Dear Friends!
Be with us in this topic for reading the past activities & events in astronomy & space sciences.
Such as successes & failures in missions ,observations ,solving problems & etc.
:have a nice day:Thank you
نمایش نسخه قابل چاپ
Dear Friends!
Be with us in this topic for reading the past activities & events in astronomy & space sciences.
Such as successes & failures in missions ,observations ,solving problems & etc.
:have a nice day:Thank you
First post a little sooner .
On This Date in History - January 1
Astronomy & Space Fact
"Aerodynamics" comes from two Greek words: aerios (concerning the air) and dynamis (powerful). Aerodynamics is the study of forces and the resulting motion of objects through the air.
Who Was Born Today?:
1933 James A Abrahamson, USAF/astronaut
1962 Ravshanbek Aliyev, Kirgiz, cosmonaut
1959 Abdul Ahad Mohmand, Afghanistan, cosmonaut, Soyuz TM-6
1956 Anatoli Borisovich Polonsky, Russia, Lt-colonel/cosmonaut
1956 Sergei Vasiliyevich Avdeyev, Russian cosmonaut, Soyuz TM-15, SK:TM-28
1950 Svetlana Georgievna Beregovkina, Russia, cosmonaut
1950 Yevgeni Vladimirovich Saley, cosmonaut
1949 Nikolai Tikhonovich Moskalenko, Russia, cosmonaut
1947 Alexei Ivanovich Bobrov, Russia, cosmonaut
1947 Vladimir Georgiyevich Titov, Rus cosmonaut, Soyuz T-8, TM-4, STS 63
1942 Gennadi Vassilyevich Sarafanov, USSR, cosmonaut, Soyuz 15
1935 Valentin Nikolaevich N Benderov, Russia, cosmonaut
Who Died Today?:
1996 Arthur Rudolph, rocket Engineer, dies at 89
Today in History:
1801 : Italian Giuseppe Piazzi discovers Ceres, the first known (and largest) asteroid. He observed it until his illness stopped him February 11th. By the time he notified others of his discovery by letters sent January 24th, Ceres was too close to the Sun for observation and was not relocated when it emerged in September. It was finally be spotted again on the last day of 1801 and the first of 1802.
1958: Strategic Air Command assigned responsibility for U.S. operational ICBM capability; while the 672nd Strategic Missile Squadron, first to be equipped with USAF Douglas Thor IRBM, was activated.
1610: German astronomer Simon Marius claims to have 1st discovered the Jupiter moons, but did not officially report it, Galileo did on July 1 1610
1969: World Data Center A for Rockets and Satellites transferred to the National Space Science Data Center.
1992: International Space Year began
From: About.com
On This Date in History - January 2
Quote Of The Day
America is now a space-faring nation…. a frontier good for millions of years. The only time remotely comparable was when Columbus discovered a whole new world.
James S McDonnell, builder of Mercury and Gemini space capsules
Who Was Born Today?:
1873: Anton Pannekoek, Dutch astronomer
Who Died Today?:
1892: George B Airy, English astronomer/writer
1996: Thornton Page, astrophysicist
Today in History:
1959: Luna 1 launched, first spacecraft to leave Earth's gravity and first to fly by the Moon. It discovered the solar wind and is now in a solar orbit.
1960: John Reynolds sets age of solar system at 4,950,000,000 years
From: About.com
On This Date in History - January 3
Astronomy & Space Fact
Have you ever heard a sonic boom? When an airplane travels at a speed faster than sound, density waves of sound emitted by the plane accumulate in a cone behind the plane. When this shock wave passes, a listener hears a sonic boom. Large meteors and the Space Shuttle frequently produce audible sonic booms before they are slowed to below the sound of speed by the Earth's atmosphere.
Who Was Born Today
1932: Anatoli Petrovich Kuklin, Russia, cosmonaut
1947: Sergey Filipovich Protchenko, Russian cosmonaut
Who Died Today
1641: Jeremiah Horrocks, English astronomical prodigy
Today in History
1963: Mariner 2 - USA Venus Flyby (August 27, 1962 - January 3, 1963) went off the air. On December 14, 1962, Mariner 2 arrived at Venus at a distance of 34,800 kilometers and scanned its surface with infrared and microwave radiometers, capturing data that showed Venus's surface to be about 425°C (800°F). Three weeks after the Venus flyby Mariner 2 went off the air on January 3, 1963. It is now in a solar orbit.
1999: Launch of Mars Polar Lander and Deep Space 2 probes. The Mars Polar Lander, also known as the Mars Surveyor '98 Lander, was a companion to the Mars Climate Orbiter. It was to touch down on the southern polar layered terrain, between 73 S and 76 S, less than 1000 km from the south pole, near the edge of the carbon dioxide ice cap in Mars' late southern spring. The last telemetry from the spacecraft was sent just prior to atmospheric entry on 3 December 1999. No further signals have been received from the lander, the cause of this loss of communication is not known.
The Deep Space 2 (DS2) project is a New Millenium mission consisting of two probes which were to penetrate the surface of Mars near the south polar layered terrain and send back data on the sub-surface properties. On 3 December 1999 the probes were nearing Mars on a trajectory to enter the atmosphere and bring them to their intended landing site, but contact was never made with either probe and the mission was presumed lost.
From: About.com
On This Date in History - January 4
Astronomy & Space Word of The Day
Antipodal Point : the point that is directly on the opposite side of a planet
Who Was Born Today
1797: Wilhelm Beer, Germany, amateur astronomer, constructed 1st Moon map
1935: Kenneth Money, Canada, astronaut, STS 42-alt
Who Died Today Today in History
1610: Galileo Galilei points his newly developed telescope at the sky and observes craters and mountains on the Moon, moving spots on the Sun, four moons revolving
around Jupiter the phases of Venus, and the almost innumerable stars of the Milky Way. Jan 4 thru 15, 1601 are called by some the most important days in
the history of astronomy.
