In 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite, marking the beginning of the space age. Just four years later, Yuri Gagarin became the first human to journey into space when he orbited the Earth on April 12, 1961. The United States quickly followed suit, sending Alan Shepard into space in May 1961 and John Glenn becoming the first American to orbit Earth in February 1962. The Apollo program then took center stage, with the iconic moon landing by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin in 1969. In the following decades, space travel continued to advance, with the development of the Space Shuttle program and the construction of the International Space Station. Human space exploration has since expanded to include collaborations between multiple countries and plans for future missions to Mars. The history of space travel is a testament to human ingenuity, innovation, and determination to explore the unknown. As we look to the future, the boundaries of space continue to be pushed, with new technologies and discoveries shaping the next chapter of our journey beyond Earth.