LiveScience Image Gallery

Defining Moments in Human Flight

NASA

First Powered, Controlled Flight

The June 21, 2004 flight of the privately built SpaceShipOne was one in a long line of firsts for human flight. On Dec. 17, 1903, The Wright Brothers' "Flying Machine" was the first powered airplane to execute controlled and sustained flight. Click to enlarge.
NASA

The Father of Modern Rocketry

After 17 years of theoretical and experimental work, Dr. Robert Goddard achieved the first successful flight of a liquid-fueled rocket on March 26, 1926. The rocket flew 184 feet in 2.5 seconds and landed in a cabbage patch on his Aunt Effie's farm in Auburn, Massachusetts. Click to enlarge.
AP / TIME

Nonstop: New York to Paris

Charles Lindbergh became an American hero when he was 25 years old. He made the first nonstop solo flight from New York to Paris in 1927, in a tiny silver monoplane called Spirit of St. Louis. Click to enlarge.
NASA/JPL

Formation of Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Caltech students and coworkers on Oct. 31, 1936, preparing to test their first liquid propellant rocket motor. Their work led to the formation of Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, which ultimately propelled America into space. Click to enlarge.
Smithsonian Institution

A True Inspiration

Amelia Earhart standing in front of the Lockheed Electra in which she disappeared in July 1937. Earhart set out to break flying records, breaking the women altitude records in 1922. Earhart continually promoted women in aviation and in 1928 was invited to be the first women to fly across the Atlantic. On June 1, 1937, Earhart and navigator, Fred Noonan, left Miami, Florida on an around the world flight. Earhart, Noonan and their Lockheed Electra disappeared after a stop in Lae, New Guinea on June 29, 1937. Earhart had only 7,000 miles of her trip remaining when she disappeared. While a great deal of mystery surrounds the disappearance of Amelia Earhart, her contributions to aviation and womens issues have inspired people over 80 years. Click to enlarge.
National Air and Space Museum (NASM)

Beep..Beep..Beep

The Space Age began on October 4, 1957 when the Soviet Union launched the 184 pound Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite. Little more than a thermometer, radio transmitter and battery, it still frightened many Americans. This shows the inside of a Sputnik 1 replica. Click to enlarge.
NASA / JPL

America`s First Satellite

Launched January 31, 1958, Explorer 1 became America's first satellite. A few weeks prior, the rocket is inspected at JPL by John Small, Jack Froelich, Al Hibbs, Karl Linnes and Walt Victor. Click to enlarge.
NASA

A Hero`s Welcome

Crew members of the USS Champlain herald the arrival of astronaut Alan Shepard and his capsule, Freedom 7. Shepard, the first American in space, splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean after his 15 minute suborbital flight on May 5, 1961. Click to enlarge.
NASA

John Glenn Flight in 1962: Inside View

Astronaut John Glenn Jr. looks out the window during his short spaceflight on Friendship 7. He was the first American to go into orbit when he made 3 trips around the Earth on February 20, 1962. Click to enlarge.
NASA

We Came in Peace for All Mankind

Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module pilot Buzz Aldrin plant the US flag on the Moon on July 20, 1969. Their mission, Apollo 11, was the first time man set foot on the Moon. Click to enlarge.
NASA

Maiden Voyage - Columbia

Lifting off on its maiden voyage, Columbia was the first shuttle to go into space on April 12, 1981. Lasting a little more than 2 days, STS-1 tested the major systems of NASA's fledgling Space Transportation System and was the first successful flight of a reusable launch vehicle. Click to enlarge.
NASA

America`s First Woman In Space

Dr. Sally Ride was the first American woman in space riding the Space Shuttle Challenger to orbit on STS-7, on Jun 18, 1983. Dr. Ride was also formerly the president of SPACE.com. Click to enlarge.
NASA/JSC

Challenger accident after launch on Jan 28, 1986

The main engine exhaust, solid rocket booster plume and an expanding ball of gas from the external tank is visible seconds after the Space Shuttle Challenger explodes shortly after lifting off from Kennedy Space Center. Ten years later, on the 10th anniversary of the challenger accident, NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin observed the anniversary: "The best way to honor the memories of the crew of the Challenger, and of all the men and women who have given their lives to explore the frontiers of air and space, is to continue their bold tradition of exploration and innovation. That's what the people of NASA do every day. They push the boundaries of knowledge and human endeavor to improve and enrich life on Earth today and secure a better future for all of us tomorrow. Click to enlarge.
NASA