1643: Sir Isaac Newton born in Woolsthorpe, Lincolnshire, England.
1958: Sputnik 1, the first satellite, reenters the atmosphere and disintegrates.
1959: Luna 1 passes within 6000 km of Moon's surface, first spacecraft to reach the moon.
2004: Mars Exploration Rover Spirit lands in Gusev Crater on Mars.
From: About.com
On This Date in History - January 5
Quote Of The Day
Stars scribble on our eyes the frosty sagas, The gleaming cantos of unvanquished space . . .
Hart Crane 1899–1932
Who Was Born Today
1930: Edward Galven Givens, Jr., Quanah Texas, Major USAF/astronaut
Who Died Today
1960: Pavel P Parenago, Russia, cosmonaut
Today in History
1610: Galileo Galilei points his newly developed telescope at the sky and observes craters and mountains on the Moon, moving spots on the Sun, four moons revolving around Jupiter, the phases of Venus, and the almost innumerable stars of the Milky Way. Jan 4 thru 15, 1601 are called by some the most important days in the history of astronomy .
1969: Launch of Venera 5 spacecraft, second spacecraft to return data from Venus atmosphere. Venera 5 arrived at Venus on May 16, 1969. Along with Venera 6, atmospheric data was returned indicating an atmosphere composed of 93-97% carbon dioxide, 2-5% nitrogen, and less than 4% oxygen. The probe returned data down to within 26 kilometers of surface and was then lost - crushed by the pressure on Venus.
1834: Kiowa Indians record this as the night the stars fell.
1905: Charles Perrine announces discovery of Jupiter's 7th satellite, Elara.
1972: President Nixon signs a bill for NASA to begin research on manned shuttle 1972: NASA announces development of space shuttle
From: About.com
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On This Date in History - January 6
Astronomy & Space Word of The Day
regio: A region
Who Was Born Today
1948: Guy Spencer Gardner, Alta Vista, Virginia, Lt Col USAF/astro, STS 27, STS 35
1957: C Michael Foale, Louth England, astronaut, STS 45, 56, 63, 84/86
1963: Philippe Perrin, Meknes Morocco, Lt Col FAF/astronaut
Who Died Today
Today in History
1998:Lunar Prospector - USA Lunar Orbiter was launched and arrived at the Moon on January 11, 1998. It is designed for a low polar orbit investigation of the Moon, including the mapping of surface composition and possible ice deposits, the measuring of magnetic and gravity fields, and the study of lunar outgassing events. This data could help scientists plan a potential lunar base and develop theories of the formation of the Moon, Earth and Solar System. Its mission is scheduled to last one to three years
1610: Galileo Galilei points his newly developed telescope at the sky and observes craters and mountains on the Moon, moving spots on the Sun, four moons revolving around Jupiter, the phases of Venus, and the almost innumerable stars of the Milky Way. Jan 4 thru 15, 1601 are called by some the most important days in the history of astronomy.
1949: The first atomic clock was built. It was based on earlier theoretical work by Isidor Rabi and used ammonia as its pendulum
1967: The Surveyor 1 spacecraft is reactivated after almost 6 months dormancy on the lunar surface.
1987: Astronomers at University of California see 1st sight of birth of a galaxy
From: About.com
On This Date in History - January 7
Daily Extra :
Astronomy & Space Word of The Day
Asteroid Number : number assigned to an asteroid when it is discovered. It has no particular meaning except that asteroid N+1 was discovered after asteroid N.
Who Was Born Today?:
1935: Valeri Nikolayevich Kubasov, cosmonaut, Soyuz 6, 19, 36/35
1941: Frederick Drew Gregory, Washington D.C., Col USAF/astro, STS 51-B, 33, 44
1951: Talgat Amangeldyyevich Musabayev, Russian mjr/cosmonaut, TM-19, TM-27
Who Died Today?:
1994: Lewis Boddington, aerospace Engineer
Today in History:
1610: Galileo Galilei first sees Io, Europa, and Callisto. Jan 4 through 15, 1610, Galileo Galilei points his newly developed telescope at the sky and observes craters and mountains on the Moon, moving spots on the Sun, four moons revolving around Jupiter, the phases of Venus, and the almost innumerable stars of the Milky Way. These dates are called by some the most important days in the history of astronomy.
1968: Surveyor 7 - USA Lunar Soft Lander launched. Landed on the lunar surface.
1985: Sakigake - Japan Comet Flyby launched. Comet Halley flyby took place on March 1, 1986.
1998: Launch of Lunar Prospector Moon orbiter.
From: About.com
On This Date in History - January 8
Daily Extra :
Astronomy & Space Word of The Day
facula: A circular to subcircular region which is brighter than the surrounding area.
Who Was Born Today?:
1587: Johannes Fabricius, Denmark, astronomer, discovered sunspots
1942: Vyacheslav Dmitriyevich Zudov, U.S.S.R., cosmonaut, Soyuz 23
1942: Stephen Hawking, English physicist, Black Holes and Baby Universes
Who Died Today?:
1642: Galileo Galilei, Italian physicist/astronomer, age 77
1952: Antonia Maury, discoverer (supergiant, giant and dwarf stars)
Today in History:
1610: Galileo Galilei points his newly developed telescope at the sky and observes craters and mountains on the Moon, moving spots on the Sun, four moons revolving around Jupiter, the phases of Venus, and the almost innumerable stars of the Milky Way. Jan 4 thru 15, 1601 are called by some the most important days in the history of astronomy.
