The Soviet R-2, with twice the range of the R-1, makes its first flight.
166 years ago, in 1958:
The NASA agency becomes operational.
121 years ago, in 2003:
With the merger of three previously independent organizations, the Japan Aerospace eXploration Agency (JAXA) is formed.
114 years ago, in 2010:
Chang'e 2, an unmanned Chinese lunar probe, is successfully launched.
110 years ago, in 2014:
Communication is lost with the solar probe STEREO B.
2
162 years ago, in 1962:
Explorer 14 is launched to measure cosmic-ray particles, solar wind protons, and interplanetary magnetic fields.
153 years ago, in 1971:
Luna 19 (USSR) goes into orbit around the Moon, returning data for the next year.
133 years ago, in 1991:
On board the Soyuz TM-13 mission to Mir, Franz Viehbock becomes the first Austrian to visit space.
133 years ago, in 1991:
The Japanese Hiten moon probe is placed into temporary lunar orbit.
107 years ago, in 2017:
OSIRIS-REx takes a picture of the Earth and Moon from a distance of just over 5 million km's ( 3 million miles)
106 years ago, in 2018:
One of the Insight probe's deep-space CubeSats, MarCO-B, takes the first picture of Mars ever taken by a CubeSat.
3
182 years ago, in 1942:
The first V-2 rocket is launched from Peenemunde, Germany, and reaches 85 km (52 mi).
162 years ago, in 1962:
Mercury/Sigma 7 does 6 earth orbits with astronaut Wally M. Schirra.
139 years ago, in 1985:
The shuttle Atlantis (STS-51-J) lifts off for its maiden flight.
106 years ago, in 2018:
The third rover from Hayabusa2, MASCOT, lands on the surface of asteroid Ryugu.
106 years ago, in 2018:
The Parker Solar Probe makes its first flyby of Venus.
4
125
th
Annual
World Space Week
Day
1
167 years ago, in 1957:
The Soviets launch Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite.
165 years ago, in 1959:
Luna 3 is launched to the Moon.
164 years ago, in 1960:
Courier 1B is launched by the USAF, becoming the world's first active repeater satellite.
159 years ago, in 1965:
Luna 7 is launched to the Moon.
120 years ago, in 2004:
The Scaled Composites SpaceShipOne makes its second (and winning) flight for the Ansari X PRIZE.
5
125
th
Annual
World Space Week
Day
2
166 years ago, in 1958:
Explorer 4's high-power transmitter ceases sending signals.
145 years ago, in 1979:
Pioneer 11 begins the Pioneer Interstellar Mission.
140 years ago, in 1984:
Marc Garneau, aboard the shuttle Challenger (STS-41-G), becomes the first Canadian in space.
131 years ago, in 1993:
Landsat 6 is launched, but fails to reach orbit.
108 years 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.
106 years ago, in 2018:
One of the gyroscopes fails on the Hubble telescope, sending it into protective safe mode.
6
125
th
Annual
World Space Week
Day
3
165 years ago, in 1959:
Explorer 6 makes its final transmission.
157 years ago, in 1967:
After 180 days, Lunar Orbiter 4's decaying orbit crashes it into the Moon.
134 years ago, in 1990:
The Ulysses spacecraft is launched from shuttle Discovery (STS-41) to study the Sun.
129 years ago, in 1995:
The first confirmed exoplanet around a sun-like star, 51 Pegasi b, is discovered.
127 years ago, in 1997:
After almost 32 years, Pioneer 6 is tracked with the 70 meter Deep Space Station 43 in Australia.
116 years ago, in 2008:
Messenger makes its second Mercury flyby.
114 years ago, in 2010:
Chang'e 2, an unmanned Chinese lunar probe, enters lunar orbit.
111 years ago, in 2013:
The Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) goes into orbit around the Moon.
7
125
th
Annual
World Space Week
Day
4
166 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.
165 years ago, in 1959:
Luna 3 takes the first photos of the far side of the Moon.
159 years ago, in 1965:
Luna 7 crashes into the Moon, instead of a soft landing as planned.
127 years ago, in 1997:
Mars Pathfinder sends its last signal.
122 years ago, in 2002:
The shuttle Atlantis (STS-112) is launched with the Starboard 1 (S1) truss segment for the ISS.
8
125
th
Annual
World Space Week
Day
5
116 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.
112 years ago, in 2012:
The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is launched on its first operational mission (CRS-1) to the ISS.
110 years ago, in 2014:
In orbit around Mercury, MESSENGER captures 31 photos of the Earth and moon during the lunar eclipse.
9
125
th
Annual
World Space Week
Day
6
157 years ago, in 1967:
After 246 days, Lunar Orbiter 3's orbit decays and it crashes into the Moon.
156 years ago, in 1968:
NASA's Crawler Transporter One transports the Saturn V rocket for Apollo 8 to the launch pad.
