The Soviet R-2, with twice the range of the R-1, makes its first flight.
59 years ago, in 1958:
The NASA agency becomes operational.
14 years ago, in 2003:
With the merger of three previously independent organizations, the Japan Aerospace eXploration Agency (JAXA) is formed.
7 years ago, in 2010:
Chang'e 2, an unmanned Chinese lunar probe, is successfully launched.
3 years ago, in 2014:
Communication is lost with the solar probe STEREO B.
2
WAXING GIBBOUS
55 years ago, in 1962:
Explorer 14 is launched to measure cosmic-ray particles, solar wind protons, and interplanetary magnetic fields.
46 years ago, in 1971:
Luna 19 (USSR) goes into orbit around the Moon, returning data for the next year.
26 years ago, in 1991:
On board the Soyuz TM-13 mission to Mir, Franz Viehbock becomes the first Austrian to visit space.
26 years ago, in 1991:
The Japanese Hiten moon probe is placed into temporary lunar orbit.
This year:
OSIRIS-REx takes a picture of the Earth and Moon from a distance of just over 5 million km's ( 3 million miles)
3
75 years ago, in 1942:
The first V-2 rocket is launched from Peenemunde, Germany, and reaches 85 km (52 mi).
55 years ago, in 1962:
Mercury/Sigma 7 does 6 earth orbits with astronaut Wally M. Schirra.
32 years ago, in 1985:
The shuttle Atlantis (STS-51-J) lifts off for its maiden flight.
4
18
th
Annual
World Space Week
Day
1
60 years ago, in 1957:
The Soviets launch Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite.
58 years ago, in 1959:
Luna 3 is launched to the Moon.
57 years ago, in 1960:
Courier 1B is launched by the USAF, becoming the world's first active repeater satellite.
52 years ago, in 1965:
Luna 7 is launched to the Moon.
13 years ago, in 2004:
The Scaled Composites SpaceShipOne makes its second (and winning) flight for the Ansari X PRIZE.
5
FULL MOON
18
th
Annual
World Space Week
Day
2
59 years ago, in 1958:
Explorer 4's high-power transmitter ceases sending signals.
38 years ago, in 1979:
Pioneer 11 begins the Pioneer Interstellar Mission.
33 years ago, in 1984:
Marc Garneau, aboard the shuttle Challenger (STS-41-G), becomes the first Canadian in space.
24 years ago, in 1993:
Landsat 6 is launched, but fails to reach orbit.
1 year ago, in 2016:
Blue Origin's New Shepard (NS2) makes its fifth sub-orbital spaceflight, with a successful fifth time reused booster launch and landing.
6
18
th
Annual
World Space Week
Day
3
58 years ago, in 1959:
Explorer 6 makes its final transmission.
50 years ago, in 1967:
After 180 days, Lunar Orbiter 4's decaying orbit crashes it into the Moon.
27 years ago, in 1990:
The Ulysses spacecraft is launched from shuttle Discovery (STS-41) to study the Sun.
22 years ago, in 1995:
The first confirmed exoplanet around a sun-like star, 51 Pegasi b, is discovered.
20 years ago, in 1997:
After almost 32 years, Pioneer 6 is tracked with the 70 meter Deep Space Station 43 in Australia.
9 years ago, in 2008:
Messenger makes its second Mercury flyby.
7 years ago, in 2010:
Chang'e 2, an unmanned Chinese lunar probe, enters lunar orbit.
4 years ago, in 2013:
The Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) goes into orbit around the Moon.
7
18
th
Annual
World Space Week
Day
4
59 years ago, in 1958:
Studies and plans of the U.S. manned satellite project (in what was to become Project Mercury) is officially approved by NASA.
58 years ago, in 1959:
Luna 3 takes the first photos of the far side of the Moon.
52 years ago, in 1965:
Luna 7 crashes into the Moon, instead of a soft landing as planned.
20 years ago, in 1997:
Mars Pathfinder sends its last signal.
15 years ago, in 2002:
The shuttle Atlantis (STS-112) is launched with the Starboard 1 (S1) truss segment for the ISS.
8
18
th
Annual
World Space Week
Day
5
9 years ago, in 2008:
The Cassini probe makes a pass over Enceladus at a height of only 16 miles (25 km) from the surface, the closest flyby of any moon of Saturn.
5 years ago, in 2012:
The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is launched on its first operational mission (CRS-1) to the ISS.
3 years ago, in 2014:
In orbit around Mercury, MESSENGER captures 31 photos of the Earth and moon during the lunar eclipse.