1760: Comet C/1760 A1 (Great comet) approaches within 0.0682 AUs of Earth
1973: Launch of Luna 21 carrying the Lunokhod 2 rover, the second robotic lunar rover. Made lunar landing with an automated Lunokhod 2 rover.
1985: Launch of Sakigake mission to Comet Halley.
1994: Russian manned space craft TM-18, launches into orbit.
From: About.com
On This Date in History - January 9
Astronomy & Space Fact
Halley's Comet makes one orbit around the Sun every 76.1 years.
Who Was Born Today
Who Died Today?:
1843: Caroline Herschel, "1st lady of astronomy", age 98
Today in History:
1610: Galileo Galilei points his newly developed telescope at the sky and observes craters and mountains on the Moon, moving spots on the Sun, four moons revolving around Jupiter, the phases of Venus, and the almost innumerable stars of the Milky Way. Jan 4 thru 15, 1601 are called by some the most important days in the history of astronomy.
1839: South African Thomas Henderson first measures the distance to a star (Alpha Centauri) other than the Sun.
1958: In his state-of-the-Union message, President Eisenhower reported: "In recognition of the need for single control in some of our most advanced development projects, the Secretary of Defense has already decided to concentrate into one organization all antimissile and satellite technology undertaken within the Department of Defense."
1968: Surveyor 7 lands on the Moon and returns pictures of the surface.
1990: 64th U.S. manned space mission STS 32 (Columbia 10) launches into orbit
1998: Anatoly Solovyov and Pavel Vinogradov spacewalk record 3 hours 8 mins
From: About.com
On This Date in History - January 10
Quote Of The Day
Space is the stature of God. Joseph Joubert (1754–1824)
Who Was Born Today?:
1638: Niels Stensen, Danish astronomer
1942: Aleksandr Yakovlevich Petrushenko, Russia, cosmonaut 1946: Robert W. Wilson, co-discoverer with Arno Penzias of the cosmic microwave (3 degree) background; 1978 Physics Nobel Laureate
Who Died Today?:
1970: Pavel Ivanovich Belyayev, U.S.S.R., cosmonaut (Voskhod II), age 44
Today in History:
1610: Galileo Galilei points his newly developed telescope at the sky and observes craters and mountains on the Moon, moving spots on the Sun, four moons revolving around Jupiter, the phases of Venus, and the almost innumerable stars of the Milky Way. Jan 4 thru 15, 1601 are called by some the most important days in the history of astronomy.
1946: The US Army's Signal Corps successfully bounces the first radar waves off the Moon.
1969: Launch of Venera 6 atmospheric probe to Venus. Venera 6 arrived at Venus on May 17, 1969. Along with Venera 5, atmospheric data was returned indicating an atmosphere composed of 93-97% carbon dioxide, 2-5% nitrogen, and less than 4% oxygen. The probe returned data down to within 11 kilometers of surface and was then lost - crushed by the pressure on Venus.
1997: 1st Comet of 1997 Discovered: Comet 1997 A1
1978: Soyuz 27 carring 2 cosmonauts to Salyut 6 space station, launched
From: About.com
On This Date in History - January 11
Astronomy & Space Word of The Day
shepherd satellite: (Also 'shepherd moon') A satellite which constrains the extent of a planetary ring through gravitational forces.
Who Was Born Today?:
1865: Johannes Franz Hartmann in Erfurt, Germany
1926: Lev Stepanovich Demin, Russia, cosmonaut, Soyuz 15
Who Died Today?:
Today in History:
1610: Galileo Galilei discovered Jupiter's moon Ganymede. Jan 4 thru 15, 1601, Galileo Galilei points his newly developed telescope at the sky and observes craters and mountains on the Moon, moving spots on the Sun, four moons revolving around Jupiter, the phases of Venus, and the almost innumerable stars of the Milky Way. These days are called by some the most important days in the history of astronomy
1787: Uranus' moons Titania and Oberon discovered by William Herschel.
1975: Soyuz 17 carries 2 cosmonauts to space station Salyut 4
1978: Soyuz 27 links with Salyut 6 and Soyuz 26 (1st time 3 spacecraft link)
1996: Space Shuttle STS 72 (Endeavour 10), launches into space
1997: Telstar 401 Satellite Fails
1998: Lunar Prospector - USA Lunar Orbiter arrived at the Moon. It is designed for a low polar orbit investigation of the Moon, including the mapping of surface composition and possible ice deposits, the measuring of magnetic and gravity fields, and the study of lunar outgassing events. This data could help scientists plan a potential lunar base and develop theories of the formation of the Moon, Earth and Solar System. Its mission is scheduled to last one to three years.
From: About.com
On This Date in History - January 12
Astronomy & Space Word of The Day
synchronous rotation: If the period of a satellite's rotation about its axis is the same as the period of its orbit around its primary. This implies that the satellite always keeps the same hemisphere facing its primary (e.g. the Moon). It also implies that one hemisphere (the leading hemisphere) always faces in the direction of the satellite's motion while the other (trailing) one always faces backward. Most satellites in the solar system rotate synchronously.
Who Was Born Today
1871: Paul Guthnick, German astronomer
1942: Vladimir Sergeyevich Kozelsky, cosmonaut, Soyuz 24 backup
Who Died Today
Today in History
1610: Galileo Galilei points his newly developed telescope at the sky and observes craters and mountains on the Moon, moving spots on the Sun, four moons revolving around Jupiter, the phases of Venus, and the almost innumerable stars of the Milky Way. Jan 4 thru 15, 1601 are called by some the most important days in the history of astronomy.
1830: The founding of a new organization, which in 1831 would become the Royal Astronomical Society, by John Herschel, Charles Babbage, James South, and several others. The RAS has published it's Monthly Notices continuously since 1831.
1866: The Royal Aeronautical Society founded in London.
