Soviet Space Timeline
A chronological journey through the achievements of the Soviet space program
Key Periods
Early Achievements (1957-1961)
The dawn of the Space Age, marked by groundbreaking firsts.
Space Station Era (1971-1986)
Pioneering long-duration spaceflight and orbital stations.
Later Years (1986-1991)
Advanced space stations and international cooperation.
Complete Timeline
Sputnik 1 Launch
The world's first artificial satellite is launched, marking the beginning of the Space Age.
Sputnik 2 with Laika
The first animal in orbit, a dog named Laika, is sent to space aboard Sputnik 2.
Vostok 1 - First Human in Space
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human to journey into outer space and orbit the Earth.
Vostok 6 - First Woman in Space
Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first woman to fly in space aboard Vostok 6.
First Spacewalk
Alexei Leonov conducts the first spacewalk in history from the Voskhod 2 spacecraft.
Luna 9
Luna 9 makes the first soft landing on the Moon and transmits the first images from its surface.
Salyut 1
The world's first space station, Salyut 1, is launched into Earth orbit.
Venera 10
Venera 10 lands on Venus and transmits the first color photos of the planet's surface.
Mir Space Station
The Mir space station's core module is launched, becoming the first modular space station.
Buran's First Flight
The Buran space shuttle completes its first and only orbital flight, landing automatically.