9
WANING GIBBOUS
18
th
Annual
World Space Week
Day
6
50 years ago, in 1967:
After 246 days, Lunar Orbiter 3's orbit decays and it crashes into the Moon.
49 years ago, in 1968:
NASA's Crawler Transporter One transports the Saturn V rocket for Apollo 8 to the launch pad.
17 years ago, in 2000:
The High Energy Transient Explorer 2 (HETE-2), designed for multiwavelength study of gamma-ray bursts, is successfully launched.
10 years ago, in 2007:
Conclusive evidence is announced that the icy particles from Saturn's moon Enceladus are originating from the fractures at the south polar region.
8 years ago, in 2009:
The LCROSS Centaur booster rocket and the Shepherding Spacecraft impact into Cabeus crater on the moon.
4 years ago, in 2013:
The Juno probe makes a flyby of Earth on its way to Jupiter.
10
18
th
Annual
World Space Week
Day
7
171 years ago, in 1846:
William Lassell discovers Neptune's largest moon, Triton.
69 years ago, in 1948:
The R-1 (a Soviet built copy of the German V-2) makes its first successful flight.
57 years ago, in 1960:
Mars 1M No.1 (Mars 1960A) is launched by the Soviet Union, but the third stage explodes five minutes after liftoff.
53 years ago, in 1964:
Explorer 22 is launched to obtain data on the total electron content between the spacecraft and the Earth.
50 years ago, in 1967:
The Outer Space Treaty is passed.
34 years ago, in 1983:
Venera 15 goes into orbit around Venus.
28 years ago, in 1989:
Voyager 2's wide-angle camera is turned off to conserve power and computer memory.
7 years ago, in 2010:
The first SpaceShipTwo spaceplane, VSS Enterprise, makes its first test (manned glide) flight.
11
59 years ago, in 1958:
Intended for a lunar impact, the Soviets launch Luna E-1 No.2 (Luna 1958B), but the rocket disintegrates 102 seconds after launch.
59 years ago, in 1958:
Pioneer 1 is the first spacecraft to be launched by NASA, but fails to reach the Moon.
52 years ago, in 1965:
The Soviet Proton-1 satellite, designed for the study of high and ultra-high energy particles, ends its mission.
50 years ago, in 1967:
After 339 days, Lunar Orbiter 2 is commanded to crash into the Moon.
49 years ago, in 1968:
The first crewed Apollo flight orbits the Earth for 11 days (Apollo 7 test flight - no LM).
48 years ago, in 1969:
Soyuz 6 is launched for a rendezvous with Soyuz 7 and 8.
46 years ago, in 1971:
The Salyut 1 space station is sent into the atmosphere to burn up after 175 days in orbit.
34 years ago, in 1983:
Venera 16 goes into orbit around Venus.
33 years ago, in 1984:
Aboard shuttle Challenger (STS-41-G), Kathryn Sullivan becomes the first American woman to perform an EVA.
17 years ago, in 2000:
The 100th mission of the shuttle launches (Discovery; STS-92), bringing the Z1 truss and other components for the ISS.
12
LAST QUARTER
53 years ago, in 1964:
Voskhod 1 is launched with three cosmonauts aboard; the first multiman mission.
48 years ago, in 1969:
Soyuz 7 is launched for a rendezvous with Soyuz 6 and 8.
40 years ago, in 1977:
The shuttle Enterprise makes its fourth Approach and Landing Test (ALT-15) after being releasd from the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.
12 years ago, in 2005:
The Large Binocular Telescope's (LBT) single primary mirror sees first light, viewing NGC 891.
2 years ago, in 2015:
Using both narrow- and wide-angle cameras, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter takes a picture of Earth over the lunar limb.
13
59 years ago, in 1958:
Pioneer 1 burns up after reentering Earth's atmosphere.
58 years ago, in 1959:
An anti-satellite missile test of the Bold Orion rocket uses Explorer 6 as a target, and successfully passes within 6.4 kilometers (4 mi) of it.
58 years ago, in 1959:
Explorer 7 is launched, beginning the start of satellite studies of Earth's climate.
53 years ago, in 1964:
Voskhod 1 returns to Earth.
52 years ago, in 1965:
Last contact is made with Explorer 21.
48 years ago, in 1969:
Soyuz 8 is launched for a rendezvous with Soyuz 6 and 7.
23 years ago, in 1994:
The Magellan mission at Venus ends; the spacecraft is deorbited into the Venusian atmosphere.