1958: President Eisenhower calls on U.S.S.R. to dedicate outer space "to the peaceful uses of mankind".
1961: First Italian launching of scientific sounding rocket in cooperative program with United States, a Nike-Cajun launched from a range in Sardinia to a height of over 100 miles, and released a cloud of sodium vapor visible for many miles.
1986: 24th space shuttle (61-C) mission-Columbia 7-launched
1997: Space Shuttle STS 81 (Atlantis 18), launches into space
2005: Deep Impact spacecraft is launched from Cape Canaveral
From: About.com
On This Date in History - January 13
Quote Of The Day
There is very little difference between men and women in space
Helen Sharman (b. 1963)
Who Was Born Today?
1949: Rakesh Sharma, India, cosmonaut, Soyuz T-11
Who Died Today?
Today in History:
1610: Galileo Galilei first sees Ganymede. Jan 4 thru 15, 1610, Galileo Galilei points his newly developed telescope at the sky and observes craters and mountains on the Moon, moving spots on the Sun, four moons revolving around Jupiter, the phases of Venus, and the almost innumerable stars of the Milky Way. These days are called by some the most important days in the history of astronomy.
1961: Convair B-58 Hustler, jet bomber powered by four GE J-79 engines, broke six world speed records, Maj. H. J. Deutschendorf, U.S. Air Force, as pilot. On first closed-course run, the Hustler averaged 1,200.194 miles per hour, and it averaged 1,061.808 miles per hour on both runs carrying a payload of 4,408 pounds and a crew of three.
From:About.com
On This Date in History - January 14
Quote Of The Day
In a chaotic universe, God fits naturally into the role of riverboat gambler.
Joseph Ford
Who Was Born Today?
1943: Shannon Lucid, born in Shanghai, China, astronaut, STS 51G, 34, 43, 58, 76/79
Who Died Today?
1742: Edmund Halley
1966: Sergei Korolev, leader of Soviet space program and Russian space station constructor, age 59, from a failed hemorrhoid operation.
Today in History:
1610: Galileo Galilei points his newly developed telescope at the sky and observes craters and mountains on the Moon, moving spots on the Sun, four moons revolving around Jupiter, the phases of Venus, and the almost innumerable stars of the Milky Way. Jan 4 thru 15, 1610 are called by some the most important days in the history of astronomy.
1958: Sen. L.B. Johnson urges U.S. to ask all nations to join "this adventure into outer space" in radio address.
1961: Final assembly of first Saturn flight vehicle (SA-1) was completed.
From:About.com
On This Date in History - January 15
Astronomy & Space Word of The Day
compression: A packing or reduction in the amount of data being transmitted, using a mathematical formula similar to averaging, in order to optimize the transmission of data from the spacecraft. Once received, these data are "unpacked" (decompressed) to reconstruct the full image. However, if noise (see Radiation) is present it may cause incorrect values for the picture elements it was averaged with, which also affects the resulting image.
Who Was Born Today
Who Died Today
Today in History
1610: Galileo Galilei points his newly developed telescope at the sky and observes craters and mountains on the Moon, moving spots on the Sun, four moons revolving around Jupiter, the phases of Venus, and the almost innumerable stars of the Milky Way. Jan 4 thru 15, 1610 are called by some the most important days in the history of astronomy.
1958: 4751st Air Defense Missile Wing to develop and conduct training program for Bomarc units, and the 864th Strategic Missile Squadron to be equipped with Jupiter IRBM, were both activated.
1973: Luna 21 lands on the Moon, carrying the Lunokhod 2 rover, the second robotic lunar rover.
1976: US-German Helios B solar probe launched into solar orbit
1997: Space Shuttle Atlantis docks with Mir Space Station
1998: NASA announces John Glenn, 76, may fly in space again
2006: Stardust space mission returns dust from a comet to earth
From: About.com
On This Date in History - January 16
Astronomy & Space Word of The Day
planetesimals: Primordial bodies of intermediate size that accreted into planets or asteroids.
Who Was Born Today?
1933: Oleg Grigoryevich Makarov, U.S.S.R., cosmonaut, Soyuz 12, 18A, 27, T-3
1946: Michael L Coats, Sacramento California, Capt USN/astr, STS 41-D, 29, 39
1948: Anatoli Yakovlevich Solovyov, Riga, cosmonaut, TM-5,9,15,26, STS 71
1952: Lloyd Blaine Hammond, Jr., Savannah, Georgia, Major USAF/astr, STS 39, 64
1955: Jerry M Linenger, Mt Clemens, Michigan, PhD/Cmdr USN/astronaut, STS 81/84
1956: James Newman, American Astronaut
Who Died Today?
Today in History:
1969: Soviet Soyuz 4 and Soyuz 5 perform 1st transfer of crew in space
1976: Helios 2 - USA & West Germany Solar Probe launched. Solar probe came within 43 million kilometers of the Sun.
1989: U.S.S.R. announces plan for 2-yr manned mission to Mars
From: About.com
On This Date in History - January 17
Quote Of The Day
Science tells us how the heavens go. Religion tells us how to go to heaven.
Galileo Galilei
Who Died Today?
1938: William H Pickering, astronomer (predicted Pluto), age 79
1997: Clyde Tombaugh, astronomer, discovered Pluto in 1930, age 90
Today in History:
1962: A NASA civilian pilot Neil Armstrong takes X-15 to 40,690 m
1968: Soyuz 4 and 5 completed 1st docking of 2 manned spacecraft
1976: Hermes rocket launched by European Space Agency
1980: NASA launches Fltsatcom-3
1986: Voyager 2 - USA Jupiter - Saturn - Uranus - Neptune Flyby (Launched August 20, 1977) flew by Uranus[/link. Voyager 2 flew by Jupiter on July 9, 1979, Saturn on August 26, 1981, Uranus on January 24, 1986, and Neptune on August 24, 1989.