Living in a Tin Can

Russian Cosmonaut Valery Polyakov is seen in Mir's port from shuttle Discovery during the STS-63 mission in February 1995. Polyakov -- who boarded the station on Jan. 8, 1994 -- left the orbiting outpost after a 438-day mission, the longest human space flight ever. Click to enlarge.
ITAR-TASS

"I Love Space"

Dennis Tito, the first paying space tourist, is all smiles as he boards the International Space Station on April 30. A little stiff and cautious in the roomy station, he reported he was adapting well and proclaimed "I Love Space." Click to enlarge.
NASA/ABC NEWS

Columbia Space Shuttle Accident

On February 1, 2003, the space shuttle Columbia STS-107 disintegrated upon re-entry over Texas on the early Saturday morning, moments before its seven-member crew was scheduled to land in Florida. A grim-faced President Bush later said in an address to the American people: "Columbia's lost. There are no survivors...these astronauts knew the dangers and they faced them willingly, knowing they had a high and noble purpose in life." Click to enlarge.
AP Photo/Xinhua

Making History: China`s First Taikonaut

Yang Liwei, 38, flies high even after his historic trip into space, when he became China's first taikonaut in orbit on Oct. 14, 2003. Click to enlarge.
CNN

SpaceShipOne Glides Across The Sky

SpaceShipOne became the first piloted, private mission to reach space on June 21, 2004. Click to enlarge.
CNN

Smooth Landing

SpaceShipOne glides to a smooth landing after completing the first civilian suborbital flight on June 21, 2004. Click to enlarge.
Michael J. Laine/LiftPort

SpaceShipOne Makes History!

SpaceShipOne pilot Mike Melvill waves to onlookers after becoming the first civilian astronaut to reach space. He and SpaceShipOne reached suborbital space 62 miles (100 kilometers) above Earth. Click to enlarge.
NASA

First Powered, Controlled Flight

The June 21, 2004 flight of the privately built SpaceShipOne was one in a long line of firsts for human flight. On Dec. 17, 1903, The Wright Brothers' "Flying Machine" was the first powered airplane to execute controlled and sustained flight. Click to enlarge.
NASA

The Father of Modern Rocketry

After 17 years of theoretical and experimental work, Dr. Robert Goddard achieved the first successful flight of a liquid-fueled rocket on March 26, 1926. The rocket flew 184 feet in 2.5 seconds and landed in a cabbage patch on his Aunt Effie's farm in Auburn, Massachusetts. Click to enlarge.
AP / TIME

Nonstop: New York to Paris

Charles Lindbergh became an American hero when he was 25 years old. He made the first nonstop solo flight from New York to Paris in 1927, in a tiny silver monoplane called Spirit of St. Louis. Click to enlarge.
NASA/JPL

Formation of Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Caltech students and coworkers on Oct. 31, 1936, preparing to test their first liquid propellant rocket motor. Their work led to the formation of Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, which ultimately propelled America into space. Click to enlarge.
Smithsonian Institution

A True Inspiration

Amelia Earhart standing in front of the Lockheed Electra in which she disappeared in July 1937. Earhart set out to break flying records, breaking the women altitude records in 1922. Earhart continually promoted women in aviation and in 1928 was invited to be the first women to fly across the Atlantic. On June 1, 1937, Earhart and navigator, Fred Noonan, left Miami, Florida on an around the world flight. Earhart, Noonan and their Lockheed Electra disappeared after a stop in Lae, New Guinea on June 29, 1937. Earhart had only 7,000 miles of her trip remaining when she disappeared. While a great deal of mystery surrounds the disappearance of Amelia Earhart, her contributions to aviation and womens issues have inspired people over 80 years. Click to enlarge.
National Air and Space Museum (NASM)

Beep..Beep..Beep

The Space Age began on October 4, 1957 when the Soviet Union launched the 184 pound Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite. Little more than a thermometer, radio transmitter and battery, it still frightened many Americans. This shows the inside of a Sputnik 1 replica. Click to enlarge.
NASA / JPL

