On This Date in History - March 3
Astronomy & Space Fact
Landsat was the series of revolutionary satellites that were first launched in 1972 for the purpose of systematically photographing the surface of the Earth from space.
Who Was Born Today
1838: George W. Hill, U.S. astronomer, Moon orbit
1942: Vladimir Vasilyevich Kovolyonok, USR, cosmonaut, Soyuz 25, 29/31, T-4
1946: James C. Adamson, born Warsaw New York, Lt. Col. U.S. astronaut on STS 28, STS 43
1949: Bonnie J. Dunbar, born Sunnyside, Washington, PhD/astronaut, STS 61-A, 32, 50, 71, 89
1949: James S. Voss, born Cordova, Alabama, Major USA/astronaut, STS 44, 53, 69
1951: Sergei Aleksandrovich Yemelyanov, Russian cosmonaut
1953: Aleksandr Viktorovich Borodin, born in Russia, cosmonaut
Who Died Today
1703: Robert Hooke died in London, England
Today in History
1915: Natl Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NASA forerunner) created
1959: US Probe, Pioneer 4 made a Distant Lunar Flyby. It is now in a solar orbit.
1969: Apollo 9 launched for 151 Earth orbits (10 days)
1987: Pioneer 9, USA Solar Probe (November 8, 1968 - March 3, 1987) died. Still in solar orbit.
1996: NEAR, USA Asteroid Orbiter (Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous) imaged Comet Hyakutake.
From:About.com