When did we discover space?

Space itself was not "discovered" in a traditional sense; rather, our understanding of it has evolved over centuries. The earliest observations of celestial bodies date back to ancient civilizations, but significant advancements began with the invention of the telescope in the early 17th century, notably by Galileo. The launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, in 1957 marked the beginning of the modern exploration of space. Since then, humanity has continually expanded its knowledge of the universe through missions, telescopes, and space exploration.