2015 Event Scientists announce discovery of a planet in the Kepler-452 solar system that closely resembles Earth in size and orbit; the planet, Kepler 452-b, has a diameter 60% larger than Earth's but an orbit that is 385 days, close to Earth's 365 days 2015 Event NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft ends its three-year orbit around Mercury with a planned crash into the planet's surface; originally, the probe was to orbit and collect data for one year, but fuel saving efforts extended its mission for two more years 2015 Event Commercial space company SpaceX successfully launches its Falcon 9 rocket, which has released the Dragon cargo ship into orbit to the International Space Station; the rocket returned to Earth after releasing the Dragon but had a rough landing 2014 Event India has successfully launched a space probe into orbit around Mars on its first attempt, making it the first Asian country to orbit the planet; at $74 million, the spacecraft cost about 11% of the U.S. Maven, which reached Mars orbit two days prior 2014 Event NASA Mars probe MAVEN is on track to enter the planet's orbit after a 10-month journey; the probe will collect data for a year on the upper Martian atmosphere to potentially answer questions about climate change on the planet 2014 Event NASA announces that its Kepler space telescope has discovered 715 planets in other solar systems, bringing the instrument's new-planet tally to 961; four of the latest discoveries are thought to have an orbit favorable to habitation, but the distance of these planets makes exploration impossible with current technology 2014 Event The cryogenic engine built India's Space Research Organisation engineers powers the launch of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-D5), which successfully placed a 1,982-kg GSAT-14 communications satellite into orbit in 17 minutes 2013 Event Astronaut Scott Carpenter, the second American to orbit the earth on Mercury 7, dies of complications from a stroke at the age of 88 2012 Event NASA's second Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory spacecraft is in orbit around the moon 2011 Event Neptune completes its first orbit of the sun since the planet was discovered in 1846 2011 Event Russia began searching for a missing military satellite that was launched into the wrong orbit 2010 Event Experts believe three Russian satellites that failed to reach orbit after launching from Kazakhstan's Baikonur Cosmodrome have crashed into the Pacific Ocean 2009 Event European astronomers discover 32 extrasolar planets, or exoplanets - planets that orbit a star other than the Sun 2009 Event Iran launches first domestically made satellite, Omid, into orbit 2006 Event Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter enters Mars orbit 2003 Event China sends Yang Liwei into orbit, the third country to have successfully sent a person into space 1998 Event STS-89 (Endeavour 12) launches into orbit 1997 Event STS-87 (Columbia 24) launches into orbit 1997 Event STS-86 (Atlantis 20) launches into orbit 1997 Event STS-85, Discovery 23, launches into orbit 1997 Event STS-94 (Columbia 23) launches into orbit 1997 Event Galileo, Ganymede Observations, Orbit 9 1997 Event Galileo, 2nd Callisto Flyby, Orbit 9 1997 Event Galileo, 4th Ganymede Flyby (Orbit 8) 1997 Event Ashes of Timothy Leary and Gene Roddenberry launched into orbit 1997 Event Galileo, 3rd Ganymede Flyby (Orbit 7) 1997 Event Comet Hale-Bopp crosses Mars' orbit 1996 Event Soyuz TM-24, launched into orbit 1996 Event STS-77 (Endeavour 11), launches into orbit 1996 Event STS-76 (Atlantis 16), launches into orbit 1996 Event STS-75 (Columbia 19), launches into orbit 1996 Event Soyuz TM-23, launched into orbit 1995 Event STS-74 (Atlantis 15), launches into orbit 1995 Event STS-73 (Columbia 18), launches into orbit 1995 Event STS-69 (Endeavour 9), launches into orbit 1995 Event Soyuz TM-22, launched into orbit 1995 Event STS-63 (Discovery 19), launches into orbit 1994 Event Space shuttle STS-68 (Endeavour 7), launches into orbit 1994 Event Space shuttle STS-64 (Discovery 20), launches into orbit 1994 Event STS-59, Endeavour, launches into orbit 1994 Event Space shuttle STS-62 (Columbia 16), launches into orbit 1994 Event STS-60 (Discovery) launches into orbit 1994 Event Russian manned space craft TM-18, launches into orbit 1993 Event STS-58 (Columbia) launches into orbit 1993 Event STS-51 (Discovery) launches into orbit 1993 Event Russian manned space craft TM-17, launches into orbit 1993 Event STS-57 (Endeavour) launches into