June 18, 1983: First American woman in space, Sally Ride (NASA), shuttle Challenger
1969
July 20, 1969: First human to walk on the Moon, Neil Armstrong (NASA), Apollo 11
1963
June 16, 1963: First woman in space, Valentina Tereshkova (USSR), Vostok 6
1962
Feb. 20, 1962: First American to orbit Earth, John Glenn (NASA), Mercury Friendship 7
1961
May 5, 1961: First American in space, Alan Shepard (NASA), Mercury Freedom 7
1961
April 12, 1961: First human in space, Yuri Gagarin (USSR), Vostok 1