2 years ago, in 2015:
2015 TG387 (The Goblin), an extreme trans-Neptunian object and sednoid, is discovered at the Mauna Kea Observatory.
14
70 years ago, in 1947:
Charles "Chuck" Yeager breaks the sound barrier in the XS-1.
57 years ago, in 1960:
Mars 1M No.2 (Mars 1960B) is launched by the Soviet Union, but fails to achieve orbit after liftoff.
41 years ago, in 1976:
MARISAT F3, the third of three maritime telecommunications satellites for commercial shipping and the U.S. Navy, is launched.
41 years ago, in 1976:
The Soviet Soyuz carrier rocket makes its final flight.
5 years ago, in 2012:
The retired shuttle Endeavour is delivered to the California Science Center for public display.
15
52 years ago, in 1965:
The equipment module of Korabl-Sputnik 1 (Sputnik 4) re-enters Earths atmosphere.
43 years ago, in 1974:
Ariel 5, a British/American X-ray space observatory, is launched.
20 years ago, in 1997:
Cassini is launched to Saturn.
14 years ago, in 2003:
Aboard the Shenzhou 5 spacecraft, Yang Liwei becomes the first person sent into space by the Chinese space program.
5 years ago, in 2012:
Citizen scientists participating in Yale University's Planets Hunters program confirm the first exoplanet in a four star system.
2 years ago, in 2015:
New Horizons third stage (a Star-48 solid fuel rocket) passes the orbit of Pluto.
16
WANING CRESCENT
48 years ago, in 1969:
Soyuz 6, 7 and 8 return to Earth after all three fail at docking due to an electronic malfunction.
42 years ago, in 1975:
GOES-1 (GOES-A) is launched, becoming NOAA's first Geostationary Operational Environmental satellite.
14 years ago, in 2003:
Having completed 14 orbits, Shenzhou 5 successfully lands in Inner Mongolia.
4 years ago, in 2013:
A 650 kg (1,440 lb) fragment from the Chelyabinsk air burst is recovered from Chebarkul lake in Russia.
1 year ago, in 2016:
ESA’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) releases the Schiaparelli lander.
17
111 years ago, in 1906:
617 Patroclus, a Jupiter trojan asteroid, is discovered by German astronomer August Kopff at Heidelberg Observatory.
60 years ago, in 1957:
The groundbreaking and dedication of the Green Bank radio astronomy site takes place.
54 years ago, in 1963:
The first 'Vela Hotel' pair of satellites are launched to monitor possible nuclear testing in space by the Soviet Union.
49 years ago, in 1968:
ATS-4 re-enters the Earth's atmosphere and breaks up.
49 years ago, in 1968:
Aboard Apollo 7, astronauts take pictures of Hurricane Gladys.
15 years ago, in 2002:
ESA launches INTEGRAL (INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory).
1 year ago, in 2016:
S/2010 (225088) 1, a moon of the TNO 2007 OR10 (Gonggong), is discovered in archival images acquired by the Hubble telescope on Sept. 18, 2010.
18
55 years ago, in 1962:
Ranger 5 is launched to the Moon, but misses it and settles into a heliocentric orbit.
54 years ago, in 1963:
A French sounding rocket, Véronique AGI 47, launces Félicette, the first and only cat sent into space; she was recovered successfully.
50 years ago, in 1967:
Venera 4 enters the atmosphere of Venus and may have landed.
50 years ago, in 1967:
The fourth Orbiting Solar Observatory, OSO-4 (OSO-D) is launched successfully.
28 years ago, in 1989:
The Galileo probe is launched from the shuttle Atlantis (STS-34R) to Jupiter.
24 years ago, in 1993:
Aboard the shuttle Columbia (STS-58), Shannon Lucid becomes the first woman to go to space four times.
10 years ago, in 2007:
The Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) space-based telescope is decommisioned.
19
NEW MOON
50 years ago, in 1967:
Mariner 5 flies by Venus.
9 years ago, in 2008:
NASA launches IBEX (Interstellar Boundary Explorer), to make a map of the boundary between the Solar System and interstellar space.
3 years ago, in 2014:
Comet C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring) passes Mars at a distance of appoximately 17,000 miles (27,000km).
1 year ago, in 2016:
ESA’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) enters orbit around Mars.
1 year ago, in 2016:
ESA’s Schiaparelli lander crashes on the surface of Mars.