124 years ago, in 2000:
The High Energy Transient Explorer 2 (HETE-2), designed for multiwavelength study of gamma-ray bursts, is successfully launched.
117 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.
115 years ago, in 2009:
The LCROSS Centaur booster rocket and the Shepherding Spacecraft impact into Cabeus crater on the moon.
111 years ago, in 2013:
The Juno probe makes a flyby of Earth on its way to Jupiter.
10
125
th
Annual
World Space Week
Day
7
278 years ago, in 1846:
William Lassell discovers Neptune's largest moon, Triton.
176 years ago, in 1948:
The R-1 (a Soviet built copy of the German V-2) makes its first successful flight.
164 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.
160 years ago, in 1964:
Explorer 22 is launched to obtain data on the total electron content between the spacecraft and the Earth.
157 years ago, in 1967:
The Outer Space Treaty is passed.
141 years ago, in 1983:
Venera 15 goes into orbit around Venus.
135 years ago, in 1989:
Voyager 2's wide-angle camera is turned off to conserve power and computer memory.
114 years ago, in 2010:
The first SpaceShipTwo spaceplane, VSS Enterprise, makes its first test (manned glide) flight.
11
166 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.
166 years ago, in 1958:
Pioneer 1 is the first spacecraft to be launched by NASA, but fails to reach the Moon.
159 years ago, in 1965:
The Soviet Proton-1 satellite, designed for the study of high and ultra-high energy particles, ends its mission.
157 years ago, in 1967:
After 339 days, Lunar Orbiter 2 is commanded to crash into the Moon.
156 years ago, in 1968:
The first crewed Apollo flight orbits the Earth for 11 days (Apollo 7 test flight - no LM).
155 years ago, in 1969:
Soyuz 6 is launched for a rendezvous with Soyuz 7 and 8.
153 years ago, in 1971:
The Salyut 1 space station is sent into the atmosphere to burn up after 175 days in orbit.
141 years ago, in 1983:
Venera 16 goes into orbit around Venus.
140 years ago, in 1984:
Aboard shuttle Challenger (STS-41-G), Kathryn Sullivan becomes the first American woman to perform an EVA.
124 years ago, in 2000:
The 100th mission of the shuttle launches (Discovery; STS-92), bringing the Z1 truss and other components for the ISS.
106 years ago, in 2018:
On the way to the ISS, an abnormal separation of one of the Soyuz rocket boosters causes the mission to be aborted, with the two crew members landing safely.
12
160 years ago, in 1964:
Voskhod 1 is launched with three cosmonauts aboard; the first multiman mission.
155 years ago, in 1969:
Soyuz 7 is launched for a rendezvous with Soyuz 6 and 8.
147 years ago, in 1977:
The shuttle Enterprise makes its fourth Approach and Landing Test (ALT-15) after being releasd from the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.
119 years ago, in 2005:
The Large Binocular Telescope's (LBT) single primary mirror sees first light, viewing NGC 891.
109 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
166 years ago, in 1958:
Pioneer 1 burns up after reentering Earth's atmosphere.
165 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.
165 years ago, in 1959:
Explorer 7 is launched, beginning the start of satellite studies of Earth's climate.
160 years ago, in 1964:
Voskhod 1 returns to Earth.
159 years ago, in 1965:
Last contact is made with Explorer 21.
155 years ago, in 1969:
Soyuz 8 is launched for a rendezvous with Soyuz 6 and 7.
130 years ago, in 1994:
The Magellan mission at Venus ends; the spacecraft is deorbited into the Venusian atmosphere.
109 years ago, in 2015:
2015 TG387 (The Goblin), an extreme trans-Neptunian object and sednoid, is discovered at the Mauna Kea Observatory.
14
177 years ago, in 1947:
Charles "Chuck" Yeager breaks the sound barrier in the XS-1.
164 years ago, in 1960:
Mars 1M No.2 (Mars 1960B) is launched by the Soviet Union, but fails to achieve orbit after liftoff.
148 years ago, in 1976:
MARISAT F3, the third of three maritime telecommunications satellites for commercial shipping and the U.S. Navy, is launched.
148 years ago, in 1976:
The Soviet Soyuz carrier rocket makes its final flight.
112 years ago, in 2012:
The retired shuttle Endeavour is delivered to the California Science Center for public display.
15
159 years ago, in 1965:
The equipment module of Korabl-Sputnik 1 (Sputnik 4) re-enters Earths atmosphere.
150 years ago, in 1974:
Ariel 5, a British/American X-ray space observatory, is launched.
127 years ago, in 1997:
Cassini is launched to Saturn.
121 years ago, in 2003:
Aboard the Shenzhou 5 spacecraft, Yang Liwei becomes the first person sent into space by the Chinese space program.
