Video: 'How The Soviets Conquered Venus'
(Tuesday, March 1, 1966, at 6:56 UTC/9:56 a.m. MSK) — The Soviet space probe Venera 3 crashed today on Venus, becoming the first spacecraft to land on another planet’s surface. Continue reading Soviets hit Venus, linking man to the planets 60 years ago this hour (Mar 1 1966)
Video: 'STS-75 launch & landing (2-22-96)'
(Thursday, February 22, 1996, 3:18 p.m. EST/20:18:00 UTC) — The space shuttle Columbia blasted into orbit today on a mission to unreel a satellite on the end of a 12.8-mile tether. (The cord broke just before being extended to its full length.)
Video: 'Mir Space Station Launch 1986'
(Thursday, February 20, 1986, 12:28:23 a.m. MSK) — The Soviet Union today sent up the core module of space station Mir (Peace), which would serve as a permanently manned base for the next generation in space.
Mir stayed in orbit until 2001, when it was brought down in a controlled descent, breaking up in the atmosphere.
Video: 'The Luna 9 Story - Space Vehicle Lands On The Moon (1966)'
(Thursday, February 3, 1966, 9:45:30 p.m. MSK/1:45:30 p.m. EST) — The Soviet probe Luna 9 today became the first man-made object to achieve a soft landing on the Moon, or any planetary body other than Earth, and to transmit photographic data to Earth from the surface of another planetary body.
Video: 'Challenger: President Reagan's Challenger Disaster Speech - 1/28/86'
(Tuesday, January 28, 1986, 5:00 p.m. EST) — U.S. President Ronald Reagan, saying “today is a day for mourning and remembering,” postponed the State of the Union speech he had planned for tonight because of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. Continue reading Reagan postpones State of the Union to address Challenger disaster 40 years ago this hour (Jan 28 1986)
Video: 'Space Shuttle Challenger Explosion LIVE TV'
(Tuesday, January 28, 1986, 11:39:13 a.m. EST/16:39:13 UTC) — Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrated 73 seconds after launch today, killing the crew of seven astronauts, including schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe. Continue reading Space Shuttle Challenger explodes 73 seconds after liftoff, killing all seven astronauts on board 40 years ago this hour (Jan 28 1986)
Video: 'U.S. Army Makes Radar Contact With the Moon 1946'
(Thursday, January 10, 1946, 11:58 a.m. EST) — The first man-made contact with the moon was made today as radar signals transmitted by the U.S. Army Signal Corps from a laboratory in Belmar, New Jersey, as part of Project Diana were bounced off the lunar surface, measuring its exact distance from the Earth (a mean of 238,857 miles or 384,403 kilometers), and proving that communication is possible between Earth and outer space. Continue reading First man-made contact with the moon made 80 years ago this hour (Jan 10 1946)
Video: 'CBS Special Report : Two Week in Space (Gemini 6/7 Rendezvouz) - 1965-12-15'
(Wednesday, December 15, 1965, 12:27 p.m. EST) — Two U.S. manned spacecraft, Gemini 6A and Gemini 7, maneuvered to within 10 feet of each other today while in orbit. Continue reading Gemini 6 and 7 perform first controlled rendezvous in Earth orbit 60 years ago today (Dec 15 1965)
Video: 'Lessons from NASA's Galileo Probe | How the Universe Works'
(Thursday, December 7, 1995, 22:04 UTC) — A science probe riding aboard NASA’s Galileo spacecraft pierced Jupiter’s cloud tops today, giving researchers their first direct look inside the giant planet’s turbulent atmosphere. Continue reading NASA probe pierces Jupiter’s clouds in first interior look at planet 30 years ago this hour (Dec 7 1995)
Video: 'This Day in Space History | Launch of Gemini VII | December 4, 1965'
(Saturday, December 4, 1965, 19:30:03 UTC) — Gemini 7 streaked into orbit this afternoon as Astronauts Frank Borman and James A. Lovell Jr. began what is planned as the nation’s longest manned space flight to date. Continue reading Gemini 7 crew sent into orbit for two-week flight, space rendezvous 60 years ago this hour (Dec 4 1965)