This year:
The Pan-STARRS1 telescope discovers the first known interstellar asteroid, 1I/2017 U1 ('Oumuamua).
20
49 years ago, in 1968:
Aboard Apollo 7, astronauts take pictures of Typhoon Gloria.
47 years ago, in 1970:
Zond 8, an unmanned version of Soyuz 7K-L1 manned Moon-flyby spacecraft, is launched from an Earth-orbiting platform, Tyazheliy Sputnik, for a test flight to the Moon.
42 years ago, in 1975:
Venera 9 is the first craft to orbit Venus.
1 year ago, in 2016:
NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter photographs the Schiaparelli lander crash site.
21
57 years ago, in 1960:
Courier 1B, the first active repeater satellite, fails to respond to ground control.
52 years ago, in 1965:
Comet Ikeya–Seki reaches perihelion, coming just under 280,000 miles (450,000 km) above the Sun's surface.
14 years ago, in 2003:
Images are taken at Mount Palomar observatory which later lead to the discovery of the dwarf planet Eris.
6 years ago, in 2011:
The first launch of a Soyuz rocket at the Guiana Space Centre takes place, with a Soyuz-2 carrying two Galileo satellites.
22
51 years ago, in 1966:
Luna 12 is launched to the Moon.
49 years ago, in 1968:
Apollo 7 splashes down in the Atlantic Ocean and is retrieved by the USS Essex.
42 years ago, in 1975:
Venera 9 lands on and returns the first images from Venus.
40 years ago, in 1977:
The International Sun-Earth Explorer 1 and 2 (ISEE-1 and ISEE-2) are launched to study magnetic fields near the Earth.
16 years ago, in 2001:
Technology Experiment Satellite (TES) is launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation to demonstrate future satellite technologies.
9 years ago, in 2008:
India's first lunar probe, Chandrayaan-1, is successfully launched.
23
WAXING CRESCENT
93 years ago, in 1924:
1036 Ganymed, the largest near-Earth asteroid, is discovered by Walter Baade.
58 years ago, in 1959:
Explorer 4 burns up in the atmosphere.
56 years ago, in 1961:
The Freedom 7 spacecraft is presented by NASA to the National Air Museum of the Smithsonian Institution.
42 years ago, in 1975:
Venera 10 goes into orbit around Venus.
21 years ago, in 1996:
The Keck II Telescope sees "first light".
10 years ago, in 2007:
The Harmony Module for the ISS is launched aboard shuttle Discovery (STS-120).
6 years ago, in 2011:
The ROSAT X-Ray satellite re-enters Earth's atmosphere.
4 years ago, in 2013:
Orbital Sciences' Cygnus resupply ship demonstration mission deorbits and burns up in the atmosphere.
3 years ago, in 2014:
China launches Chang'e 5-T1, an experimental unmanned lunar mission, to perform a loop around the Moon and re-entry tests on the capsule.
24
166 years ago, in 1851:
William Lassell discovers two moon of Uranus, Ariel and Umbriel.
71 years ago, in 1946:
The first photo of Earth from space is taken by U.S. scientists with a V-2 rocket.
60 years ago, in 1957:
The Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar program begins, to be cancelled 6 years (and US$660 million) later.
57 years ago, in 1960:
The Nedelin catastrophe occurs when the second stage of a prototype Soviet R-16 accidentally ignites on the Baikonur test range launchpad during preparations, killing over 70 people.
55 years ago, in 1962:
Mars 2MV-4 No.1 (Sputnik 22) is launched by the Soviet Union, but a problem with the rocket causes it to be destroyed in low Earth orbit.
54 years ago, in 1963:
A Soviet R-9 missile being prepared for launch at Baikonur Cosmodrome develops an oxygen leak; a spark from an electrical panel ignites it, with the resulting fire killing seven.
47 years ago, in 1970:
Zond 8 flies past the Moon at a distance of 690 miles (1110 km), and takes pictures of the lunar surface.
39 years ago, in 1978:
The first Czechoslovakian satellite, Magion 1, is successfully launched with the Interkosmos 18 mission.
19 years ago, in 1998:
Deep Space 1, the first ion-driven craft, is launched to test new technologies.
16 years ago, in 2001:
Mars Odyssey enters orbit around Mars.
13 years ago, in 2004:
The Cassini probe makes its first flyby of Titan, coming within 750 miles (1200 km) of the surface.
11 years ago, in 2006:
Messenger makes its first Venus flyby.
10 years ago, in 2007:
Chang'e 1, an unmanned Chinese lunar-orbiting spacecraft, is successfully launched.
