75 years ago, in 1951:

Dezik and Tsygan, launched aboard a Soviet R1, are the first dogs to make a sub-orbital flight (both survived).

64 years ago, in 1962:

Mariner 1 is launched to Venus, but a guidance systems failure causes it to be destroyed by a range safety officer.

54 years ago, in 1972:

The Venera 8 probe lands on Venus, where it survives for 50 minutes.

39 years ago, in 1987:

On board the Soyuz TM-3 mission to Mir, Muhammed Faris becomes the first Syrian and the second Arab to visit space.

32 years ago, in 1994:

The last fragment from Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 impacts Jupiter.

16 years ago, in 2010:

The French PICARD Solar Satellite takes its first image of the Sun.