Science and Space History
Discoveries, missions and the people who made them, from early observatories to the space age.
1964
1964 · History
China Conducts Its First Nuclear Test
October 16, 19641964
1964 · Space
Voskhod 1 carries three cosmonauts into orbit
October 12, 19641964
1964 · Space
Ranger 7 transmits close views of the Moon
July 31, 19641963
1963 · Space
Arecibo Observatory Opens Its Giant Dish in a Puerto Rican Sinkhole
November 1, 19631962
1962 · Space
Mariner 2 Flies Past Venus
December 14, 19621962
1962 · Space
Ariel 1 becomes Britain’s first satellite
April 26, 19621961
1961 · Space
Enos Orbits Earth on Mercury-Atlas 5
November 29, 19611961
1961 · History
Tsar Bomba: The Largest Nuclear Test Explosion
October 30, 19611961
1961 · Space
Venera 1 passes Venus after contact is lost
May 19, 19611961
1961 · Space
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
April 12, 19611960
1960 · Technology
Schawlow and Townes receive an optical maser patent
March 22, 19601959
1959 · Space