Comet D/1770 L1 (Lexell's Comet), passes 0.015AU's from Earth (1.4 million miles, 2.3 million km's).
293 years ago, in 1819:
Johann Georg Tralles in Germany discovers Comet Tralles (C/1819 N1, Great Comet of 1819).
152 years ago, in 1960:
The NASA Launch Operations Center (LOC) at Cape Canaveral is established.
152 years ago, in 1960:
NASA's George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) comes into being.
151 years ago, in 1961:
Explorer 6 burns up in the atmosphere.
150 years ago, in 1962:
NASA establishes the Launch Operations Center, later renamed to Kennedy Space Center.
119 years ago, in 1993:
ESA's European Retrievable Carrier (EURECA), a 4.5 tonne satellite with 15 experiments, is recovered 334 days after launch by Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-57).
99 years ago, in 2013:
The Jason-1 Earth satellite is decommissioned after its last transmitter fails.
96 years ago, in 2016:
The Dawn probe begins its extended science mission at Ceres.
2
153 years ago, in 1959:
The Soviet dogs Lisa and Ryzhik, and a rabbit named Marfusha, are launched aboard an R2-A for a sub-orbital flight, and survive.
145 years ago, in 1967:
The Vela 3 and Vela 4 satellites detect a flash of gamma radiation, later found out to be a GRB (gamma-ray burst).
127 years ago, in 1985:
The Giotto probe is launched by ESA to study Halley's Comet.
98 years ago, in 2014:
The Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 (OCO-2) satellite, designed to study atmospheric carbon dioxide, is successfully launced.
3
143 years ago, in 1969:
On the second test of the Soviet N-1 rocket booster, the Zond L1S-2 capsule is launched to be put into lunar orbit, but the rocket fails 9 seconds after liftoff.
138 years ago, in 1974:
Soyuz 14 is launched, the only successful spaceflight to the Salyut 3 space station.
120 years ago, in 1992:
The Solar Anomalous and Magnetospheric Particle Explorer (SAMPEX), the first spacecraft in NASA's Small Explorer program, is launched.
117 years ago, in 1995:
The Japanese probe Sakigake makes its fourth and last Earth swingby.
107 years ago, in 2005:
Deep Impact releases an impactor aimed at Comet Tempel 1.
105 years ago, in 2007:
Stardust is given an extended mission, NExT, to re-visit Comet Tempel 1 (first visit was Deep Impact).
4
1058 years ago, in 1054:
Chinese astronomers make the first recorded observation of supernova SN 1054; its remnants are the Crab Nebula.
144 years ago, in 1968:
NASA launches Radio Astronomy Explorer A from Vandenberg Air Force Base.
130 years ago, in 1982:
The shuttle Columbia (STS-4) lands at Edwards Air Force Base, the fourth and final orbital test flight of the Shuttle.
115 years ago, in 1997:
Mars Pathfinder/Sojourner lands at Ares Vallis flood plain on Mars.
114 years ago, in 1998:
Japan launches the Nozomi probe to Mars.
107 years ago, in 2005:
Deep Impact's impactor reaches the surface of Comet Tempel 1.
106 years ago, in 2006:
STS-121 with shuttle Discovery becomes the first and only Independence Day launch.
5
425 years ago, in 1687:
Isaac Newton's Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy) is first published.
146 years ago, in 1966:
AS-203 is successfully launched; a test flight of the Saturn IB rocket to verify the function of the S-IVB rocket stage restart capability.
96 years ago, in 2016:
The Juno probe arrives at Jupiter and enters polar orbit.
6
174 years ago, in 1938:
Seth Barnes Nicholson discovers one of Jupiter's moons, Lysithea.
146 years ago, in 1966:
The Soviet Proton rocket makes its last flight.
146 years ago, in 1966:
The Soviet Proton-3 satellite is launched for the study of high and ultra-high energy particles.
136 years ago, in 1976:
Soyuz 21 is launched to the Salyut 5 space station.
