The Soviet R-2, with twice the range of the R-1, makes its first flight.
4 years ago, in 1958:
The NASA agency becomes operational.
2
This year:
Explorer 14 is launched to measure cosmic-ray particles, solar wind protons, and interplanetary magnetic fields.
3
20 years ago, in 1942:
The first V-2 rocket is launched from Peenemunde, Germany, and reaches 85 km (52 mi).
This year:
Mercury/Sigma 7 does 6 earth orbits with astronaut Wally M. Schirra.
4
5 years ago, in 1957:
The Soviets launch Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite.
3 years ago, in 1959:
Luna 3 is launched to the Moon.
2 years ago, in 1960:
Courier 1B is launched by the USAF, becoming the world's first active repeater satellite.
5
4 years ago, in 1958:
Explorer 4's high-power transmitter ceases sending signals.
6
3 years ago, in 1959:
Explorer 6 makes its final transmission.
7
4 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.
3 years ago, in 1959:
Luna 3 takes the first photos of the far side of the Moon.
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10
116 years ago, in 1846:
William Lassell discovers Neptune's largest moon, Triton.
14 years ago, in 1948:
The R-1 (a Soviet built copy of the German V-2) makes its first successful flight.
2 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.
11
4 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.
4 years ago, in 1958:
Pioneer 1 is the first spacecraft to be launched by NASA, but fails to reach the Moon.
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13
4 years ago, in 1958:
Pioneer 1 burns up after reentering Earth's atmosphere.
3 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.
3 years ago, in 1959:
Explorer 7 is launched, beginning the start of satellite studies of Earth's climate.
14
15 years ago, in 1947:
Charles "Chuck" Yeager breaks the sound barrier in the XS-1.
2 years ago, in 1960:
Mars 1M No.2 (Mars 1960B) is launched by the Soviet Union, but fails to achieve orbit after liftoff.
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17
56 years ago, in 1906:
617 Patroclus, a Jupiter trojan asteroid, is discovered by German astronomer August Kopff at Heidelberg Observatory.
5 years ago, in 1957:
The groundbreaking and dedication of the Green Bank radio astronomy site takes place.
18
This year:
Ranger 5 is launched to the Moon, but misses it and settles into a heliocentric orbit.
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21
2 years ago, in 1960:
Courier 1B, the first active repeater satellite, fails to respond to ground control.
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23
38 years ago, in 1924:
1036 Ganymed, the largest near-Earth asteroid, is discovered by Walter Baade.
3 years ago, in 1959:
Explorer 4 burns up in the atmosphere.
1 year ago, in 1961:
The Freedom 7 spacecraft is presented by NASA to the National Air Museum of the Smithsonian Institution.
24
111 years ago, in 1851:
William Lassell discovers two moon of Uranus, Ariel and Umbriel.
16 years ago, in 1946:
The first photo of Earth from space is taken by U.S. scientists with a V-2 rocket.
5 years ago, in 1957:
The Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar program begins, to be cancelled 6 years (and US$660 million) later.
2 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.
This year:
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.
25
291 years ago, in 1671:
Giovanni Cassini discovers one of Saturn's moons, Iapetus.
26
5 years ago, in 1957:
Sputnik 1 ceases sending signals after 22 days when the transmitter batteries run out.
27
1 year ago, in 1961:
The Saturn I SA-1 makes its first (and successful) flight.
This year:
Explorer 15 is launched to study the artificial radiation belt produced by the Starfish Prime high-altitude nuclear burst of July, 1962.
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42 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.
It's been 3965 days
