The Evolution of Space Vehicles
1958 Explorer 1-This project was launched early in the space race, and it was unmanned.
1959-1968 X15 rocket plane-included a computerized control system .The main objective of the space race was to get people into space a simple aircraft. This mission was manned.
1962-1966 Project Gemini-Project Gemini was focused on conducting experiments and developing techniques for lunar missions The first Gemini flight was launched on March 23 1965, and nine other missions followed. This mission was manned.
1961-1968 Apollo Program-This program was the most expensive American program ever. The estimated cost was 191 billion dollars in U.S present day money.This mission was manned.
1990 Hubble Telescope-Hubble is the first optical telescope to be placed into space.This shuttle was unmanned.
1998-2016 International Space Station-The International Space Station is a combination of Russian Mir-2, The American Freedom, and The European Columbus Projects. This mission was manned.
1959-1963 Mercury program- The NASA program that put the first U.S. astronauts in space. Six flights were made during project Mercury.
1975-1975 Apollo- Soyuz The Apollo-Soyuz mission began at Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Soyuz 19 launched July 15, 1975, at 8:20 a.m.