7
124 years ago, in 1988:
The Soviet Union launches Phobos 1 to Mars.
109 years ago, in 2003:
The Delta II 7000H makes its maiden flight, launching the Mars Rover "Opportunity".
8
270 years ago, in 1842:
Francis Baily of the United Kingdom, at an eclipse in Italy, focuses attention on the corona and prominences and identifies them as part of the Sun's atmosphere.
136 years ago, in 1976:
Palapa A1 is launched, becoming the first Indonesian communications satellite.
133 years ago, in 1979:
Adrastea, an inner moon of Jupiter, is the first moon discovered by images from a spacecraft, Voyager 2.
118 years ago, in 1994:
Aboard the shuttle Columbia (STS-65), Chiaki Mukai becomes the first Japanese woman to go to space.
101 years ago, in 2011:
The final flight of the American Space Shuttle program is flown with Atlantis (STS-135 ), bringing to the ISS the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, Raffaello.
9
150 years ago, in 1962:
Starfish Prime, a high-altitude nuclear test conducted by the U.S. with a W49 thermonuclear warhead, becomes the largest man-made nuclear explosion in outer space.
133 years ago, in 1979:
Voyager 2 flies by Jupiter.
10
150 years ago, in 1962:
Telstar 1 is launched, becoming the first privately sponsored space launch (AT&T).
149 years ago, in 1963:
Last contact is made with Explorer 17.
120 years ago, in 1992:
The Giotto probe passes Comet Grigg-Skjellerup at a distance of 200 km (124 miles); the first craft to do a close flyby of two comets.
107 years ago, in 2005:
JAXA's fifth cosmic X-ray satellite, Suzaku (ASTRO-E2) is launched successfully, and carries a new type of X-ray spectrometer, the X-ray micro-calorimeter.
102 years ago, in 2010:
The Rosetta probe flies by asteroid Lutetia.
11
133 years ago, in 1979:
Skylab burns up in the Earth's atmosphere.
122 years ago, in 1990:
Gamma, a Soviet/French gamma ray telescope, is launced, but the telescope fails soon after launch.
121 years ago, in 1991:
Astronomers observe the total eclipse from Mauna Kea on Hawaii, making sensitive radio and infrared measurements of the solar chromosphere and obtaining high-resolution optical images of the corona and prominences.
116 years ago, in 1996:
After 35 years, Pioneer 6 is commanded to switch to its backup primary transmitter, and the signal is re-acquired.
12
124 years ago, in 1988:
The Soviet Union launches Phobos 2 to Mars.
112 years ago, in 2000:
The Zvezda Service Module is launched to the ISS aboard a Russian Proton-K rocket.
106 years ago, in 2006:
Genesis I, an experimental space habitat built by Bigelow Aerospace, is successfully launched from Dombarovsky Air Base, Russia.
13
143 years ago, in 1969:
Luna 15 is launched to the Moon; the second Soviet attempt to bring back soil from the surface.
117 years ago, in 1995:
The Galileo spacecraft releases its atmospheric entry probe to study Jupiters atmosphere.
107 years ago, in 2005:
The Cassini probe discovers the south pole of Enceladus is almost crater free, with warm fractures in the surface and a cloud of water vapour extending into space.
93 years ago, in 2019:
Spektr-RG, a Russian–German high-energy astrophysics space observatory, is launched.
14
145 years ago, in 1967:
Surveyor 4 is launched for the Moon.
100 years ago, in 2012:
The Kepler space telescope's first reaction wheel fails.
97 years ago, in 2015:
New Horizons becomes the first spacecraft to visit Pluto.
15
147 years ago, in 1965:
Mariner 4 makes its closest approach to Mars, taking the first photos of another planet from space.
140 years ago, in 1972:
Pioneer 10 becomes the first probe to enter the asteroid belt.
137 years ago, in 1975:
The last Apollo Command/Service Module is launched for the Apollo–Soyuz Test Project (ASTP).
