The start of American space travel

The event
Nazi GermanyV-2 Nazi GermanyPeenemünde Nazi GermanyWehrmacht Wehrmacht Suborbital Missile test Successful First man-made object to cross what would later be defined as the Kármán

line and hence first spaceflight. Vertical test, apogee: 176 kilometres (109 mi)

Outside links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-2_rocket, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaceflight_before_1951#1944, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermes_(missile_program), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R-1_(missile)