The history of spaceflight goes back to 1957, when the Soviet satellite Sputnik was launched. But even before that people had dreamed of traveling to the moon and other planets.

Space Flight Timeline

• 1957 – Soviets launch Sputnik
• 1959 – Monkeys survive space mission
• 1961 – Yuri Gagarin first man into space
• 1961 – Alan Shepherd first American into space
• 1962 – John Glenn orbits the earth
• 1962 – first American rocket lands on the moon
• 1967 – three American astronauts die in Apollo 1 tragedy
• 1968 – first astronauts orbit the moon
• 1969 - Neil Armstrong sets foot on the moon
• 1971 – American probe orbits Mars
• 1979 – crash of Skylab
• 1988 – U.S. launches space shuttle
• 1990 – launch of Hubble telescope
• 1995 – American shuttle docks with Russian space station
• 1997 – Mars buggy explores Red Planet
• 2003 – Columbia shuttle disaster
• 2004 – NASA Rover looks for water on Mars

Since the first Russian manned space flight, the epic flight of Yuri Gagarin, astronauts and cosmonauts have added to the story of human space flight. NASA human space flight has not been without its casualties, as in major accidents astronauts have lost their lives. The Russians were very proud to have launched the first manned space flight, but were quite secretive about accidents.

Today most space travel involves the shuttle. Every flight of the shuttle into space ads to man’s ever increasing knowledge of space and space travel. Much of the motivation behind the space program is military. In space, available flights carry out scientific missions, but spy satellites are also maintained. These satellites lessen the need for overseas travel, and on the space available military flights have a certain degree of priority. All information concerning the military, space and flights in considered confidential.

Many people believe that one day travelers will be able to go on vacations in space just as they now travel to other countries. Not long ago, commercial pilot Mike Melvill made a space flight; the first civilian paid to travel in space. No doubt as there are improvements made to the safety of travel in space, and flights become more frequent, there will indeed be space flights for those who can afford to go.

For the rest of the people, perhaps the closest they’ll come to a space flight will be through use of a space shuttle flight simulator, such as the one at the Goddard Space Flight Center. Some might even like to try an online space flight simulator.