Korabl-Sputnik 3 or Vostok-1K No. 3 (Sputnik 6), is launched with dogs Pchyolka and Mushka who spend a day in orbit, but their craft is intentionally destroyed due to a navigation error.
19 years ago, in 1978:
ATS-1 is deactivated after just under 12 years of service.
19 years ago, in 1978:
ATS-3 is deactivated after just over 11 years of service.
8 years ago, in 1989:
The International Astrophysical Observatory 'Granat' is launched aboard a Proton-K rocket to view X-ray and gamma ray objects.
8 years ago, in 1989:
The International Astrophysical Observatory "Granat" is launched to observe the universe at energies ranging from X-ray to gamma rays.
2
82 years ago, in 1915:
Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity is published.
26 years ago, in 1971:
Mars 3 (USSR) successfully lands on Mars and though its instruments fail after 20 seconds, it does transmit part of the first surface picture of Mars.
23 years ago, in 1974:
Pioneer 11 encounters the Jovian system.
23 years ago, in 1974:
The first use of a Soyuz-U rocket to launch a crewed mission takes place, with the Soyuz 16 crew.
8 years ago, in 1989:
After 9 years, the Solar Maximum Mission satellite (SolarMax) re-enters the atmosphere and burns up.
7 years ago, in 1990:
On board the Soyuz TM-11 mission to Mir, Toyohiro Akiyama becomes the first Japanese citizen to visit space.
7 years ago, in 1990:
The Broad Band X-ray Telescope (BBXRT) is flown on the space shuttle Columbia (STS-35) for 9 days.
4 years ago, in 1993:
Servicing Mission 1 to fix Hubble's flawed optics is launched aboard shuttle Endeavour (STS-61) .
2 years ago, in 1995:
The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) is launched to study the Sun.
3
93 years ago, in 1904:
At the Lick Observatory, Charles D. Perrine discovers Himalia, the largest irregular satellite of Jupiter.
39 years ago, in 1958:
Control of JPL is transferred from the US Army to NASA.
32 years ago, in 1965:
Luna 8 is launched to the Moon.
24 years ago, in 1973:
Pioneer 10 is the first probe to visit the Jovian system.
23 years ago, in 1974:
Pioneer 11 makes its closest approach to Jupiter, at a distance of 26,612 miles (42,828 km) from the cloud tops.
4
39 years ago, in 1958:
Intended for a lunar impact, the Soviets launch Luna E-1 No.3 (Luna 1958C), but the rocket disintegrates 245 seconds after launch due to a hydrogen peroxide pump seizure.
32 years ago, in 1965:
Gemini VII is launched; stays aloft for 14 days, does rendezvous with Gemini VI-A.
24 years ago, in 1973:
Pioneer 10 makes its closest approach to Jupiter at a distance of 124,000 miles (200,000 km) from the planet.
19 years ago, in 1978:
The Pioneer Venus Orbiter goes into orbit around Venus.
1 year ago, in 1996:
Mars Pathfinder with the first Mars rover, Sojourner, is launched.
5
8 years ago, in 1989:
Voyager 2's narrow-angle camera is turned off to conserve power and computer memory.
6
207 years ago, in 1790:
William Herschel discovers NGC 12, a spiral galaxy in the Pisces constellation.
40 years ago, in 1957:
Vanguard TV-3, the first U.S. attempt to launch a satellite into orbit, blows up just four feet after lift-off.
39 years ago, in 1958:
Pioneer 3 is launched for a lunar orbit, but fails and burns up in Earths atmosphere.
36 years ago, in 1961:
Last contact is made with Explorer 12.
32 years ago, in 1965:
Luna 8 crashes into the Moon instead of a soft landing as planned, due to a punctured airbag.
7
31 years ago, in 1966:
ATS-1 is launched, with experiments in communications and weather data collection.
29 years ago, in 1968:
OAO-2 (Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 2) is launched with 11 ultraviolet telescopes.
25 years ago, in 1972:
Apollo 17 launch to land on the moon.
16 years ago, in 1981:
HEAO-3 (High Energy Astronomy Observatory 3) re-enters and burns up in the Earth's atmosphere.
