The Soviet space program achieved several firsts in space exploration between 1957 and 1970 including launching the first satellite and animal to orbit Earth, sending probes to impact and photograph the moon, performing the first spacewalk, and receiving data from another planet's surface.
2. Russian Space Accomplishments 1957: First satellite 1957: First animal to enter Earth orbit 1959: First probe to impact the Moon 1959: First images of the moon's far side 1961: First person in space and in Earth orbit 1965: First EVA 1970: First data received from the surface of another planet (Venus) 1986: First permanently manned space station