On October 4, 1957 the Soviet Union launched the first ever satellite into space called Sputnik 1. One month later on November 3, 1957 the Soviet Union launched Sputnik II while also carrying a dog named Laika which was also the first animal to go up in space. At this point into the space race the Soviet Union were way ahead of the United States. Which also brought more competition and tension into the space race. The first man to travel to space was Yuri Gagarin. History was made on April 12, 1961, when he successfully orbited the earth in the Vostok 1. His flight lasted one hour and 48 minutes and as he circled the earth, his speed was about 17,000 mph on the Vostok 1. Following this mission, Gagarin was killed in a test airplane crash. The USSR also brought the first woman into space her name is Valentina Tereshkova on june 16 1963 which also brought more tensions through the space
On October 4, 1957 the Soviet Union launched the first ever satellite into space called Sputnik 1. One month later on November 3, 1957 the Soviet Union launched Sputnik II while also carrying a dog named Laika which was also the first animal to go up in space. At this point into the space race the Soviet Union were way ahead of the United States. Which also brought more competition and tension into the space race. The first man to travel to space was Yuri Gagarin. History was made on April 12, 1961, when he successfully orbited the earth in the Vostok 1. His flight lasted one hour and 48 minutes and as he circled the earth, his speed was about 17,000 mph on the Vostok 1. Following this mission, Gagarin was killed in a test airplane crash. The USSR also brought the first woman into space her name is Valentina Tereshkova on june 16 1963 which also brought more tensions through the space