From: About.com
On This Date in History - January 18
Astronomy & Space Word of The Day
ellipse: A flattened circle or oval. That the orbits of the planets are ellipses, not circles, was first discovered by Johannes Kepler based on the careful observations by Tycho Brahe. An ellipse is essentially a circle that has been stretched out of shape. When describing ellipses, the eccentricity defines how "stretched out" it is. In the case of the moon (diagram), when it is closest it is at perigee and
Who Was Born Today?
1933: Vladimir Yevgrafovich Bugrov, cosmonaut
1958: Jeffrey N Williams, Superior Wisconsin, Major Army/astronaut
Today in History:
1978: Thiokol conducts 2nd test firing of space shuttle's SRB
1986: 24th Space Shuttle (61-C) Mission-Columbia 7-returns to Earth
1989: Astronomers discover pulsar in remnants of Supernova 1987A (LMC)
2000: STARDUST, Deep Space Maneuver 1A (DSM-1), Successful
From: About.com
On This Date in History - January 19
Quote Of The Day
The beginning, middle, and end of the birth, growth, and perfection of whatever we behold is from contraries, by contraries, and to contraries; and whatever contrarity is, there is action and reaction, there is motion, diversity, multitude, and order, there are degrees, succession and vicissitude.
Giordano Bruno (1548–1600)
Who Was Born Today?
1851: Johannes C Kapteyn, Dutch astronomer
1946: Alexandr Vladimirovich Shchukin, Russian cosmonaut
Today in History
1961: Iris rocket, new solid-propellant single-stage sounding rocket, failed to attain programmed flight from Wallops Island, reaching only 86 miles' altitude instead of 160 miles.
From: About.com
On This Date in History - January 20
Astronomy & Space Word of The Day
ultraviolet: Light that is so blue humans cannot see it. A band of the electromagnetic spectrum between the visible and the X-ray. Photons of ultraviolet light are more energetic than photons of visible light.
Who Was Born Today?
1920: DeForest Kelley, born in Atlanta, Georgia, actor, Dr. McCoy-Star Trek
1930: Buzz Aldrin, Montclair, New Jersey, USAF/astro, Gem 12, Ap 11
1939: Nalin Chandra Wickramasinghe, Indian astronomer
1948: Jerry Ross, Indiana, Lt Col USAF/astronaut, STS 61B, 27, 37, 55, 74,sk:88
1951: Magomed Omarovich Tolboyev, Russian cosmonaut
Today in History:
1961: Headline news in Moscow was detailed Tass announcement that Strelka, one of two female dogs recovered from orbiting Spacecraft II in August 1960, had given birth to six puppies in good health. Pravda had announced 3 weeks earlier that one of the satellite-passenger dogs had given birth. (See Dogs in Space
1965: JPL proposes modified Apollo flight to fly around Mars and return
1990: US 64th manned space mission STS 32 (Columbia 10) returns from space
1997: Comet Hale-Bopp crosses Mars' orbit
From: About.com
On This Date in History - January 21
Astronomy & Space Word of The Day
geologic time: The time extending from the end of the formative period of the Earth to the beginning of human history.
Who Was Born Today
1908: Bengt Stromgren, Goteborg Sweden, astrophysicist, studied gas cloud
1930: Valentin Ignatyevich Filatyev, Russia, cosmonaut
1950: Joseph R Tanner, Danville, Illinois, astronaut, STS 66, 82, sk: 97
Today in History
1951: Westinghouse J-40 jet engine (7,500 pounds dry thrust) completed 150-hour Navy qualification test.
1979: Neptune becomes outermost planet (Pluto moves closer). Unless a new planet is discovered, Neptune will remain outermost planet since on August 24, 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) formally downgraded Pluto from an official planet to a dwarf planet. (See Is Pluto a Planet.)
From: About.com
On This Date in History - January 22
Astronomy & Space Word of The Day
Shoemaker-Levy9 (S-L9): The comet that broke up and fell into Jupiter in June 1994.
Who Was Born Today
1955: Thomas David Jones, born in Baltimore, Maryland, PhD/Astronaut, STS 59, 68, 80, sk: 98
Today in History
1965: U.S. launches TIROS 9 weather satellite
1969: Orbiting Solar Observatory 5 launched into earth orbit
1975: Landsat 2, an Earth Resources Technology Satellite, launched
1992: Space Shuttle STS-42 (Discovery 15) launches into space
1997: Space Shuttle Atlantis Returns to Earth, Successful
2000: Vandenburg Launch Pad Demolished
From: About.com
On This Date in History - January 23
Astronomy & Space Fact
The term "aeronautics" originated in France, and was derived from the Greek words for "air" and "to sail."
Who Was Born Today?
1930: William Reid Pogue, Okemah Oklahoma, Colonel USAF/astronaut, Skylab 4
1942: Ivan Ivanovich Bachurin, cosmonaut
1949: Robert Cabana, Minneapolis, Mjr USMC/astronaut, STS 41, 53, 68, sk:88
Who Died Today?
1976: Aleksey Vasilyevich Sorokin, Russian cosmonaut, age 44
1997: Roger John Tayler, astrophysicist, age 67
Today in History:
1930: Clyde Tombaugh photographs Pluto
1941: Ground breaking for NACA (now NASA) Lewis Research Center
1961: Final test flight of USAF Atlas D traveled 5,000 miles to target down Atlantic Missile Range, representing 35 successes, 8 partials, and 6 failures in 49 test launchings for D model.
