The first space station circled Earth for 175 days. What were some of the other early space missions? Find out about the first animal in space, the first woman in space, the first space shuttle, and more.About the Author: Megan Cooley Peterson has been an avid reader and writer since she was a little girl. She has written nonfiction children's books about topics ranging from urban legends to gross animal facts. Megan is also working on her first novel. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and daughter.