112 years ago, in 2012:
Citizen scientists participating in Yale University's Planets Hunters program confirm the first exoplanet in a four star system.
109 years ago, in 2015:
New Horizons third stage (a Star-48 solid fuel rocket) passes the orbit of Pluto.
16
155 years ago, in 1969:
Soyuz 6, 7 and 8 return to Earth after all three fail at docking due to an electronic malfunction.
149 years ago, in 1975:
GOES-1 (GOES-A) is launched, becoming NOAA's first Geostationary Operational Environmental satellite.
121 years ago, in 2003:
Having completed 14 orbits, Shenzhou 5 successfully lands in Inner Mongolia.
111 years ago, in 2013:
A 650 kg (1,440 lb) fragment from the Chelyabinsk air burst is recovered from Chebarkul lake in Russia.
108 years ago, in 2016:
ESA’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) releases the Schiaparelli lander.
17
218 years ago, in 1906:
617 Patroclus, a Jupiter trojan asteroid, is discovered by German astronomer August Kopff at Heidelberg Observatory.
167 years ago, in 1957:
The groundbreaking and dedication of the Green Bank radio astronomy site takes place.
161 years ago, in 1963:
The first 'Vela Hotel' pair of satellites are launched to monitor possible nuclear testing in space by the Soviet Union.
156 years ago, in 1968:
ATS-4 re-enters the Earth's atmosphere and breaks up.
156 years ago, in 1968:
Aboard Apollo 7, astronauts take pictures of Hurricane Gladys.
122 years ago, in 2002:
ESA launches INTEGRAL (INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory).
108 years 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
162 years ago, in 1962:
Ranger 5 is launched to the Moon, but misses it and settles into a heliocentric orbit.
161 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.
157 years ago, in 1967:
Venera 4 enters the atmosphere of Venus and may have landed.
157 years ago, in 1967:
The fourth Orbiting Solar Observatory, OSO-4 (OSO-D) is launched successfully.
135 years ago, in 1989:
The Galileo probe is launched from the shuttle Atlantis (STS-34R) to Jupiter.
131 years ago, in 1993:
Aboard the shuttle Columbia (STS-58), Shannon Lucid becomes the first woman to go to space four times.
117 years ago, in 2007:
The Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) space-based telescope is decommisioned.
19
157 years ago, in 1967:
Mariner 5 flies by Venus.
116 years ago, in 2008:
NASA launches IBEX (Interstellar Boundary Explorer), to make a map of the boundary between the Solar System and interstellar space.
110 years ago, in 2014:
Comet C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring) passes Mars at a distance of appoximately 17,000 miles (27,000km).
108 years ago, in 2016:
ESA’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) enters orbit around Mars.
108 years ago, in 2016:
ESA’s Schiaparelli lander crashes on the surface of Mars.
107 years ago, in 2017:
The Pan-STARRS1 telescope discovers the first known interstellar asteroid, 1I/2017 U1 ('Oumuamua).
20
156 years ago, in 1968:
Aboard Apollo 7, astronauts take pictures of Typhoon Gloria.
154 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.
149 years ago, in 1975:
Venera 9 is the first craft to orbit Venus.
108 years ago, in 2016:
NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter photographs the Schiaparelli lander crash site.
106 years ago, in 2018:
The joint European-Japanese mission, BepiColombo, is successfully launched on a seven year journey to study the planet Mercury.
21
164 years ago, in 1960:
Courier 1B, the first active repeater satellite, fails to respond to ground control.
159 years ago, in 1965:
Comet Ikeya–Seki reaches perihelion, coming just under 280,000 miles (450,000 km) above the Sun's surface.
121 years ago, in 2003:
Images are taken at Mount Palomar observatory which later lead to the discovery of the dwarf planet Eris.
113 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
158 years ago, in 1966:
Luna 12 is launched to the Moon.
156 years ago, in 1968:
Apollo 7 splashes down in the Atlantic Ocean and is retrieved by the USS Essex.
149 years ago, in 1975:
Venera 9 lands on and returns the first images from Venus.
147 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.
123 years ago, in 2001:
Technology Experiment Satellite (TES) is launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation to demonstrate future satellite technologies.
116 years ago, in 2008:
India's first lunar probe, Chandrayaan-1, is successfully launched.
23
200 years ago, in 1924:
1036 Ganymed, the largest near-Earth asteroid, is discovered by Walter Baade.
165 years ago, in 1959:
Explorer 4 burns up in the atmosphere.
163 years ago, in 1961:
The Freedom 7 spacecraft is presented by NASA to the National Air Museum of the Smithsonian Institution.
149 years ago, in 1975:
Venera 10 goes into orbit around Venus.
128 years ago, in 1996:
The Keck II Telescope sees "first light".
117 years ago, in 2007:
The Harmony Module for the ISS is launched aboard shuttle Discovery (STS-120).