America`s First Satellite

Launched January 31, 1958, Explorer 1 became America's first satellite. A few weeks prior, the rocket is inspected at JPL by John Small, Jack Froelich, Al Hibbs, Karl Linnes and Walt Victor. Click to enlarge.
NASA

A Hero`s Welcome

Crew members of the USS Champlain herald the arrival of astronaut Alan Shepard and his capsule, Freedom 7. Shepard, the first American in space, splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean after his 15 minute suborbital flight on May 5, 1961. Click to enlarge.
NASA

John Glenn Flight in 1962: Inside View

Astronaut John Glenn Jr. looks out the window during his short spaceflight on Friendship 7. He was the first American to go into orbit when he made 3 trips around the Earth on February 20, 1962. Click to enlarge.
NASA

We Came in Peace for All Mankind

Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module pilot Buzz Aldrin plant the US flag on the Moon on July 20, 1969. Their mission, Apollo 11, was the first time man set foot on the Moon. Click to enlarge.
NASA

Maiden Voyage - Columbia

Lifting off on its maiden voyage, Columbia was the first shuttle to go into space on April 12, 1981. Lasting a little more than 2 days, STS-1 tested the major systems of NASA's fledgling Space Transportation System and was the first successful flight of a reusable launch vehicle. Click to enlarge.
NASA

America`s First Woman In Space

Dr. Sally Ride was the first American woman in space riding the Space Shuttle Challenger to orbit on STS-7, on Jun 18, 1983. Dr. Ride was also formerly the president of SPACE.com. Click to enlarge.
NASA/JSC

Challenger accident after launch on Jan 28, 1986

The main engine exhaust, solid rocket booster plume and an expanding ball of gas from the external tank is visible seconds after the Space Shuttle Challenger explodes shortly after lifting off from Kennedy Space Center. Ten years later, on the 10th anniversary of the challenger accident, NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin observed the anniversary: "The best way to honor the memories of the crew of the Challenger, and of all the men and women who have given their lives to explore the frontiers of air and space, is to continue their bold tradition of exploration and innovation. That's what the people of NASA do every day. They push the boundaries of knowledge and human endeavor to improve and enrich life on Earth today and secure a better future for all of us tomorrow. Click to enlarge.
NASA

Living in a Tin Can

Russian Cosmonaut Valery Polyakov is seen in Mir's port from shuttle Discovery during the STS-63 mission in February 1995. Polyakov -- who boarded the station on Jan. 8, 1994 -- left the orbiting outpost after a 438-day mission, the longest human space flight ever. Click to enlarge.
ITAR-TASS

"I Love Space"

Dennis Tito, the first paying space tourist, is all smiles as he boards the International Space Station on April 30. A little stiff and cautious in the roomy station, he reported he was adapting well and proclaimed "I Love Space." Click to enlarge.
NASA/ABC NEWS

Columbia Space Shuttle Accident

On February 1, 2003, the space shuttle Columbia STS-107 disintegrated upon re-entry over Texas on the early Saturday morning, moments before its seven-member crew was scheduled to land in Florida. A grim-faced President Bush later said in an address to the American people: "Columbia's lost. There are no survivors...these astronauts knew the dangers and they faced them willingly, knowing they had a high and noble purpose in life." Click to enlarge.
AP Photo/Xinhua

Making History: China`s First Taikonaut

Yang Liwei, 38, flies high even after his historic trip into space, when he became China's first taikonaut in orbit on Oct. 14, 2003. Click to enlarge.
CNN

SpaceShipOne Glides Across The Sky

SpaceShipOne became the first piloted, private mission to reach space on June 21, 2004. Click to enlarge.
CNN

Smooth Landing

SpaceShipOne glides to a smooth landing after completing the first civilian suborbital flight on June 21, 2004. Click to enlarge.
Michael J. Laine/LiftPort

SpaceShipOne Makes History!

SpaceShipOne pilot Mike Melvill waves to onlookers after becoming the first civilian astronaut to reach space. He and SpaceShipOne reached suborbital space 62 miles (100 kilometers) above Earth. Click to enlarge.