1970: Australia's 1st amateur radio satellite (Oscar 5) launched (Calif)
1970: U.S. launches 2nd generation weather satellite, ITOS 1
1983: Russian radioactive satellite falls into Indian Ocean
1986: Columbia returns to Kennedy Space Center via Davis-Monthan AFB
From:About.com
On This Date in History - January 24
Astronomy & Space Word of The Day
erosion: The process of physically removing weathered materials; the wearing away of soil and rock by weathering, mass wasting, and the action of streams, glaciers, waves, wind and groundwater.
Who Was Born Today?
1952: William F Readdy, Quonset Point, Rhode Island, astronaut, STS 42, 51, 79
1961 Krasimir Mikhailov Stoyanov, Bulgaria, cosmonaut
Today in History:
1764: Gov Winthrop Telescope, is destroyed in a Harvard fire
1925: Moving picture of a solar eclipse taken from dirigible over Long Island
1985: 15th Space Shuttle (51-C) Mission-Discovery 3 is launched
1990: Muses-A - Japan Lunar Orbiters launched. This consisted of two small orbiters but failed to send back data from their orbit around the Moon. This was the first non USA or USSR probe to reach Moon.
From: About.com
On This Date in History - January 25
Astronomy & Space Word of The Day
planum: A plateau or high plain
Today in History
1964: Echo 2, U.S. communications satellite launched
1983: Infrared telescope satellite launched into polar orbit
1992: Hubble space telescope optics finds NGC3862/3C264
1994: Clementine - USA Lunar Orbiter launched. The official name for Clementine is Deep Space Probe Science Experiment (DSPSE). It was a Department of Defense program used to test new space technology. Clementine was a new design using lightweight structure and propellant systems. It spent 70 days (between February 6 and May 5, 1994) in lunar orbit. Its four cameras mapped the surface of the Moon at 125-250 meters/pixel resolution. Clementine also used a laser to gather altimeter data which will make it possible to generate the first lunar topographic map
From: About.com
On This Date in History - January 26
Astronomy & Space Fact
To communicate with distant spacecraft, NASA's Deep Space Network uses antenna with a diameter of up to 70 meters (230 feet). That is almost as big as a football field.
Who Was Born Today
1952: Mario Runco, Jr., born in Bronx, New York, Lt Cmdr USN/astronaut, STS 44, 54, 77
Today in History
1966: 5th recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet
1962: Ranger 3 - USA Lunar Hard Lander launched. Lunar probe missed the moon and is now in a solar orbit
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On This Date in History - January 27
Astronomy & Space Word of The Day
zodiacal light: a faint glow from light scattered off of interplanetary dust along the plane of the ecliptic.
Who Was Born Today?
1940: Brian T O'Leary, born in Boston, Massachusetts, astronaut
Who Died Today?
1967: Edward Higgins White II, Lt Col USAF/astronaut (Gemini 4), age 36; Roger B Chaffee, astronaut, age 31; Virgil I (Gus) Grissom, astronaut, age 40 all died in Apollo I fire.
Today in History:
1908 Pasiphae, a satellite of Jupiter, discovered by Melotte
1967: Treaty banning military use of nuclear weapons in space, signed
1958: Dr. Hugh L. Dryden, Director of the NACA, in a speech to the Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences, stressed the importance of a well-planned and logical space program embracing both civilian and military uses. He stated that the national space program should be under the joint control of the Department of Defense, the NACA, the National Academy of Sciences, and the National Science Foundation; in addition to research flights, the NACA would coordinate and conduct research in space technology in its own laboratories and by contract in support of both military and nonmilitary projects.
1967: The crew of Apollo/Saturn 204 (more commonly known as Apollo 1 mission) were training for the first crewed Apollo flight, an Earth orbiting mission scheduled to be launched on 21 February. On board were astronaut Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, (the second American astronaut to fly into space) astronaut Edward H. White II, (the first American astronaut to "walk" in space) and astronaut Roger B. Chaffee, (a "rookie" astronaut on his first space mission). A fire broke out during the test and spread quickly through the cabin. The crew most likely perished within the first 30 seconds from smoke inhalation or burns. Resuscitation efforts were futile.
1985: 15th Space Shuttle (51-C) Mission-Discovery 3 returns to Earth
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On This Date in History - January 28
Astronom & Space Word of The Day
Chicxulub crater: a very large impact crater near the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. The effects of this particular impact may have been responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.
Who Was Born Today?
1608: Giovanni Alfonso Borelli, Naples, mathematician/astronomer
1611: Johannes Hevelius, Danzig, astronomer, star cataloger
1884: Lucien H d'Azambuja, France, astronomer, chromosome of sun
1939: John M Fabian, Goosecreek, Texas, Col USAF/astronaut, STS 7, STS 51G
1948: Mamoru Mohri, Yoichi-machi Hokkaido Japan, astronaut, STS 47
1950: David Carl Hilmers, Iowa, Col USMC/astronaut, STS 51-J, 26, 36, 42
1951: Leonid Konstantinovich Kadenyuk, Kkishkov Ukraine, astronaut, STS 87
Who Died Today?
1687: Johannes Hevelius, astronomer (star cataloger), dies on 76th birthday
1986: Christa McAuliffe, astronaut; Ellison S Onizuka, Hawaii, Mjr USAF/ast; Francis R Scobee, Wash, USAF/astronaut; Judith Arlene Resnik, Akron Oh, astronaut; Michael J Smith, Beaufort NC, Cmdr USN, astronaut; Ronald E McNair, Lake City SC, astronaut die in Challenger disaster
Today in History:
1613: Galileo may have unknowingly viewed undiscovered planet Neptune
1959: Nike-Cajun successfully launched 12-foot-diameter test inflatable sphere to a height of 75 miles over NASA Wallops Island, the sphere inflating satisfactorily.
