NASA launches the first weather satellite, Tiros 1.
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4 years ago, in 1958:
The National Advisory Council on Aeronautics is renamed NASA.
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2 years ago, in 1960:
Sputnik 3 burns up after reentering Earth's atmosphere.
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3 years ago, in 1959:
NASA introduces it's first 7 astronauts, the "Mercury Seven".
This year:
The Soviet Union declares April 12th as Cosmonautics Day.
This year:
The National Geographic Society awards the Hubbard Medal to John Glenn.
The National Geographic Society awards the Hubbard Medal to John Glenn.
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145 years ago, in 1817:
Charles Messier dies at age 86 in Paris, France.
113 years ago, in 1849:
Annibale de Gasparis of Italy discovers the fourth largest asteroid, Hygiea.
1 year ago, in 1961:
On board Vostok 1, Yuri Gagarin becomes the first person in space and orbits the Earth once.
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2 years ago, in 1960:
A Thor-Ablestar launches Transit 1B, the first experimental satellite of what will eventually become the Global Navigation Satellite System.
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4 years ago, in 1958:
Sputnik 2 burns up after reentering Earth's atmosphere.
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2 years ago, in 1960:
Luna E-3 No.1 (Luna 1960A), a Soviet spacecraft intended to fly around the Moon on a circumlunar trajectory, fails to make it out of Earth orbit.
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2 years ago, in 1960:
Luna E-3 No.2 (Luna 1960B), a Soviet spacecraft intended to fly around the Moon on a circumlunar trajectory, loses the boosters from the rocket and crashes.
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88 years ago, in 1874:
The French astronomer Jerome Coggia discovers Comet Coggia (C/1874 H1, the Great Comet of 1874).
7 years ago, in 1955:
Albert Einstein dies of a rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm, in Princeton, New Jersey.
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172 years ago, in 1790:
Caroline Herschel discovers her fourth comet, Comet C/1790 H1 (Herschel).
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This year:
NASA announces that the Friendship 7 spacecraft will be lent to the U.S. Information Agency for a world tour, known as the "fourth orbit of Friendship 7".
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276 years ago, in 1686:
Giovanni Cassini discovers one of Saturn's moons, Dione.
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This year:
Ranger 4 is launched to the Moon.
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42 years ago, in 1920:
The Great Debate (Shapley–Curtis) about the size of the universe takes place at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.
This year:
Ranger 4 crashes into the far side of the Moon, becoming the first American craft to reach another celestial body.
This year:
Ariel 1, the first British satellite, is launched, making Britain the third country in the world to do so.
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1 year ago, in 1961:
Explorer 11 is launched, carrying the first space-based gamma-ray telescope.
It's been 3965 days
