Government Policies on Astronomy and Space Colonization

NASA is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space science.

NASA's primary goal is to send humans to Mars by the 2030s.

The Soviet Union was the first country to launch a satellite into space, Sputnik 1, on October 4, 1957.

The Soviet Union was the first country to send a human into space, Yuri Gagarin, on April 12, 1961.

The United States was the first country to land a human on the Moon, Neil Armstrong, on July 20, 1969.

The Hubble Space Telescope was the first space telescope launched by NASA, on April 24, 1990.

Viking 1 was the first space probe to land on Mars, on July 20, 1976.

Mariner 2 was the first space probe to enter the atmosphere of Venus, on December 14, 1962.

Pioneer 10 was the first space probe to fly by Jupiter, on December 4, 1973.

Pioneer 11 was the first space probe to fly by Saturn, on September 1, 1979.

Voyager 2 was the first space probe to fly by Uranus, on January 24, 1986.

Voyager 2 was the first space probe to fly by Neptune, on August 25, 1989.

Mariner 10 was the first space probe to enter orbit around Mercury, on March 29, 1974.

Venera 4 was the first space probe to enter orbit around Venus, on October 18, 1967.

Mariner 9 was the first space probe to enter orbit around Mars, on November 14, 1971.