2 years ago, in 1995:
The Galileo spacecraft's atmospheric probe enters Jupiters atmosphere.
8
7 years ago, in 1990:
The Galileo probe makes its first pass by Earth for a gravity assist to Jupiter.
5 years ago, in 1992:
The Galileo probe makes its second pass by Earth for a gravity assist to Jupiter.
2 years ago, in 1995:
The Galileo probe goes into orbit around Jupiter.
9
19 years ago, in 1978:
All 5 probes from the Pioneer Venus Multiprobe reach Venus and enter the atmosphere.
10
34 years ago, in 1963:
After 6 years (and US$660 million), the Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar program is cancelled.
23 years ago, in 1974:
Helios-A (Helios 1) is launched to study the solar wind, magnetic and electric fields, and flies to within 47 million km of the Sun.
11
26 years ago, in 1971:
Ariel 4, a British ionospheric research satellite, is successfully launched.
25 years ago, in 1972:
Apollo 17 lands on the moon.
9 years ago, in 1988:
Astra 1A becomes the first satellite to be launched and operated by the SES (Societe Europeenne des Satellites).
12
36 years ago, in 1961:
OSCAR 1, the first amateur radio satellite, is launched.
27 years ago, in 1970:
The Uhuru X-ray Explorer Satellite (SAS 1) is launched.
13
39 years ago, in 1958:
A Jupiter IRBM is launched with a South American squirrel monkey named Gordo on board, but the parachute fails to open and Gordo and the craft are lost at sea.
35 years ago, in 1962:
Relay 1, an experimental communications satellite, is launched.
30 years ago, in 1967:
Pioneer 8 is launched to obtain measurements of interplanetary phenomena.
14
35 years ago, in 1962:
Mariner 2 flies by Venus, becoming the first successful mission to another planet.
21 years ago, in 1976:
The Viking 1 orbiter extended mission begins.
7 years ago, in 1990:
The Canadian Space Agency Act is passed by the Government of Canada.
4 years ago, in 1993:
Landsat 4 ends its science operations after failing to transmit data.
15
206 years ago, in 1791:
Caroline Herschel discovers her fifth comet, Comet C/1791 X1 (Herschel).
37 years ago, in 1960:
Pioneer P-31 (Atlas-Able 5B, Pioneer Z) is launched for a lunar orbit, but the mission fails due to the third stage breaking up.
33 years ago, in 1964:
The first Italian satellite, San Marco 1, is successfully launched.
32 years ago, in 1965:
Gemini VI-A is launched; completes rendezvous with Gemini VII at distances of 1 to 300 feet.
31 years ago, in 1966:
Audouin Dollfus discovers one of Saturn's moons, Janus.
27 years ago, in 1970:
Venera 7 becomes the first craft to make a soft landing on Venus, returning 23 minutes of data.
13 years ago, in 1984:
The Soviet Vega 1 probe is launched to release a balloon and lander on Venus, then continue on to Halley's Comet.
16
35 years ago, in 1962:
Explorer 16 is launched to obtain data on the near-Earth meteoroid environment.
32 years ago, in 1965:
Gemini VI-A lands back on Earth.
32 years ago, in 1965:
Pioneer 6 is launched to obtain measurements of interplanetary phenomena.
19 years ago, in 1978:
Canada's Anik B1 communications satellite is launched.
17
94 years ago, in 1903:
The Wright brothers make the first powered flight.
40 years ago, in 1957:
The U.S. successfully test-fires the Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time.
18
39 years ago, in 1958:
Project SCORE is launched by DARPA, becoming the world’s first communications satellite.
32 years ago, in 1965:
Gemini VII lands back on Earth.
31 years ago, in 1966:
Richard Walker discovers one of Saturn's moons, Epimetheus.
24 years ago, in 1973:
Soyuz 13, along with the Orion 2 Space Observatory (a UV telescope), is launched.
4 years ago, in 1993:
Thailand's first satellite, Thaicom 1, is successfully launched.
19
214 years ago, in 1783:
Thinking it to be a globular cluster, William Herschel discovers the spiral galaxy NGC 2775 in the constellation of Cancer.