137 years ago, in 1975:
Soyuz 19 is launched for the Apollo–Soyuz Test Project (ASTP).
103 years ago, in 2009:
The shuttle Endeavour (STS-127) is launched to the ISS with the Exposed Facility and the Exposed Section for the Japanese Experiment Module (Kibo).
103 years ago, in 2009:
Julie Payette, aboard the shuttle Endeavour, is the first Canadian woman to return to space.
16
154 years ago, in 1958:
Congress passes the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958.
148 years ago, in 1964:
Zond 1 passes by Venus, though no data is sent due to a faulty transmitter.
147 years ago, in 1965:
The Soviet Proton rocket makes its first flight.
147 years ago, in 1965:
The Soviet Proton-1 satellite is launched for the study of high and ultra-high energy particles.
143 years ago, in 1969:
Apollo 11 is launched to land humans on the Moon.
130 years ago, in 1982:
Landsat 4 is launched.
122 years ago, in 1990:
Pakistan's first indigenously developed and manufactured satellite, Badr-1, is successfully launched.
122 years ago, in 1990:
A shepherd moon of Saturn, Pan, is discovered using data from Voyager 2 images.
118 years ago, in 1994:
The first fragment from Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 impacts Jupiter.
17
848 years ago, in 1264:
Japanese observers are the first to view the Great Comet of 1264 (C/1264 N1).
1778 years ago, in 334:
Julius Firmicus Maternus of the Roman Empire makes the first recorded observation of solar prominences during an annular eclipse
145 years ago, in 1967:
Last contact is made with NASA's Lunar Orbiter 4.
145 years ago, in 1967:
Contact is lost with Surveyor 4 just 2.5 minutes before crashing on the Moon.
143 years ago, in 1969:
Luna 15 goes into orbit around the Moon.
137 years ago, in 1975:
First USA/USSR docking of an Apollo and Soyuz spacecraft.
128 years ago, in 1984:
With the launching of Soyuz T-12 to Salyut 7, Svetlana Savitskaya becomes the first woman to go to space twice.
127 years ago, in 1985:
The Galileo II Convair 990 flying laboratory is destroyed in a fire as a result of runway overrun during take-off.
105 years ago, in 2007:
2007 OR10 (Gonggong), a trans-Neptunian object, is discovered by Megan Schwamb, Michael Brown, and David Rabinowitz at the Palomar Observatory.
103 years ago, in 2009:
After the shuttle Endeavour (STS-127) docks with the ISS, the station has a record thirteen people on board.
101 years ago, in 2011:
The Dawn probe goes into orbit around the asteroid Vesta.
99 years ago, in 2013:
The Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) sees first light.
18
147 years ago, in 1965:
Zond 3 is launched and sent towards the orbit of Mars as a spacecraft test, passing the Moon first.
146 years ago, in 1966:
Gemini X is launched; completes rendezvous with Agena Target Vehicle from Gemini VIII, and 43 orbits.
101 years ago, in 2011:
Spektr-R (RadioAstron), a Russian satellite with a radio telescope, is launched to study radio sources inside and outside of our galaxy.
99 years ago, in 2013:
Cassini takes a picture of Earth from Saturn.
19
1694 years ago, in 418:
The historian Philostorgius in Asia Minor makes the first report of a comet discovered during a solar eclipse.
145 years ago, in 1967:
Explorer 35 is launched to study interplanetary space phenomena near the Moon.
138 years ago, in 1974:
Soyuz 14 leaves the Salyut 3 space station and lands on Earth.
99 years ago, in 2013:
The Cassini spacecraft takes a picture from the orbit of Saturn, capturing Saturn's rings and the Earth and its Moon in the same frame.
20
148 years ago, in 1964:
SERT-1 is launched, and successfully tests the first electrostatic ion thruster engine design.
147 years ago, in 1965:
Zond 3 goes past the Moon, and heads for the orbit of Mars.