113 years ago, in 2011:
The ROSAT X-Ray satellite re-enters Earth's atmosphere.
111 years ago, in 2013:
Orbital Sciences' Cygnus resupply ship demonstration mission deorbits and burns up in the atmosphere.
110 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
273 years ago, in 1851:
William Lassell discovers two moon of Uranus, Ariel and Umbriel.
178 years ago, in 1946:
The first photo of Earth from space is taken by U.S. scientists with a V-2 rocket.
167 years ago, in 1957:
The Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar program begins, to be cancelled 6 years (and US$660 million) later.
164 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.
162 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.
161 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.
154 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.
146 years ago, in 1978:
The first Czechoslovakian satellite, Magion 1, is successfully launched with the Interkosmos 18 mission.
126 years ago, in 1998:
Deep Space 1, the first ion-driven craft, is launched to test new technologies.
123 years ago, in 2001:
Mars Odyssey enters orbit around Mars.
120 years ago, in 2004:
The Cassini probe makes its first flyby of Titan, coming within 750 miles (1200 km) of the surface.
118 years ago, in 2006:
Messenger makes its first Venus flyby.
117 years ago, in 2007:
Chang'e 1, an unmanned Chinese lunar-orbiting spacecraft, is successfully launched.
25
453 years ago, in 1671:
Giovanni Cassini discovers one of Saturn's moons, Iapetus.
158 years ago, in 1966:
Luna 12 goes into orbit around the Moon.
156 years ago, in 1968:
Soyuz 2, an uncrewed spacecraft, is launched to be a docking target for Soyuz 3.
149 years ago, in 1975:
The Venera 10 lander touches down on Venus.
149 years ago, in 1975:
Nine days after launch, GOES-1 returns its first image.
117 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
167 years ago, in 1957:
Sputnik 1 ceases sending signals after 22 days when the transmitter batteries run out.
156 years ago, in 1968:
Soyuz 3 is launched for a rendezvous with Soyuz 2, but fails to successfully dock.
147 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.
118 years ago, in 2006:
STEREO A and B (Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory) are launched for orbit around the Sun.
106 years ago, in 2018:
After three weeks, Hubble mission team members are able to fix the failed gyroscope on the telescope, thereby resuming operations.
27
163 years ago, in 1961:
The Saturn I SA-1 makes its first (and successful) flight.
162 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.
154 years ago, in 1970:
Zond 8 reenters the Earth's atmosphere and splashes down in the Indian Ocean.
119 years ago, in 2005:
The first Iranian satellite, Sina-1, is successfully launched.
109 years ago, in 2015:
NASA's Swift space observatory detects its 1,000th GRB.
28
156 years ago, in 1968:
Soyuz 2, an uncrewed spacecraft, returns to Earth.
153 years ago, in 1971:
Prospero becomes the first British satellite to be launched successfully by a British Black Arrow rocket.
150 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.
130 years ago, in 1994:
The Japanese probe Sakigake makes its third Earth swingby.
118 years ago, in 2006:
The Hinode (Solar-B) Solar Observatory takes its first picture of the Sun.
29
158 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.
158 years ago, in 1966:
After 577 orbits, Lunar Orbiter 1 is commanded to crash into the far side of the Moon.
133 years ago, in 1991:
Galileo is the first probe to fly by an asteroid, Gaspra.
126 years ago, in 1998:
On board shuttle Discovery (STS-95), Pedro Duque becomes the first citizen from Spain to visit space.
126 years ago, in 1998:
HST Orbital Systems Test (HOST) is flown aboard shuttle Discovery (STS-95) to test new tech for Hubble.
126 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.
116 years ago, in 2008:
The first Venezuelan satellite, Venesat-1, is successfully launched.
30
157 years ago, in 1967:
The unmanned Soviet Kosmos 186 and Kosmos 188 make the first fully automated space docking.
156 years ago, in 1968:
Soyuz 3 returns to Earth.
143 years ago, in 1981:
Venera 13 is launched to Venus.
139 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.
110 years ago, in 2014:
The Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle completes its first Flight Readiness Review (FRR).
106 years ago, in 2018:
NASA announces that the Kepler space telescope has run out of fuel and will be retired within its current and safe orbit.
31
204 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.
124 years ago, in 2000:
Expedition 1, the first ISS Crew, launches from Russia on board Soyuz TM-31.
113 years ago, in 2011:
Shenzhou 8 is launched aboard a Long March 2F rocket to perform an automated docking with Tiangong-1.
110 years ago, in 2014:
The first SpaceShipTwo spaceplane, VSS Enterprise, is destroyed during a powered test flight, killing one and injuring another.
110 years ago, in 2014:
China's Chang'e 5-T1, an experimental unmanned lunar mission, lands successfully in Inner Mongolia.
It's been 4004 days
