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History · Grades 4–5

Space Race Timeline Worksheet: Years Only

A timeline of space exploration, from the first satellite to the Moon landings and beyond. Kids place each event on the timeline by its year. Every date comes from NASA. The answer key is on its own page. Switch to version B or C for a new set, or open it in the builder to change anything.

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Version

Version A · 1 page + answer key · prints on US Letter or A4Customize version A

History · SpaceAges 9–13 · Grades 4–7

Timeline: Space Exploration

Ten real moments, 1957 to 2021. Write each event’s letter in the box beside its date.

NameDate
Earthrise, photographed by the Apollo 8 crew from lunar orbit, Dec. 24, 1968.NASA · AS08-14-2383
Buzz Aldrin walks on the Moon, July 20, 1969. Neil Armstrong took the picture.NASA · AS11-40-5903
Hubble in orbit, seen from Space Shuttle Atlantis in 2009, 19 years after launch.NASA · S125-E-012033

Timeline

  1. 1957
  2. 1958
  3. 1961
  4. 1962
  5. 1968
  6. 1969
  7. 1981
  8. 1990
  9. 2000
  10. 2021

Events

  1. AColumbia launches on STS-1, the first Space Shuttle mission.
  2. BSpace Shuttle Discovery launches to put the Hubble Space Telescope in orbit.
  3. CJohn Glenn, in Friendship 7, becomes the first American to orbit Earth.
  4. DExplorer 1 becomes the first United States satellite to orbit Earth.
  5. EThe Soviet Union launches Sputnik, the first artificial satellite.
  6. FThe James Webb Space Telescope launches on an Ariane 5 rocket.
  7. GYuri Gagarin becomes the first human to fly in space.
  8. HThe first crew, Expedition 1, arrives to live on the International Space Station.
  9. IThe Apollo 8 crew orbits the Moon and photographs “Earthrise.”
  10. JApollo 11 lands. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk on the Moon.
Photos and dates: NASA. Dates are as NASA records them.More free worksheets: handeware.com/learn
History · SpaceAges 9–13 · Grades 4–7

Timeline: Space ExplorationANSWER KEY

The completed timeline, oldest to newest.

Timeline

  1. Oct. 4, 1957EThe Soviet Union launches Sputnik, the first artificial satellite.
  2. Jan. 31, 1958DExplorer 1 becomes the first United States satellite to orbit Earth.
  3. Apr. 12, 1961GYuri Gagarin becomes the first human to fly in space.
  4. Feb. 20, 1962CJohn Glenn, in Friendship 7, becomes the first American to orbit Earth.
  5. Dec. 24, 1968IThe Apollo 8 crew orbits the Moon and photographs “Earthrise.”
  6. July 20, 1969JApollo 11 lands. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk on the Moon.
  7. Apr. 12, 1981AColumbia launches on STS-1, the first Space Shuttle mission.
  8. Apr. 24, 1990BSpace Shuttle Discovery launches to put the Hubble Space Telescope in orbit.
  9. Nov. 2, 2000HThe first crew, Expedition 1, arrives to live on the International Space Station.
  10. Dec. 25, 2021FThe James Webb Space Telescope launches on an Ariane 5 rocket.

Talk about it: Sputnik (1957) to Apollo 11 (1969) took less than 12 years. How many years passed between the first satellite and the Webb telescope? (64 years)

Photos and dates: NASA. Dates are as NASA records them.More free worksheets: handeware.com/learn

Version B · 1 page + answer key · prints on US Letter or A4Customize version B

History · SpaceAges 9–13 · Grades 4–7

Timeline: Space Exploration

Ten real moments, 1957 to 2021. Write each event’s letter in the box beside its date.

NameDate
Earthrise, photographed by the Apollo 8 crew from lunar orbit, Dec. 24, 1968.NASA · AS08-14-2383
Buzz Aldrin walks on the Moon, July 20, 1969. Neil Armstrong took the picture.NASA · AS11-40-5903
Hubble in orbit, seen from Space Shuttle Atlantis in 2009, 19 years after launch.NASA · S125-E-012033

Timeline

  1. 1957
  2. 1958
  3. 1961
  4. 1962
  5. 1968
  6. 1969
  7. 1981
  8. 1990
  9. 2000
  10. 2021

Events

  1. AJohn Glenn, in Friendship 7, becomes the first American to orbit Earth.
  2. BThe Soviet Union launches Sputnik, the first artificial satellite.
  3. CApollo 11 lands. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk on the Moon.
  4. DThe James Webb Space Telescope launches on an Ariane 5 rocket.
  5. EYuri Gagarin becomes the first human to fly in space.
  6. FSpace Shuttle Discovery launches to put the Hubble Space Telescope in orbit.
  7. GThe first crew, Expedition 1, arrives to live on the International Space Station.
  8. HExplorer 1 becomes the first United States satellite to orbit Earth.
  9. IColumbia launches on STS-1, the first Space Shuttle mission.
  10. JThe Apollo 8 crew orbits the Moon and photographs “Earthrise.”
Photos and dates: NASA. Dates are as NASA records them.More free worksheets: handeware.com/learn
History · SpaceAges 9–13 · Grades 4–7

Timeline: Space ExplorationANSWER KEY

The completed timeline, oldest to newest.

