The history of space missions began with the launch of **Sputnik 1** by the Soviet Union in 1957, marking the start of the space age. This was followed by **Yuri Gagarin** becoming the first human in space in 1961. The United States responded with the **Apollo program**, which culminated in **Apollo 11's** moon landing in 1969, where **Neil Armstrong** became the first person to walk on the moon. Space missions expanded with the development of space stations like **Skylab** and the **International Space Station (ISS)**. In recent years, missions to Mars, like **NASA's Perseverance rover**, and private ventures by companies like **SpaceX** have pushed the boundaries of exploration further.