WorldSpaceFlight: Timeline

1941
1942
- 10/3 - First successful flight of a German V-2 from Peenemunde
1943
1944
- 9/6 - First offensive launch of V-2's (against Paris)
1945
- 1/24 - First successful launch of German A-4b
  First winged vehicle to exceed the speed of sound
  A-4b was cover for the prohibited A-9 and was prototype of first ICBM
1946
- 3/15 - First static firing of an American V-2 at White Sands, NM
1947
- Russia begins launching V-2's from Kasputin Yar
- 5/27 - An American V-2 launched from White Sands, NM, lands in Juarez, Mexico, narrowly missing an ammunition dump
1948
- 5/13 - The first two stage rocket launch in the Western Hemisphere takes place at White Sands, NM
- 6/11 - The first in a series of launches with live animals takes place at White Sands, NM
1949
- 10/1 - The Joint Long Range Proving Ground Base (at Cape Canaveral) is activated
1950
- 7/24 - First rocket launch from Cape Canaveral (Two stage Bumper 2 consisting of a V-2 topped by a WAC Corporal)

1951
- 7/22 - Soviet dogs Tsygan and Dezik become the first on a rocket
- 7/29 - Soviet dogs Lisa and Dezik are the first to die on a flight
1952
- Publication of Das Marsprojekt (The Mars Project) by Werner von Braun
1953
- 8/3 - Dr. S. Fred Singer reveals a proposal for Project Mouse (Minimum Orbital Unmanned Satellite Experiment)
- 8/20 - First flight test of Redstone missile
1954
- 8/21 - Major Aurthur Murray pilots an X-1a to an unofficial altitude record of 90,498 feet (27,584 m)
1955
- 6/2 - Baikonur Cosmodrome established
1956
- June - Construction begins at Jiuquan
- 12/17 - First successful launch of the Atlas A
1957
- 10/4 - Launch of Sputnik, the Space Age begins
- 8/21 - First successful launch of the R-7
  First ICBM
- 11/3 - Launch of Sputnik 2, carries Laika
1958
- 1/31 - Launch of Explorer 1, first US satellite
  discovers Van Allen belts
- 6/25 - Man In Space Soonest selections announced
- 8/2 - First successful launch of Atlas B
  First American ICBM
- 8/2 - First successful launch of Atlas B
  First American ICBM
1959
- 8/2 - First successful launch of Atlas B
  First American ICBM
- 9/12 - Luna 2
  Impacts the moon on September 14
- 10/4 - Luna 3
  Returns photos of the lunar far side
1960
- 5/1 - American U-2 spy plane shot down over Russia
  Pilot Francis Gary Powers is captured
- 7/28 - Apollo program announced
- 10/24 - Nedelin disaster
  R-16 ICBM explodes on the pad, killing over 100

Timeline