Timeline: 1901-1910 Date Event 1901 H.G. Wells wrote the famous science fiction book; ‘the first men on the moon?dealing with space travel in quirky, unusual mechanisms and the meeting of extra terrestrial life forms. 1903 The Russian school teacher; Tsiolkovsky published his book ‘a Rocket into cosmic space?which proposed the use of liquid propellants for rockets. The book was later to be highly influential in the subsequent design of Russian rockets and space faring vehicles. Dec.17, 1903 Brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright made the first powered flight with the 12-hp motor, propeller driven canvas aeroplane called; the Flyer. The flight lasted for 12 seconds at an altitude of 3m, airspeed of 48km/h and travelled 36.5m.