143 years ago, in 1969:
The Apollo 11 Lunar Module lands on the Moon, Neil Armstrong becomes the first person to step on another world.
136 years ago, in 1976:
The Viking 1 lander touches down at Chryse Planitia on Mars.
113 years ago, in 1999:
The Liberty Bell 7 capsule is recovered from the ocean floor by Oceaneering International, Inc.
21
198 years ago, in 1914:
Seth Barnes Nicholson discovers one of Jupiter's moons, Sinope.
151 years ago, in 1961:
Second U.S. suborbital flight, with astronaut Virgil I. Grissom (Mercury/Liberty Bell 7).
146 years ago, in 1966:
Gemini X lands back on Earth.
143 years ago, in 1969:
Luna 15 crashes into the Moon and contact is lost.
139 years ago, in 1973:
The Soviet Mars 4 spacecraft is launched.
137 years ago, in 1975:
Soyuz 19 returns to Earth.
111 years ago, in 2001:
The Quest Joint Airlock, enabling both Russian and American EVA's, is launched to the ISS aboard shuttle Atlantis (STS-104).
108 years ago, in 2004:
The Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite (SWAS) is placed into hibernation for the first time.
106 years ago, in 2006:
During a flyby of Titan, Cassini's radar discovers several lakes on the surface of the moon.
106 years ago, in 2006:
Actaea, a moon of the TNO Salacia, is discovered using images acquired by the Hubble telescope.
22
161 years ago, in 1951:
Dezik and Tsygan, launched aboard a Soviet R1, are the first dogs to make a sub-orbital flight (both survived).
150 years ago, in 1962:
Mariner 1 is launched to Venus, but a guidance systems failure causes it to be destroyed by a range safety officer.
140 years ago, in 1972:
The Venera 8 probe lands on Venus, where it survives for 50 minutes.
125 years ago, in 1987:
On board the Soyuz TM-3 mission to Mir, Muhammed Faris becomes the first Syrian and the second Arab to visit space.
118 years ago, in 1994:
The last fragment from Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 impacts Jupiter.
102 years ago, in 2010:
The French PICARD Solar Satellite takes its first image of the Sun.
23
150 years ago, in 1962:
Telstar 1 broadcasts the first live television transmissions from the United States and France.
140 years ago, in 1972:
The Earth Resources Technology Satellite (Landsat 1) is launched.
132 years ago, in 1980:
On board the Soyuz 37 mission to Salyut 6, Pham Tuan becomes the first Asian and the first Vietnamese to visit space.
120 years ago, in 1992:
The Giotto probe's mission is ended.
117 years ago, in 1995:
Comet Hale–Bopp (C/1995 O1) is discovered separately by Alan Hale and Thomas Bopp.
113 years ago, in 1999:
The Chandra X-ray Observatory is launched aboard shuttle Columbia (STS-93).
97 years ago, in 2015:
NASA's Kepler space telescope discovers the first confirmed near-Earth-size exoplanet in the “habitable zone” around a sun-like star, Kepler-452b.
24
143 years ago, in 1969:
Apollo 11 splashes down in the Pacific Ocean and is retrieved by the USS Hornet .
143 years ago, in 1969:
The Soviet Proton-4 satellite, designed to study the interaction of elementary particles, ends its mission.
137 years ago, in 1975:
The last Apollo Command/Service Module returns to Earth.
120 years ago, in 1992:
The Delta II 6000 makes its last flight, launching the Geotail satellite for observing the Earth's magnetosphere.
25
145 years ago, in 1967:
The Soviet R-7A Semyorka ICBM makes its final flight.
139 years ago, in 1973:
The Soviet Mars 5 spacecraft is launched.
134 years ago, in 1978:
Viking Orbiter 2 ends its mission at Mars.
128 years ago, in 1984:
On her second trip to Salyut 7, Svetlana Savitskaya becomes the first woman to perform a spacewalk.
