Video: '1957 - First Satellite in Space (Sputnik)'
(Friday, October 4, 1957; 19:28:34 UTC) — The Soviet Union today (Oct. 5, 1957, at the launch site) launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite, into orbit from Baikonur Cosmodrome, a spaceport located in southern Kazakhstan, inaugurating the Space Age. Continue reading ‘Space Age’ begins as Soviets launch Sputnik 1 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 4 1957)
Video: 'Voyager 2 Spacecraft Reaches 35 Years Old'
(Saturday, August 20, 1977, 14:29:00 UTC) — Voyager 2, an unmanned spacecraft built to study the outer planets, was launched today at Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying a 12-inch copper phonograph record containing greetings in dozens of languages, samples of music and sounds of nature. Continue reading Voyager heads toward outer planets 40 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 20 1977)
Video: 'Space Shuttle Enterprise - Free flight Test - ABC News - 8/12/1977'
(Friday, August 12, 1977, 8:48 a.m. PDT) — The space shuttle Enterprise passed its first solo flight test today by taking off atop a Boeing 747, separating and then making a smooth glide landing on a dry lake bed in California’s Mojave Desert. Continue reading First free flight of space shuttle Enterprise 40 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 12 1977)
Video: 'Launch of Mariner 5 Spacecraft to Explore Venus'
(Wednesday, June 14, 1967, 06:01:00 UTC) — The space probe Mariner 5 was launched this morning from Cape Kennedy, Florida, on a flight that would take it past Venus. Continue reading Mariner 5 flies accurate path toward cloud-covered Venus 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 14 1967)
Video: 'Space Shuttle Enterprise Flight Test'
(Friday, February 18, 1977, 8:30 a.m. PST) — The space shuttle prototype Enterprise, sitting atop a Boeing 747, went on its debut “flight” today over the Mojave Desert near Edwards Air Force Base in California. Continue reading Space Shuttle prototype tested over California desert 40 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 18 1977)
Video: 'Apollo 1 tragedy: From the Archives'
(Friday, January 27, 1967, 6:31:04.2 p.m. EST/23:31:04.2 GMT) — The three-man crew of astronauts for the Apollo 1 mission were killed tonight at Cape Kennedy, Florida, in a flash fire during a test aboard the huge spacecraft designed to take man to the moon. Continue reading Three Apollo astronauts die in fire during test 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 27 1967)
Video: 'USA: MARS PATHFINDER SPACECRAFT FINALLY LAUNCHED'
(Wednesday, December 4, 1996, 1:58:07 a.m. EST) — The unmanned American spacecraft Mars Pathfinder lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, this morning and began speeding toward the red planet on a seven-month, 310 million-mile odyssey to deliver the first remotely controlled roving vehicle designed to traverse the landscape of another planet. Continue reading Mars Pathfinder speeds toward red planet 20 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Dec 4 1996)
Video: 'Gemini XII Mission 1966 NASA (Gemini 12) Jim Lovell & Buzz Aldrin'
(Friday, November 11, 1966, at 20:46:33 UTC/3:46 p.m. EST; during Project Gemini) — Gemini 12 blasted off today on a four-day mission with astronauts James A. Lovell and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin Jr. aboard, steering their spacecraft to a successful rendezvous and linkup with an Agena target vehicle. Continue reading Astronauts chase Agena on final Gemini flight 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 11 1966)
Video: '1984: STS-51A Discovery (NASA)' (Nov. 12/14, 1984, at 7:30)
(Monday, November 12, 1984, 13:25-19:25 UTC) — Space shuttle astronauts Dale Gardner and Joe Allen snared a wandering satellite today in history’s first space salvage. The Palapa B2 satellite was secured in Discovery’s cargo bay for return to Earth.