orbit 1993 Event STS-55 (Columbia) launches into orbit 1993 Event STS-56, Discovery, launches into orbit 1993 Event STS-54 (Endeavour) launches into orbit 1992 Event Russian manned space craft TM-14, launches into orbit 1991 Event U.S. 70th manned space mission STS-39 (Discovery 12) launches into orbit 1990 Event U.S. 69th manned space mission STS-35 (Columbia 11) launches into orbit 1990 Event U.S. 68th manned space mission STS-38 (Atlantis 7) launches into orbit 1990 Event U.S. 67th manned space mission STS-41 (Discovery 11) launches into orbit 1990 Event Hubble space telescope is placed into orbit by shuttle Discovery 1990 Event U.S. 66th manned space mission STS-31 (Discovery 10) launches into orbit 1990 Event U.S. 65th manned space mission STS-36 (Atlantis 6) launches into orbit 1990 Event 64th U.S. manned space mission STS-32 (Columbia 10) launches into orbit 1989 Event U.S. 63rd manned space mission STS-33 (Discovery 9) launches into orbit 1989 Event U.S. 62nd manned space mission STS-34 (Atlantis 5) launches into orbit 1989 Event U.S.S.R.'s Phobos II enters Martian orbit 1988 Event U.S.S.R. launches Phobos II for Martian orbit 1987 Event NASA launches Fltsatcom-6, it failed to reach orbit 1986 Event NASA launches Goes-G, it failed to achieve orbit 1986 Event U.S.S.R. launches Mir space station into Earth orbit 1985 Event Kosmos 1700 communications satellite placed in geostationary orbit 1985 Event Shuttle Columbia carries Spacelab into orbit 1984 Event Astronauts aboard "Discovery" pluck a 2nd satellite from orbit 1984 Event Anna Fisher becomes 1st "mom" to go into orbit 1984 Event 3 cosmonauts return after a record 237 days in orbit 1984 Event Landsat 5 and ham satellite Oscar 11 launched into polar orbit 1983 Event 1st time a satellite is retrieved from orbit, by Space Shuttle 1983 Event Infrared telescope satellite launched into polar orbit 1982 Event U.S.S.R. Salyut 7 space station put into orbit 1981 Event Satellites China 10 and 11 launched into Earth orbit by B-1 rocket 1981 Event European Space Agency's Ariane carries 2 satellites into orbit 1980 Event Rohini 1, 1st Indian satellite, launches into orbit 1978 Event Pioneer Venus 1 goes into orbit around Venus 1978 Event U.S. Seasat 1, 1st oceanographic satellite, launched into polar orbit 1978 Event International Ultraviolet Explorer placed in Earth orbit 1977 Event International Sun-Earth Explorers 1 and 2 launched into Earth orbit 1977 Event Soviet space station Salyut 6 launched into Earth orbit 1977 Event High Energy Astronomy Observatory 1 launched into Earth orbit 1976 Event Soyuz 22 carries 2 cosmonauts into Earth orbit for 8 days 1976 Event U.S. Viking 2 goes into Martian orbit after 11-month flight from Earth 1976 Event Viking 2 goes into orbit around Mars 1976 Event U.S. Viking 1 goes into Martian orbit after 10-month flight from Earth 1976 Event US-German Helios B solar probe launched into solar orbit 1975 Event Venera 9, 1st craft to orbit planet Venus launched 1975 Event Viking 1 launched to orbit around Mars, soft landing 1975 Event Apollo and Soyuz linked in orbit for 2 days, separate 1975 Event Soyuz 18A launch aborted short of orbit; cosmonauts return safely 1974 Event Soyuz 16 launched into Earth orbit for 6 days 1973 Event Soyuz 13 launched into Earth orbit for 8 days 1973 Event Skylab 4 launched into Earth orbit 1973 Event Soyuz 12 carries 2 cosmonauts into Earth orbit (2 days) 1973 Event NASA launches Radio Astronomy Explorer 49 into lunar orbit 1973 Event Canadian ANIK A2 becomes 1st commercial satellite in orbit 1972 Event U.S.S.R. launches Prognoz 2 into earth orbit (549/200,000 km) 1972 Event Luna 20 (Russia) launched to orbit and soft landing on Moon 1971 Event Mariner 9, 1st to orbit another planet, Mars 1971 Event England becomes 6th nation to have a satellite (Prospero) in orbit 1971 Event U.S. launches 1st satellite into lunar orbit from manned spacecraft 1971 Event U.S. Mariner 9, 1st satellite to orbit Mars launched 1971 Event U.S.S.R. Salyut 1 launched; 1st manned lab in orbit 1970 Event Zond 8 Launch (Moon Orbit and Return) 1970 Event Soyuz 9 launched into Earth orbit for 18 days 1970 Event Japan becomes 4th nation to put a satellite, Osumi, in orbit 1969 Event Apollo 11 goes into Moon orbit 1969 Event Apollo 10 (Stafford/Cernan/Young) launched toward lunar orbit 1969 Event Orbiting Solar Observatory 5 launched into earth orbit 1968 Event Borman, Lovell and Anders become 1st men to orbit Moon 1968 Event Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 2 launched into Earth orbit 1968 Death