1986: The Space Shuttle Challenger flew nine successful missions before that fateful day. Shuttle mission 51L was much like most other missions. The Challenger crew consisted of mission commander Francis R. Scobee; pilot Michael J. Smith; mission specialists Ronald E. McNair, Ellison S. Onizuka, and Judith A. Resnik; and payload specialists Gregory B. Jarvis and Christa McAuliffe, the first of a new program, TISP, the Teacher In Space Program. Seventy three seconds into the mission, the Challenger exploded, killing the entire crew.
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On This Date in History - January 29
Quote Of The Day
We travel together, passengers on a little space ship, dependent on its vulnerable reserves of air & soil; all committed for our safety to its security & peace; preserved from annihilation only by the care, the work, and, I will say, the love we give our fragile craft. We cannot maintain it half fortunate, half miserable, half confident, half despairing, half slave—to the ancient enemies of man—half free in a liberation of resources undreamed of until this day.
No craft, no crew can travel safely with such vast contradictions. On their resolution
depends the survival of us all.
Adlai Stevenson 1900–65
Who Was Born Today
1939: O P Kolomitsev, cosmonaut
1942: Arnaldo Tamayo-Mendez, Cuba, cosmonaut, Soyuz 38
Who Died Today
Today in History
1959: First jet passenger service across the United States begun by American Airlines with Boeing 707's.
1964: Unmanned Apollo 1 Saturn launcher test attains Earth orbit
1976: Zeiss planetarium in Hague destroyed by fire
1984: Space Shuttle 41-B (STS-11) Challenger launched
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On This Date in History - January 30
Astronomy & Space Fact
Before NASA was formed, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was started by President Woodrow Wilson to supervise and direct the scientific study of the problems of flight. The NACA determined which problems should be experimentally worked on and discussed their solutions and their application to practical questions. The NACA also directed and conducted research and experiments in aeronautics.
Who Died Today
1948: Orville Wright died in Dayton, Ohio, at the age of 76.
Today in History
1889: John Herschel uses camera obscura to photograph 48" (120cm) telescope
1964: Ranger 6 - USA Lunar Hard Lander launched. Cameras failed; lunar probe impacted the surface of the Moon.
1989: Phobos 2 - USSR Phobos Flyby/Lander (July 12, 1988) arrived at Mars and was inserted into orbit. The orbiter moved within 800 kilometers of Phobos and then failed. The lander never made it to Phobos.
1992: Space Shuttle STS-42 (Discovery 15) lands
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On This Date in History - January 31
Astronomy & Space Word of The Day
radiation: Energy that is emitted in the form of electromagnetic waves. The electronics of spacecraft camera system are sensitive to radiation. Radiation can affect the images a spacecraft sends - similar to "snow" on a television with poor reception - which is referred to as "noise."
Today in History
1862: Telescope maker Alvin Clark discovers dwarf companion of Sirius
1958: Explorer 1, the first U.S. Earth-orbiting satellite, was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The launch vehicle was an Army Jupiter-C rocket. Explorer 1 orbited the Earth every 115 minutes. Its orbit carried it from a low of about 220 miles to a high of nearly 1,600 miles.
1961: Ham is 1st primate in space (158 miles) aboard Mercury/Redstone 2
1961: USAF launches Samos spy satellite to replace U-2 flights
1966: Luna 9 - USSR Lunar Soft Lander launched. Luna 9 landed on the lunar surface and retuned the first photographs from the surface.
1971: Apollo 14 - USA Lunar Manned Lander (January 31 to February 8, 1971) launched. Crew: Alan B. Shepard, Jr., Edgar D. Mitchell, Stuart A. Roosa. Shepard and Mitchell landed on the moon on February 5, 1971, in the Fra Mauro highlands, located at 3°40' S and longitude 17°28' E. They collected 42.9 kilograms of lunar samples and used a hand-held cart to transport rocks and equipment.
1972: US launches HEOS A-2 for interplanetary observations (396/244,998)
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On This Date in History - February 1
Astronomy & Space Word of The Day
Undae: Dunes (literally 'waves').
Who Was Born Today
1935: Vladimir Viktorovich Aksyonov, U.S.S.R., cosmonaut, Soyuz 22, T-2
1961: Daniel M Tani, Ridley Park, Maryland, astronaut
Who Died Today
2003 David Brown, astronaut, mission specialist; Ilan Ramon, astronaut, first Israeli in space, mission specialist, age 48; Kalpana Chawla, astronaut, first Asian Indian woman in space, payload specialist, age 41; Laurel Clark, astronaut, physician, age 41; Michael Anderson, astronaut, payload specialist, age 42; Rick Husband, astronaut, commander; William McCool, astronaut, pilot, age 41; Michael P. Anderson, American Astronaut die aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, STS-107
Today in History
1949: 200" (5.08-m) Hale telescope 1st used
1971: Apollo 14 - USA Lunar Manned Lander (January 31 to February 8, 1971) Crew: Alan B. Shepard, Jr., Edgar D. Mitchell, Stuart A. Roosa. Shepard and Mitchell landed on the moon on February 5, 1971, in the Fra Mauro highlands, located at 3°40' S and longitude 17°28' E. They collected 42.9 kilograms of lunar samples and used a hand-held cart to transport rocks and equipment.
1989: Comet Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 at perihelion
2003: The day started on a bright note for the crew of STS-107 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. They were awakened by a rousing rendition of Scotland the Brave in honor of mission specialist Laurel Clark’s Scottish heritage. Mission Control followed the wake-up tune with news the astronauts had been waiting for. It was time to come home. The seven members of the crew (commander Rick Husband, pilot Willie McCool and mission specialists Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark, Mike Anderson, David Brown and Israeli payload specialist Ilan Ramon) were coming to the end of a 16 day mission of scientific experimentation.
Shortly after 9:00AM EST, the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated in the skies above Texas, killing all crew members aboard.
