Mission Name

Country

Year

Details

Significance

Vostok 1

Soviet Union (USSR)

1961

First human spaceflight; carried Yuri Gagarin into orbit for 108 minutes.

Made Yuri Gagarin the first human in space, marking the start of human space exploration.

Mercury-Redstone 3

USA

1961

First American manned mission; Alan Shepard flew a suborbital flight.

First American astronaut in space, demonstrating US capability in space travel.

Mercury-Atlas 6

USA

1962

John Glenn orbited Earth three times in the Friendship 7 spacecraft.

First American to orbit Earth, boosting the USA in the space race.

Voskhod 1

Soviet Union (USSR)

1964

First multi-person mission; three cosmonauts onboard.

Demonstrated capability for multiple crew members in a single spacecraft.

Voskhod 2

Soviet Union (USSR)

1965

Alexei Leonov conducted the first spacewalk (extravehicular activity).

Pioneered spacewalking technology, crucial for future missions.

Apollo 11

USA

1969

First human Moon landing; Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the Moon.

Landmark achievement in space exploration; "One giant leap for mankind."

Skylab Missions

USA

1973-1974

Series of missions to the first US space station.

Conducted long-term studies of life in space and Earth's observation.

Soyuz Missions

Soviet Union/Russia

1967-Present

Long-standing series of missions, including trips to space stations and the ISS.

Backbone of Soviet and Russian human spaceflight programs.

Space Shuttle Program

USA

1981-2011

Reusable spacecraft missions; carried astronauts and payloads to space, including the ISS.

Enabled deployment of satellites, ISS construction, and advanced space experiments.

Mir Missions

Soviet Union/Russia

1986-2001

Manned missions to the Mir Space Station.

Pioneered long-term human habitation in space.

International Space Station (ISS)

USA, Russia, and partners

2000-Present

Continuous human presence; multinational crew conducting experiments in microgravity.

Largest international collaboration in space exploration.

Shenzhou 5

China

2003

First Chinese manned mission; Yang Liwei spent 21 hours in space.

Marked China's entry into manned space exploration.

Shenzhou Missions

China

2003-Present

Series of missions, including spacewalks and space station construction.

Showcased China's growing capability in human space exploration.

SpaceX Crew Dragon

USA (Private, NASA)

2020

First commercial spacecraft to carry humans (Demo-2 mission).

Revolutionized commercial space travel; enabled reusable spacecraft.

Artemis II (Planned)

USA

2024-2025

Upcoming mission to carry humans around the Moon.

Precursor to Moon landings under the Artemis program.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.Consider the following statements regarding the Vostok 1 mission:

1. It was the first human spaceflight launched by the USA in 1961.
2. Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel into space during this mission.
3. The mission lasted for approximately 108 minutes and completed one orbit around Earth.

Options:
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2, and 3

Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect. Vostok 1 was launched by the Soviet Union not the USA. The mission was part of the USSR's ambitious space program during the Cold War which sought to establish Soviet dominance in space exploration.

Statement 2 is correct. Yuri Gagarin from Russia became the first human to travel into outer space on April 12, 1961. This milestone is celebrated annually as Cosmonautics Day in Russia.

Statement 3 is correct. The Vostok 1 mission lasted for about 108 minutes during which it completed one full orbit around Earth. This historic flight demonstrated human survival in space and the capability to return safely.