First Photo of Earth From Space (1946) The first photograph of Earth from space was taken on October 24, 1946, using a captured German V-2 rocket launched by the United States from White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. After World War II, American scientists used these rockets for research. They attached a small 35mm motion picture camera to the rocket, which automatically took pictures as it rose to an altitude of about 105 kilometers (65 miles) above Earth. From that height, the camera captured a stunning black-and-white image showing the curve of our planet against the darkness of space. This was the first time humans had ever seen Earth from beyond the atmosphere. Although the rocket later crashed back to the ground, the film survived inside a protective steel container. This historic moment marked the beginning of space photography and opened the door to future missions, satellites, and eventually astronauts traveling into space. It was a small step toward the space age but a giant leap in how humanity viewed its home planet. #space #science #fact #facts