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On This Date in History - February 2
Astronomy & Space Word of The Day
Crater Density: The number of craters on a surface per unit area.
Today in History:
1962: 8 of 9 planets align for 1st time in 400 years (Note: In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) decided that Pluto is not a planet, reducing the number of known planets in our solar system to 8.)
1971: Apollo 14 - USA Lunar Manned Lander (January 31 to February 8, 1971) Crew: Alan B. Shepard, Jr., Edgar D. Mitchell, Stuart A. Roosa. Shepard and Mitchell landed on the moon on February 5, 1971, in the Fra Mauro highlands, located at 3°40' S and longitude 17°28' E. They collected 42.9 kilograms of lunar samples and used a hand-held cart to transport rocks and equipment.
1977: Burn up of Salyut 4 Space Station (U.S.S.R.)
1995: U.S. space shuttle Discovery launched
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On This Date in History - February 3
Astronomy & Space Word of The Day
Photosphere: The visible surface of the Sun; sunspots and faculae are observed in the photosphere.
Who Was Born Today
1938: Vladimir Grigoryevich Fartushny, Russia, cosmonaut
1939: Vladimir Yevgenyevich Preobrazhensky, Russian cosmonaut
1958: Joe Frank Edwards, Jr., Richmond, Virginia, Cmdr USN/astronaut, STS 89
Who Died Today
1862: Jean-Baptiste Biot, French physicist/astronomer, dies at 87
Today in History
1965: Orbiting Solar Observatory 2 launches into Earth orbit (552/636 km)
1966: 1st operational weather satellite, ESSA-1 launched US
1966: 1st soft landing on Moon (Soviet Luna 9)
1971: Apollo 14 - USA Lunar Manned Lander (January 31 to February 8, 1971) Crew: Alan B. Shepard, Jr., Edgar D. Mitchell, Stuart A. Roosa. Shepard and Mitchell landed on the moon on February 5, 1971, in the Fra Mauro highlands, located at 3°40' S and longitude 17°28' E. They collected 42.9 kilograms of lunar samples and used a hand-held cart to transport rocks and equipment.
1984: 10th Space Shuttle Mission (41B)-Challenger 4 launched
1994: STS-60 (Discovery) launches into orbit
1995: STS 63 (Discovery 19), launches into orbit
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On This Date in History - February 4
Quote Of The Day
Every formula which expresses a law of nature is a hymn of praise to God.
Maria Mitchell(1818–1889)
Who Was Born Today
1906: Clyde William Tombaugh, U.S., astronomer, discovered Pluto
Who Died Today
Today in History
1961: Sputnik 7 launches into Earth orbit; probable Venus probe failure
1967: U.S. launches Lunar Orbiter 3
1971: Apollo 14 - USA Lunar Manned Lander (January 31 to February 8, 1971) Crew: Alan B. Shepard, Jr., Edgar D. Mitchell, Stuart A. Roosa. Shepard and Mitchell landed on the moon on February 5, 1971, in the Fra Mauro highlands, located at 3°40' S and longitude 17°28' E. They collected 42.9 kilograms of lunar samples and used a hand-held cart to transport rocks and equipment.
1993: Russian space agency tests a 82' wide space mirror
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On This Date in History - February 5
Astronomy & Space Word of The Day
Aurora Borealis :The "Northern Lights"; caused by the interaction between the solar wind, the Earth's magnetic field and the upper atmosphere. A similar effect happens in the southern hemisphere where it is known as the aurora australis.
Who Was Born Today
1947: Mary Louise Cleave, Southampton, New York, PhD/astronaut, STS 61-B, STS 30
1949: Maidarjabyn Ganzorig, Mongolia, cosmonaut, Soyuz 39 backup
Who Died Today
Today in History
1958: Vanguard TV-3 back-up launches into Earth orbit; reaches 6 km
1962: Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn within 16 degrees
1963: Soviet lunar probe failure
1967: Lunar Orbiter 3 - USA Lunar Orbiter launched. Orbited the moon, photographed the far side for potential Apollo 12 landing sites, then impacted on command.
1971: Apollo 14 - USA Lunar Manned Lander (January 31 to February 8, 1971) Crew: Alan B. Shepard, Jr., Edgar D. Mitchell, Stuart A. Roosa. Shepard and Mitchell landed on the moon on February 5, 1971, in the Fra Mauro highlands, located at 3°40' S and longitude 17°28' E. They collected 42.9 kilograms of lunar samples and used a hand-held cart to transport rocks and equipment.
1974: Mariner 10 - USA Mercury/Venus Flyby - 526 kg - (November 3, 1973 - March 24, 1975) flew past Venus for a gravity assist to the planet Mercury. Mariner 10 was the first dual planet mission. Mariner 10 was the first spacecraft to have an imaging system. It recorded circulation in the Venusian atmosphere and showed the temperature of the cloud tops to be -23°C. Mariner 10 flew past Mercury 3 times on March 29, 1974, September 21, 1974, and March 16, 1975. These three encounters produced over 10,000 pictures with 57% planet coverage. It recorded surface temperatures ranging from 187°C to -183°C on the day and night sides. A weak magnetic field was detected but it failed to detect an atmosphere. Mariner 10 is now in a solar orbit.
1987: Soyuz TM-2 launches
1994: Clementine - USA Lunar Orbiter - (launched January 25, 1994) spent 70 days (between February 6 and May 5, 1994) in lunar orbit. The official name for Clementine is Deep Space Probe Science Experiment (DSPSE). It was a Department of Defense program used to test new space technology. Clementine was a new design using lightweight structure and propellant systems. Its four cameras mapped the surface of the Moon at 125-250 meters/pixel resolution. Clementine also used a laser to gather altimeter data which will make it possible to generate the first lunar topographic map
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