26
503 years ago, in 1609:
Thomas Harriot becomes the first person to make a drawing of the Moon through a telescope.
154 years ago, in 1958:
Explorer 4 is launched for further study of the Van Allen Belts.
149 years ago, in 1963:
Syncom 2 is launched, becoming the first successful geosynchronous communications satellite.
141 years ago, in 1971:
Apollo 15 launch to land on the moon.
137 years ago, in 1975:
After 63 days, Soyuz 18 leaves the Salyut 4 space station and lands on Earth.
112 years ago, in 2000:
The Zvezda Service Module is docked with the Zarya module, making the ISS inhabitable.
107 years ago, in 2005:
The first flight since the Columbia disaster, shuttle Discovery (STS-114) launches for the ISS, bringing the External Stowage Platform-2 (ESP-2).
27
101 years ago, in 2011:
The WISE space telescope discovers the first Earth trojan asteroid.
98 years ago, in 2014:
Mission data from Cassini's flybys of Saturn's moon Enceladus reveal 101 distinct geysers erupting at the surface.
96 years ago, in 2016:
The Rosetta probe shuts off communication with the Philae lander.
28
261 years ago, in 1851:
The first correctly exposed photographic image of a solar eclipse, a daguerreotype, is made by Julius Berkowski at the Royal Observatory in Konigsberg, Prussia.
193 years ago, in 1919:
The International Astronomical Union (IAU) is founded at the Constitutive Assembly of the International Research Council .
152 years ago, in 1960:
The Soviet dogs Bars (Chayka) and Lisichka are launched for an orbital flight; but die after their rocket explodes 28.5 seconds into the launch.
148 years ago, in 1964:
Ranger 7 is launched to the Moon.
139 years ago, in 1973:
Skylab 3, the second manned mission to Skylab, is launched.
29
154 years ago, in 1958:
The National Aeronautics and Space Act (NASA) is signed into a law by President Eisenhower.
140 years ago, in 1972:
DOS-2, intended to be Salyut-2, is launched, but fails to reach orbit when the second stage of its Proton-K rocket fails.
113 years ago, in 1999:
Deep Space 1 flies within 17 miles of asteroid 9969 Braille.
30
196 years ago, in 1916:
951 Gaspra, an S-type asteroid orbiting close to the inner edge of the asteroid belt, is discovered by the Russian astronomer G. N. Neujmin.
174 years ago, in 1938:
Seth Barnes Nicholson discovers one of Jupiter's moons, Carme.
147 years ago, in 1965:
After 10 launches and no failures, the Saturn I is retired.
147 years ago, in 1965:
AS-105 (SA-10), is successfully launched, carrying the fifth and final 'boilerplate' version of the Apollo spacecraft, and the third and final Pegasus micrometeroid detection satellite.
141 years ago, in 1971:
Apollo 15 lands on the moon.
141 years ago, in 1971:
The moon rover is driven on the moon for the first time.
95 years ago, in 2017:
Interstellar Technologies, a Japanese private rocket spacelaunch company, launches their first rocket, MOMO-1, but it fails soon after launch.
31
148 years ago, in 1964:
Ranger 7 sends back 4,316 pictures before crashing into the lunar surface.
143 years ago, in 1969:
Mariner 6 makes its closest approach to Mars.
141 years ago, in 1971:
The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) is used for the first time on the Moon.
120 years ago, in 1992:
On board shuttle Atlantis (STS-46), Franco Malerba becomes the first Italian citizen to visit space.
120 years ago, in 1992:
On board shuttle Atlantis (STS-46), Claude Nicollier becomes the first Swiss citizen to visit space.
113 years ago, in 1999:
After a successful mission, NASA's Lunar Prospector is deliberately crashed near the south lunar pole.
104 years ago, in 2008:
The Phoenix lander directly samples water ice in the Martian soil.
93 years ago, in 2019:
The David Dunlap Observatory in Richmond Hill, Ontario, is made a National Historic Site of Canada.
It's been 3994 days
