The Soviet R-2, with twice the range of the R-1, makes its first flight.
9 years ago, in 1958:
The NASA agency becomes operational.
2
5 years ago, in 1962:
Explorer 14 is launched to measure cosmic-ray particles, solar wind protons, and interplanetary magnetic fields.
3
25 years ago, in 1942:
The first V-2 rocket is launched from Peenemunde, Germany, and reaches 85 km (52 mi).
5 years ago, in 1962:
Mercury/Sigma 7 does 6 earth orbits with astronaut Wally M. Schirra.
4
10 years ago, in 1957:
The Soviets launch Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite.
8 years ago, in 1959:
Luna 3 is launched to the Moon.
7 years ago, in 1960:
Courier 1B is launched by the USAF, becoming the world's first active repeater satellite.
2 years ago, in 1965:
Luna 7 is launched to the Moon.
5
9 years ago, in 1958:
Explorer 4's high-power transmitter ceases sending signals.
6
8 years ago, in 1959:
Explorer 6 makes its final transmission.
This year:
After 180 days, Lunar Orbiter 4's decaying orbit crashes it into the Moon.
7
9 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.
8 years ago, in 1959:
Luna 3 takes the first photos of the far side of the Moon.
2 years ago, in 1965:
Luna 7 crashes into the Moon, instead of a soft landing as planned.
8
9
This year:
After 246 days, Lunar Orbiter 3's orbit decays and it crashes into the Moon.
10
121 years ago, in 1846:
William Lassell discovers Neptune's largest moon, Triton.
19 years ago, in 1948:
The R-1 (a Soviet built copy of the German V-2) makes its first successful flight.
7 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.
3 years ago, in 1964:
Explorer 22 is launched to obtain data on the total electron content between the spacecraft and the Earth.
This year:
The Outer Space Treaty is passed.
11
9 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.
9 years ago, in 1958:
Pioneer 1 is the first spacecraft to be launched by NASA, but fails to reach the Moon.
2 years ago, in 1965:
The Soviet Proton-1 satellite, designed for the study of high and ultra-high energy particles, ends its mission.
This year:
After 339 days, Lunar Orbiter 2 is commanded to crash into the Moon.
12
3 years ago, in 1964:
Voskhod 1 is launched with three cosmonauts aboard; the first multiman mission.
13
9 years ago, in 1958:
Pioneer 1 burns up after reentering Earth's atmosphere.
8 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.
8 years ago, in 1959:
Explorer 7 is launched, beginning the start of satellite studies of Earth's climate.
3 years ago, in 1964:
Voskhod 1 returns to Earth.
2 years ago, in 1965:
Last contact is made with Explorer 21.
14
20 years ago, in 1947:
Charles "Chuck" Yeager breaks the sound barrier in the XS-1.
7 years ago, in 1960:
Mars 1M No.2 (Mars 1960B) is launched by the Soviet Union, but fails to achieve orbit after liftoff.
15
2 years ago, in 1965:
The equipment module of Korabl-Sputnik 1 (Sputnik 4) re-enters Earths atmosphere.
16
17
61 years ago, in 1906:
617 Patroclus, a Jupiter trojan asteroid, is discovered by German astronomer August Kopff at Heidelberg Observatory.
10 years ago, in 1957:
The groundbreaking and dedication of the Green Bank radio astronomy site takes place.
4 years ago, in 1963:
The first 'Vela Hotel' pair of satellites are launched to monitor possible nuclear testing in space by the Soviet Union.
18
5 years ago, in 1962:
Ranger 5 is launched to the Moon, but misses it and settles into a heliocentric orbit.
4 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.
This year:
Venera 4 enters the atmosphere of Venus and may have landed.
This year:
The fourth Orbiting Solar Observatory, OSO-4 (OSO-D) is launched successfully.
19
This year:
Mariner 5 flies by Venus.
20
21
7 years ago, in 1960:
Courier 1B, the first active repeater satellite, fails to respond to ground control.
2 years ago, in 1965:
Comet Ikeya–Seki reaches perihelion, coming just under 280,000 miles (450,000 km) above the Sun's surface.
22
1 year ago, in 1966:
Luna 12 is launched to the Moon.
23
43 years ago, in 1924:
1036 Ganymed, the largest near-Earth asteroid, is discovered by Walter Baade.
8 years ago, in 1959:
Explorer 4 burns up in the atmosphere.
6 years ago, in 1961:
The Freedom 7 spacecraft is presented by NASA to the National Air Museum of the Smithsonian Institution.
24
116 years ago, in 1851:
William Lassell discovers two moon of Uranus, Ariel and Umbriel.
21 years ago, in 1946:
The first photo of Earth from space is taken by U.S. scientists with a V-2 rocket.
10 years ago, in 1957:
The Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar program begins, to be cancelled 6 years (and US$660 million) later.
7 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.
5 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.
4 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.
25
296 years ago, in 1671:
Giovanni Cassini discovers one of Saturn's moons, Iapetus.
1 year ago, in 1966:
Luna 12 goes into orbit around the Moon.
26
10 years ago, in 1957:
Sputnik 1 ceases sending signals after 22 days when the transmitter batteries run out.
27
6 years ago, in 1961:
The Saturn I SA-1 makes its first (and successful) flight.
5 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.
28
29
1 year 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.
1 year ago, in 1966:
After 577 orbits, Lunar Orbiter 1 is commanded to crash into the far side of the Moon.
30
This year:
The unmanned Soviet Kosmos 186 and Kosmos 188 make the first fully automated space docking.
31
47 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 3962 days
