• Wan Hu (16th century A.D.):

According to legend, Wan Hu (possibly 萬虎 or 萬戶) was a minor Chinese official — supposedly of the middle Ming dynasty (16th century) — who attempted to become the world's first "astronaut" by being lifted by rockets into outer space. The crater Wan-Hoo on the far side of the Moon is named after him.

                     ^{Quote and picture source: Wikipedia on Wan Hu}

• Lagâri Hasan Çelebi (17th century A.D.)

Lagâri Hasan Çelebi was a legendary Ottoman aviator who, according to an account written by traveller Evliya Çelebi, made a successful manned rocket flight.

        ^{Quote and picture source: Wikipedia on Lagâri Hasan Çelebi}

• First manmade object in space (3 October 1942)

The first steps of putting a man-made object into space were taken by German scientists during World War II while testing the V-2 rocket, which became the first man-made object in space on 3 October 1942 with the launching of the A-4.

    ^{Quote source: Wikipedia on Space exploration - History of exploration in the 20th century, cut-away source: Wikipedia on V-2 rocket}

• First flights (4 October 1957)

The first successful orbital launch was of the Soviet unmanned Sputnik 1 ("Satellite 1") mission on 4 October 1957. The satellite weighed about 83 kg (184 pounds), and is believed to have orbited Earth at a height of about 250 km (160 mi). It had two radio transmitters (20 and 40 MHz), which emitted "beeps" that could be heard by radios around the globe.

    ^{Quote and photograph source: Wikipedia on Space exploration - History of exploration in the 20th century}

• Wan Hu (16th century A.D.):

According to legend, Wan Hu (possibly 萬虎 or 萬戶) was a minor Chinese official — supposedly of the middle Ming dynasty (16th century) — who attempted to become the world's first "astronaut" by being lifted by rockets into outer space. The crater Wan-Hoo on the far side of the Moon is named after him.

                     ^{Quote and picture source: Wikipedia on Wan Hu}

• Lagâri Hasan Çelebi (17th century A.D.)

Lagâri Hasan Çelebi was a legendary Ottoman aviator who, according to an account written by traveler Evliya Çelebi, made a successful manned rocket flight.

        ^{Quote and picture source: Wikipedia on Lagâri Hasan Çelebi}

• First man-made object in space (3 October 1942)

The first steps of putting a man-made object into space were taken by German scientists during World War II while testing the V-2 rocket, which became the first man-made object in space on 3 October 1942 with the launching of the A-4.

    ^{Quote source: Wikipedia on Space exploration - History of exploration in the 20th century, cut-away source: Wikipedia on V-2 rocket}

• First flights (4 October 1957)

The first successful orbital launch was of the Soviet unmanned Sputnik 1 ("Satellite 1") mission on 4 October 1957. The satellite weighed about 83 kg (184 pounds), and is believed to have orbited Earth at a height of about 250 km (160 mi). It had two radio transmitters (20 and 40 MHz), which emitted "beeps" that could be heard by radios around the globe.

    ^{Quote and photograph source: Wikipedia on Space exploration - History of exploration in the 20th century}