2015 Event A SpaceX cargo rocket explodes shortly after launch; the unmanned vessel was carrying over two tons of food, provisions, supplies and equipment for the International Space Station 2014 Event NASA successfully tests its unmanned Orion spaceship for potential human flight over 3,500 miles from Earth; several years and more tests will be needed before the vessel is ready for human travel, potentially paving the way for manned trips to Mars 2012 Event A University of Nebraska-Lincoln communication specialist predicts that future use of unmanned aerial vehicles in journalism will become widespread 2011 Event China makes its first orbital docking as its unmanned Shenzhou 8 spacecraft successfully docks with the orbiting Tiangong 1 space station module 2010 Event A new long-range unmanned plane named Taranis is unveiled by the U.K. Ministry of Defense 1989 Event Unmanned Russian Mig-23 crashes in Bellegem-Kooigem, Belgium (1 dies) 1988 Event Soviet space shuttle makes unmanned maiden flight (2 orbits) 1982 Event Unmanned rocket sled reaches 9,851 kph at White Sands, New Mexico 1970 Event Russia lands Lunokhod 1 unmanned remote-controlled vehicle on Moon 1970 Event Luna 17, with unmanned self-propelled Lunokhod 1, is launched 1970 Event Soviet Luna 16 lands on earth after 1st unmanned round trip to moon 1969 Event Russia launches unmanned Luna 15 to Moon 1968 Event Launch of Zond 6, 2nd unmanned circumlunar and return flight 1968 Event Apollo 6 launched atop Saturn V; unmanned 1968 Event Apollo 5 launched to Moon; unmanned lunar module tests made 1967 Event 1st unmanned Saturn V flight to test Apollo 4 reentry module 1964 Event Unmanned Apollo 2 Saturn test launched into Earth orbit 1964 Event Unmanned Gemini 1 launched 1964 Event Unmanned Apollo 1 Saturn launcher test attains Earth orbit 1962 Event 1st automated (unmanned) subway train (New York City) 1961 Event 1st Saturn launch vehicle makes an unmanned flight test 1961 Event Unmanned Mercury-Atlas 4 launched into Earth orbit 1961 Event Unmanned Mercury test explodes on launch pad 1960 Event U.S.S.R. launch 1st (unmanned) space capsule 1783 Event J van North launches unmanned balloon 1783 Event 1st hydrogen balloon flight (unmanned); reaches 900 m altitude 1783 Event Montgolfier brothers launch 1st hot-air balloon, unmanned
