia. The private company SpaceX, launched the first commercial orbiting spacecraft in 2010 which led to launching a spacecraft that reached the International Space Station in 2012.