Planetary Exploration Timeline

"The Mariner 2 spacecraft was the second of a series of spacecraft used for planetary exploration in the flyby, or nonlanding, mode and the first spacecraft to successfully encounter another planet."

But that just describes the photo, the page itself is a chronological listing of mans' space explorations ranging from 1957, through launches planned as far ahead as 2015. Each listing leads to more info about the mission, the craft, and (usually) a photo. Some pages, like the one for Apollo 11, give even more info.

If you grew up during the space race like I did, you'll know there was just something special about those early days we'll never see again. To be right there watching the developement of space flight, that had up till then been science fiction, was just amazing for young minds. I'm sure it was for adults too, but they had extra concerns like whoever would get command of space first, would be able to rain down atomic terror from space. A real Cold War fear, on both sides. But as kids, it was science fiction becoming reality.

While looking through the site, I tripped over something I'd totally forgotten. You may remember that the first space shuttle (that never went into space) was named Enterprise in honor of Gene Rodenberry, but do you recall that for the Apollo 10 mission, the Command Module was named Charlie Brown, and the Lunar Module was Snoopy? Yep, that's how big the Peanuts strip was back then. Having already been a Peanuts fan for years, I was hoping that Snoopy would get to actually land on the moon, but, he flew just one mission too soon. Oh well, I got over it, real quick, as we were only two months away from witnessing the first human footprint planted on another world.

Aaaah, those were the days....