34 years ago, in 1963:
Explorer 19, a balloon satellite, is launched, and is the second satellite for air density research to reach orbit after Explorer 9.
25 years ago, in 1972:
Apollo 17 splashes down in the Pacific Ocean and is retrieved by the USS Ticonderoga.
19 years ago, in 1978:
After just over 16 years in orbit, Explorer 15 reenters the Earth's atmosphere and burns up.
20
97 years ago, in 1900:
Michel Giacobini discovers comet Giacobini–Zinner, which was later a target for the ICE spacecraft.
21
209 years ago, in 1788:
Caroline Herschel discovers her second comet, Comet 35P/Herschel-Rigollet.
32 years ago, in 1965:
OSCAR 4, the fourth amateur radio satellite, is launched.
31 years ago, in 1966:
Luna 13 is launched to the Moon.
29 years ago, in 1968:
Launch of the first manned mission to orbit the Moon (Apollo 8 test flight - no LM).
19 years ago, in 1978:
The Venera 12 probe lands on Venus, where it survives for 110 minutes, and records what is thought to be lightning.
13 years ago, in 1984:
The Soviet Vega 2 probe is launched to release a balloon and lander on Venus, then continue on to Halley's Comet.
22
1029 years ago, in 968:
The first clear description of the corona seen during a total eclipse is given by a chronicler in Constantinople.
37 years ago, in 1960:
The Soviet dogs Damka and Krasavka are launched aboard an R2-A for an orbital flight; but the mission fails, though both dogs survive.
32 years ago, in 1965:
OSCAR 4, an amateur radio satellite, delivers the first direct satellite communication between the United States and the USSR.
31 years ago, in 1966:
Apollo 2 is cancelled; deemed unnecessary.
14 years ago, in 1983:
International Sun-Earth Explorer-3 (ISEE-3) is renamed International Cometary Explorer (ICE) and enters heliocentric orbit.
23
325 years ago, in 1672:
Giovanni Cassini discovers one of Saturn's moons, Rhea.
38 years ago, in 1959:
The maiden flight of the Soviet R-7A Semyorka ICBM is successfully launched.
15 years ago, in 1982:
The first Soyuz-U2 orbital carrier rocket is launched on its maiden flight.
4 years ago, in 1993:
COBE's instrument operations are terminated.
24
31 years ago, in 1966:
Luna 13 makes the second survivable landing on the Moon for the Soviets.
29 years ago, in 1968:
Apollo 8 goes into lunar orbit, and the crew read the first 10 verses from the Book of Genesis.
18 years ago, in 1979:
The CAT-1 is the first satellite launched by the ESA on their own rocket, the Ariane 1.
25
24 years ago, in 1973:
Astronauts aboard Skylab take photos of Comet Kohoutek during an EVA.
19 years ago, in 1978:
The Venera 11 probe lands on Venus, where it survives for 95 minutes.
26
24 years ago, in 1973:
After almost 8 days in orbit, Soyuz 13 returns to Earth.
23 years ago, in 1974:
The Salyut 4 space station is launched.
27
37 years ago, in 1960:
Last contact is made with Explorer 8.
29 years ago, in 1968:
Apollo 8 splashes down in the northern Pacific Ocean and is retrieved by the USS Yorktown .
28
31 years ago, in 1966:
The Luna 13 mission ends when contact is lost.
29
29 years ago, in 1968:
The Apollo 8 CM is offloaded from the U.S.S. Yorktown at Ford Island, Hawaii for evaluation and deactivation procedures.
24 years ago, in 1973:
Astronauts aboard Skylab take photos of Comet Kohoutek as it appears from behind the sun during an EVA.
17 years ago, in 1980:
NASA's Crawler Transporter One carries space shuttle Columbia out to Launch Pad 39A for the STS-1 mission.
30
32 years ago, in 1965:
Explorer 18 reenters the Earth's atmosphere and burns up.
12 years ago, in 1985:
Puck, a moon of Uranus, is discovered by the Voyager 2 spacecraft.
2 years ago, in 1995:
The Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) is launched to facilitate the study of time variability in the emission of X-ray sources with moderate spectral resolution.
It's been 3947 days
