Rockets have existed in China since at least the 13th century. In 1903, the Russian scientist Konstantin Tsiolkovsky proposed using liquid propellants for rockets. Tsiolkovsky's theories were later refined through experimentation by other scientists, including Robert Goddard and Hermann Oberth. The first truly successful liquid-propelled rocket was the V-2, which was used by the Allies during World War II and by the Soviet Union in 1957 to send the Sputnik satellite into orbit.
Rockets went through several iterations and re-designs, including various lunar rockets used for manned and unmanned explorations of the moon. However, what all these rockets had in common is that they were one-shot and not reusable. This changed with the invention of the space shuttle, which effectively housed its rockets in an airplane-type vehicle so that they could be reused for later flights. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA, conducted the first successful test of a space shuttle to leave the Earth's orbit -- the Columbia in 1980.
The conditions in space are harsh on the human body. The lack of gravity and the extreme temperatures would kill anyone. Thus, spacesuits were an important invention in space exploration. The first spacesuit worn by Yuri Gagarin and other early astronauts only involved an unpressurized suit and an attached helmet; these spacesuits were only useful for remaining in a pressurized cabin. Spacesuits had to be invented for walking on the moon, and these new generations of spacesuits included multiple pressurized layers, as well as two layers of non-flammable Teflon cloth.
Exploration of the moon was greatly aided by the invention of the Lunar Rover. The Lunar Rover was effectively a dune buggy that could travel great distances and carry twice its weight, making it ideal for collecting geological samples from the moon. Additionally, the rover came with a communication system that allowed astronauts to transmit images directly back to Earth. Apollo 15 was the first mission to used the Lunar Rover; in total, it was used by three missions.