Yuri Gagarin, 1st man to orbit Earth, and Seryogin, in plane crash at 34 1968 Event U.S.S.R. launches space probe Zond 4; fails to leave Earth orbit 1968 Event Explorer 36 (GEOS-B) launched into earth orbit (1080/1570 km) 1967 Event U.S. launches Pioneer 8 into solar orbit 1967 Event U.S.'s Lunar Orbiter 5 launched; enters lunar orbit Aug 5 1967 Event U.S. launches Explorer 35 for lunar orbit (800/7400 km) 1967 Event U.S.S.R. launches Kosmos 166 for observation of Sun from Earth orbit 1967 Event ATS II launched but fails to reach orbit 1967 Event Kosmos 140 (Soyuz Test) launches into Earth orbit 1966 Event U.S.S.R. launches Luna 12 for orbit around Moon 1966 Death Nestor Paiva, actor (3 Stooges in Orbit), dies of cancer at 61 1966 Event U.S.S.R. launches Luna 11 for orbit around Moon 1966 Event Pioneer 7 launched into solar orbit 1966 Event Soviet Union's Luna 10 becomes 1st spacecraft to orbit Moon 1966 Event French satellite Diapason D-1A launch into Earth orbit 1965 Event Pioneer 6 launched into solar orbit 1965 Event Zond 3 launched to fly by Moon, enters solar orbit 1965 Event U.S.S.R. launches Kosmos 57 into earth orbit (Voskhod Test) 1965 Event Orbiting Solar Observatory 2 launches into Earth orbit (552/636 km) 1964 Event Centaur 3 launch vehicle fails to make Earth orbit 1964 Event Unmanned Apollo 2 Saturn test launched into Earth orbit 1964 Event Unmanned Apollo 1 Saturn launcher test attains Earth orbit 1963 Event Explorer 17 attains Earth orbit (254/914 km) 1963 Event Soviet Luna (4) reaches Earth orbit but fails to reach Moon 1962 Event Wally Schirra in Sigma 7 launched into Earth orbit 1962 Event Oscar 2 (ham radio satellite) launched into Earth orbit 1962 Event M. Scott Carpenter aboard Aurora 7 launched into Earth orbit 1962 Event John Glenn is 1st American to orbit Earth in Friendship 7 1961 Event Mercury-Atlas 5 carries a chimp (Enos) to orbit 1961 Event Unmanned Mercury-Atlas 4 launched into Earth orbit 1961 Event Explorer (12) fails to reach Earth orbit 1961 Event Explorer (12) fails to reach Earth orbit 1961 Event NASA launches Explorer 11 into Earth orbit to study gamma rays 1961 Event Yuri Gagarin becomes 1st person to orbit Earth in Vostok 1 1961 Event Explorer 10 launched into elongated Earth orbit (177/181,000 km) 1961 Event Sputnik 10 carries a dog into Earth orbit; later recovered 1961 Event Sputnik 9 carries Chernushka, a dog, into orbit 1961 Event Explorer 10 fails to reach Earth orbit 1961 Event 1st all-solid-propellant rocket put in orbit, Wallops Island, Va 1961 Event Sputnik 7 launches into Earth orbit; probable Venus probe failure 1960 Event Courier 1B Launched; 1st active repeater satellite in orbit 1960 Event Sputnik 5 carries 2 dogs, 3 mice into orbit (later recovered alive) 1960 Event Discoverer 13 launched into orbit; returned 1st object from space 1960 Event Sputnik 4 launched into Earth orbit; later recovery failed 1960 Event Transit 1B, 1st navigational satellite, placed in Earth orbit 1960 Event Explorer (8) fails to reach Earth orbit 1960 Event Pioneer 5 launched into solar orbit between Earth and Venus 1959 Event Vanguard 3 launched into Earth orbit 1959 Event Transit 1A, 1st navigational satellite launched; failed to orbit 1959 Event Satellite Discoverer 6 launched into polar orbit 1959 Event Military satellite Discoverer 5 launched (into polar orbit) 1959 Event 85th Preakness: William Harmatz aboard Royal Orbit wins in 1:57 1959 Event USAF launches Discoverer II into polar orbit 1959 Event Vanguard SLV-5 launched for Earth orbit (failed) 1959 Event 1st U.S. probe to enter solar orbit, Pioneer 4, launched 1959 Event Launch of Discoverer 1 (WTR)-1st polar orbit 1959 Event U.S.S.R. launches Mechta, Luna 1, for 1st lunar fly-by, 1st solar orbit 1958 Event Vanguard SLV-2 launched for Earth orbit (failed) 1958 Event Vanguard SLV-1 launched for Earth orbit (failed) 1958 Event Vanguard TV-5 launched for Earth orbit (failed) 1958 Event Navy launches Vanguard 1 into orbit (2nd U.S.), measures Earth shape 1958 Event Explorer 2 fails to reach Earth orbit 1958 Event Vanguard TV-3 back-up launches into Earth orbit; reaches 6 km 1957 Event U.S.S.R. launches Sputnik 2 with a dog (Laika), 1st animal in orbit 1948 Event U.S. State Department announces work on placing objects into Earth orbit 1945 Event Arthur C. Clark proposes relay satellites in geosynchronous orbit 1914 Death George W. Hill, U.S. astronomer (moon orbit), dies at 76 1859 Event 1st sighting of Vulcan, a planet thought to orbit inside Mercury 1838 Birthday George W. Hill, U.S. astronomer, Moon orbit
