NASA launches the first weather satellite, Tiros 1.
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8 years ago, in 1958:
The National Advisory Council on Aeronautics is renamed NASA.
3 years ago, in 1963:
Luna 4 is launched to the Moon.
2 years ago, in 1964:
Zond 1 is launched to Venus.
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3 years ago, in 1963:
Explorer 17, the first of five Atmosphere Explorers, is launched to study the Earth's upper atmosphere.
This year:
Luna 10 becomes the first spacecraft to orbit the Moon.
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6 years ago, in 1960:
Sputnik 3 burns up after reentering Earth's atmosphere.
1 year ago, in 1965:
Intelsat I (Early Bird), the first commercial communications satellite to be placed into geosynchronous orbit, is launched.
1 year ago, in 1965:
Using the Arecibo radio telescope, Gordon Pettengill and his team begin observations that result in the discovery that Mercury's day is 58.7 days long, not 88.
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3 years ago, in 1963:
Luna 4 misses the Moon due to a navigation fault.
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2 years ago, in 1964:
Gemini 1 is launched for an unmanned test flight.
This year:
OAO-1 (Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 1) is launched with instruments to detect ultraviolet, X-ray and gamma ray emission, but fails after three days in orbit.
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7 years ago, in 1959:
NASA introduces it's first 7 astronauts, the "Mercury Seven".
4 years ago, in 1962:
The Soviet Union declares April 12th as Cosmonautics Day.
4 years ago, in 1962:
The National Geographic Society awards the Hubbard Medal to John Glenn.
The National Geographic Society awards the Hubbard Medal to John Glenn.
2 years ago, in 1964:
After just over three years in orbit, Explorer 9 reenters the Earth's atmosphere and burns up.
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1 year ago, in 1965:
Luna E-6 No.8 (Luna 1965A) is launched to perform a soft landing on the Moon, but the third stage fails.
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149 years ago, in 1817:
Charles Messier dies at age 86 in Paris, France.
117 years ago, in 1849:
Annibale de Gasparis of Italy discovers the fourth largest asteroid, Hygiea.
5 years ago, in 1961:
On board Vostok 1, Yuri Gagarin becomes the first person in space and orbits the Earth once.
2 years ago, in 1964:
Gemini 1 (unmanned) is purposely destroyed during re-entry.
2 years ago, in 1964:
The Soviet Polyot, an orbital carrier rocket, makes its second of two flights to test ASAT (Anti-satellite) spacecraft.
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6 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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8 years ago, in 1958:
Sputnik 2 burns up after reentering Earth's atmosphere.
2 years ago, in 1964:
The second Orbiting Solar Observatory (OSO-2, OSO-B) accidentally ignites its third stage while undergoing a spin test, killing 3 and injuuring 8 more.
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6 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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6 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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92 years ago, in 1874:
The French astronomer Jerome Coggia discovers Comet Coggia (C/1874 H1, the Great Comet of 1874).
11 years ago, in 1955:
Albert Einstein dies of a rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm, in Princeton, New Jersey.
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176 years ago, in 1790:
Caroline Herschel discovers her fourth comet, Comet C/1790 H1 (Herschel).
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4 years ago, in 1962:
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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2 years ago, in 1964:
Luna E-6 No.5 (Luna 1964B) is launched to perform a soft landing on the Moon, but the upper stage malfunctions 340 seconds into the flight, causing the engine to shut down before reaching orbit.
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2 years ago, in 1964:
The U.S. launches the nuclear-powered Transit 5BN3 navigation satellite, but the Scout launch vehicle fails and it scatters radioactive materials over the Indian Ocean.
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280 years ago, in 1686:
Giovanni Cassini discovers one of Saturn's moons, Dione.
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4 years ago, in 1962:
Ranger 4 is launched to the Moon.
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46 years ago, in 1920:
The Great Debate (Shapley–Curtis) about the size of the universe takes place at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.
4 years ago, in 1962:
Ranger 4 crashes into the far side of the Moon, becoming the first American craft to reach another celestial body.
4 years ago, in 1962:
Ariel 1, the first British satellite, is launched, making Britain the third country in the world to do so.
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5 years ago, in 1961:
Explorer 11 is launched, carrying the first space-based gamma-ray telescope.
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This year:
The Saturn I SA-5 second stage reenters the atmosphere and spreads some debris over the Rio Negro District of Brazil.
It's been 3963 days