Timeline

  1. Oct. 4, 1957BThe Soviet Union launches Sputnik, the first artificial satellite.
  2. Jan. 31, 1958HExplorer 1 becomes the first United States satellite to orbit Earth.
  3. Apr. 12, 1961EYuri Gagarin becomes the first human to fly in space.
  4. Feb. 20, 1962AJohn Glenn, in Friendship 7, becomes the first American to orbit Earth.
  5. Dec. 24, 1968JThe Apollo 8 crew orbits the Moon and photographs “Earthrise.”
  6. July 20, 1969CApollo 11 lands. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk on the Moon.
  7. Apr. 12, 1981IColumbia launches on STS-1, the first Space Shuttle mission.
  8. Apr. 24, 1990FSpace Shuttle Discovery launches to put the Hubble Space Telescope in orbit.
  9. Nov. 2, 2000GThe first crew, Expedition 1, arrives to live on the International Space Station.
  10. Dec. 25, 2021DThe James Webb Space Telescope launches on an Ariane 5 rocket.

Talk about it: Sputnik (1957) to Apollo 11 (1969) took less than 12 years. How many years passed between the first satellite and the Webb telescope? (64 years)

Photos and dates: NASA. Dates are as NASA records them.More free worksheets: handeware.com/learn

Version C · 1 page + answer key · prints on US Letter or A4Customize version C

History · SpaceAges 9–13 · Grades 4–7

Timeline: Space Exploration

Ten real moments, 1957 to 2021. Write each event’s letter in the box beside its date.

NameDate
Earthrise, photographed by the Apollo 8 crew from lunar orbit, Dec. 24, 1968.NASA · AS08-14-2383
Buzz Aldrin walks on the Moon, July 20, 1969. Neil Armstrong took the picture.NASA · AS11-40-5903
Hubble in orbit, seen from Space Shuttle Atlantis in 2009, 19 years after launch.NASA · S125-E-012033

Timeline

  1. 1957
  2. 1958
  3. 1961
  4. 1962
  5. 1968
  6. 1969
  7. 1981
  8. 1990
  9. 2000
  10. 2021

Events

  1. AColumbia launches on STS-1, the first Space Shuttle mission.
  2. BApollo 11 lands. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk on the Moon.
  3. CSpace Shuttle Discovery launches to put the Hubble Space Telescope in orbit.
  4. DExplorer 1 becomes the first United States satellite to orbit Earth.
  5. EThe Soviet Union launches Sputnik, the first artificial satellite.
  6. FYuri Gagarin becomes the first human to fly in space.
  7. GThe James Webb Space Telescope launches on an Ariane 5 rocket.
  8. HJohn Glenn, in Friendship 7, becomes the first American to orbit Earth.
  9. IThe Apollo 8 crew orbits the Moon and photographs “Earthrise.”
  10. JThe first crew, Expedition 1, arrives to live on the International Space Station.
Photos and dates: NASA. Dates are as NASA records them.More free worksheets: handeware.com/learn
History · SpaceAges 9–13 · Grades 4–7

Timeline: Space ExplorationANSWER KEY

The completed timeline, oldest to newest.

Timeline

  1. Oct. 4, 1957EThe Soviet Union launches Sputnik, the first artificial satellite.
  2. Jan. 31, 1958DExplorer 1 becomes the first United States satellite to orbit Earth.
  3. Apr. 12, 1961FYuri Gagarin becomes the first human to fly in space.
  4. Feb. 20, 1962HJohn Glenn, in Friendship 7, becomes the first American to orbit Earth.
  5. Dec. 24, 1968IThe Apollo 8 crew orbits the Moon and photographs “Earthrise.”
  6. July 20, 1969BApollo 11 lands. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk on the Moon.
  7. Apr. 12, 1981AColumbia launches on STS-1, the first Space Shuttle mission.
  8. Apr. 24, 1990CSpace Shuttle Discovery launches to put the Hubble Space Telescope in orbit.
  9. Nov. 2, 2000JThe first crew, Expedition 1, arrives to live on the International Space Station.
  10. Dec. 25, 2021GThe James Webb Space Telescope launches on an Ariane 5 rocket.

Talk about it: Sputnik (1957) to Apollo 11 (1969) took less than 12 years. How many years passed between the first satellite and the Webb telescope? (64 years)

Photos and dates: NASA. Dates are as NASA records them.More free worksheets: handeware.com/learn

How to use it

  1. Read all the events first.
  2. Place the ones you know, then work out the rest.
  3. Check with the answer key.
  4. Talk about which events happened in the same decade.

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