The history of space exploration
People have been fantasizing about going to space for centuries, but before the 1950’s space exploration could only be done by telescope.
1944 – First rocket in space
The first rocket to pass the Kármán line and reach free space was a German V-2 rocket, fired from their army’s research facility in Peenemünde on the 20th of june 1944.
The rocket reached altitude of 176 km, and became the first rocket to enter space. However MW 18014 as the rocket was called, did not have enough orbital velocity to stay in orbit.
1957 – First satellite in space
Sputnik 1 was the first artificial satellite to orbit earth. It was launched by the Soviet Union on the 4th of October 1957, and was followed by awe all over the world.
Inside the high polished ball, were three batteries, a radio transmitter and a temperature control unit. The batteries lasted 22 days, more than a week longer than planned.
1961 – First Man in space
1963 – First Woman in Space
1969 – First man on the moon
1990 – The Hubble Space Telescope