25
346 years ago, in 1671:
Giovanni Cassini discovers one of Saturn's moons, Iapetus.
51 years ago, in 1966:
Luna 12 goes into orbit around the Moon.
49 years ago, in 1968:
Soyuz 2, an uncrewed spacecraft, is launched to be a docking target for Soyuz 3.
42 years ago, in 1975:
The Venera 10 lander touches down on Venus.
42 years ago, in 1975:
Nine days after launch, GOES-1 returns its first image.
10 years ago, in 2007:
Eileen Collins, commander of STS-120, greets commander Peggy Whitson, ISS commander; marking the first time two female commanders are in space together.
26
60 years ago, in 1957:
Sputnik 1 ceases sending signals after 22 days when the transmitter batteries run out.
49 years ago, in 1968:
Soyuz 3 is launched for a rendezvous with Soyuz 2, but fails to successfully dock.
40 years ago, in 1977:
The shuttle Enterprise makes its fifth and final Approach and Landing Test (ALT-16) after being releasd from the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.
11 years ago, in 2006:
STEREO A and B (Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory) are launched for orbit around the Sun.
27
FIRST QUARTER
56 years ago, in 1961:
The Saturn I SA-1 makes its first (and successful) flight.
55 years ago, in 1962:
Explorer 15 is launched to study the artificial radiation belt produced by the Starfish Prime high-altitude nuclear burst of July, 1962.
47 years ago, in 1970:
Zond 8 reenters the Earth's atmosphere and splashes down in the Indian Ocean.
12 years ago, in 2005:
The first Iranian satellite, Sina-1, is successfully launched.
2 years ago, in 2015:
NASA's Swift space observatory detects its 1,000th GRB.
28
49 years ago, in 1968:
Soyuz 2, an uncrewed spacecraft, returns to Earth.
46 years ago, in 1971:
Prospero becomes the first British satellite to be launched successfully by a British Black Arrow rocket.
43 years ago, in 1974:
Luna 23 (USSR) is launched to the Moon; its designed to return a deep-core sample of the Moon's surface.
23 years ago, in 1994:
The Japanese probe Sakigake makes its third Earth swingby.
11 years ago, in 2006:
The Hinode (Solar-B) Solar Observatory takes its first picture of the Sun.
29
51 years ago, in 1966:
The Luna 12 pictures, which for the first time are taken by a film process rather than a TV camera, are released by the Soviet press.
51 years ago, in 1966:
After 577 orbits, Lunar Orbiter 1 is commanded to crash into the far side of the Moon.
26 years ago, in 1991:
Galileo is the first probe to fly by an asteroid, Gaspra.
19 years ago, in 1998:
On board shuttle Discovery (STS-95), Pedro Duque becomes the first citizen from Spain to visit space.
19 years ago, in 1998:
HST Orbital Systems Test (HOST) is flown aboard shuttle Discovery (STS-95) to test new tech for Hubble.
19 years ago, in 1998:
Aboard the shuttle Discovery (STS-95), Chiaki Mukai becomes both the first Japanese woman and citizen to go to space twice.
9 years ago, in 2008:
The first Venezuelan satellite, Venesat-1, is successfully launched.
30
50 years ago, in 1967:
The unmanned Soviet Kosmos 186 and Kosmos 188 make the first fully automated space docking.
49 years ago, in 1968:
Soyuz 3 returns to Earth.
36 years ago, in 1981:
Venera 13 is launched to Venus.
32 years ago, in 1985:
On the ninth and final flight of Challenger (STS-61-A), Wubbo Johannes Ockels becomes the first Dutch citizen to visit space.
3 years ago, in 2014:
The Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle completes its first Flight Readiness Review (FRR).
31
WAXING GIBBOUS
97 years ago, in 1920:
944 Hidalgo, the first member of the centaurs (though not realized as distinct until 1977) , is discovered by German astronomer Walter Baade.
17 years ago, in 2000:
Expedition 1, the first ISS Crew, launches from Russia on board Soyuz TM-31.
6 years ago, in 2011:
Shenzhou 8 is launched aboard a Long March 2F rocket to perform an automated docking with Tiangong-1.
3 years ago, in 2014:
The first SpaceShipTwo spaceplane, VSS Enterprise, is destroyed during a powered test flight, killing one and injuring another.
3 years ago, in 2014:
China's Chang'e 5-T1, an experimental unmanned lunar mission, lands successfully in Inner Mongolia.