But before NASA could send an astronaut into space, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin of the Soviet Union became the first person to travel in space.

VOA: special.2009.06.17

Much work had to be done before Project Mercury could put an American astronaut into space.

VOA: special.2009.06.10

Before long, the men put barriers around their living space.

VOA: special.2009.01.24

Discovery blasted off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida and rose toward orbit shortly before sunrise on Monday.

VOA: standard.2010.04.05

Moments before Discovery's launch, NASA camera caught the space station passing through its orbit above Florida.

VOA: standard.2010.04.05