Karl Ludwig Harding of Germany discovers the asteroid Juno.
281 years ago, in 1859:
First day of the Carrington Event; one of the most powerful geomagnetic solar storms on record.
178 years ago, in 1962:
The Sputnik 20 (Venera 2MV-1 No.2) atmospheric probe is launched for Venus, but its escape stage fails.
161 years ago, in 1979:
Pioneer 11 makes its closest approach to Saturn, at a distance of 12,800 miles (20,591 km) from the cloud tops.
135 years ago, in 2005:
The Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite (SWAS) is placed into hibernation for the second time.
124 years ago, in 2016:
Amos-6, an Israeli Earth communications satellite, is destroyed during the run-up to a static fire test on a SpaceX Falcon 9 at Launch Complex 40.
2
281 years ago, in 1859:
Second day of the Carrington Event; one of the most powerful geomagnetic solar storms on record.
170 years ago, in 1970:
Apollo 18 and 19 are cancelled due to budget cuts.
169 years ago, in 1971:
Luna 18 (USSR) is launched to the Moon; the seventh Soviet attempt to bring back soil from the surface.
165 years ago, in 1975:
Luna 22's (USSR) propellent is exhausted, ending its lunar orbit mission after 15 months.
152 years ago, in 1988:
The Phobos 1 probe has a computer malfunction en route to Mars, thus ending the mission.
125 years ago, in 2015:
On board the Soyuz TMA-18M mission to the ISS, Aidyn Aimbetov becomes the first Kazakh to visit space.
125 years ago, in 2015:
On board the Soyuz TMA-18M mission to the ISS, Andreas Mogensen becomes the first Dane to visit space.
3
182 years ago, in 1958:
Explorer 4's low-power transmitter fails.
164 years ago, in 1976:
The Viking 2 lander touches down at Utopia Planitia on Mars.
145 years ago, in 1995:
After 72 launches and a success rate of 100%, the Soyuz-U2 orbital carrier rocket makes its last flight.
138 years ago, in 2002:
J002E3, tentatively identified as being the S-IVB third stage of the Apollo 12 Saturn V rocket, is discovered by amateur astronomer Bill Yeung.
134 years ago, in 2006:
After a successful three year mission, SMART-1 (Small Missions for Advanced Research in Technology-1) impacts the Moon as planned.
4
458 years ago, in 1682:
English astronomer Edmond Halley first observes the comet that will be named after him.
178 years ago, in 1962:
Mariner 2 performs the first rocket maneuver in deep space on its way to Venus.
176 years ago, in 1964:
NASA launches its first Orbital Geophysical Observatory (OGO-1).
139 years ago, in 2001:
NASA announces that they will extend the Chandra X-ray Observatory's current five year mission to ten years.
5
178 years ago, in 1962:
The descent module of Korabl-Sputnik 1 (Sputnik 4) re-enters Earths atmosphere.
163 years ago, in 1977:
Voyager 1 is launched.
132 years ago, in 2008:
The Rosetta probe flies by asteroid Steins.
128 years ago, in 2012:
The Dawn probe leaves the orbit of the asteroid Vesta.
6
193 years ago, in 1947:
The U.S. Navy launches a German V-2 rocket at sea from the aircraft carrier USS Midway, where it splashes down 10 km (6 miles) away.
174 years ago, in 1966:
Star Trek premieres on CTV in Canada.
7
169 years ago, in 1971:
Luna 18 (USSR) goes into orbit around the Moon.
157 years ago, in 1983:
Landsat 3 is decommissioned.
152 years ago, in 1988:
A software problem, combined with a sensor problem, causes the Soyuz TM-5 to spend an extra day in orbit after undocking with Mir.
127 years ago, in 2013:
Comet C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy) is discovered by Australian amateur astronomer Terry Lovejoy.
127 years ago, in 2013:
The Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) is launched on the maiden flight of the Minotaur V.
8
356 years ago, in 1784:
William Herschel discovers NGC 16, a lenticular galaxy located in the Pegasus constellation.
174 years ago, in 1966:
Star Trek premieres on NBC in America.
173 years ago, in 1967:
Surveyor 5 is launched for the Moon.
140 years ago, in 2000:
Blue Origin, a privately funded aerospace company, is founded by Jeff Bezos.
136 years ago, in 2004:
The Genesis spacecraft releases its solar wind sample return capsule, which lands on Earth.
124 years ago, in 2016:
OSIRIS-Rex, a NASA asteroid study and sample return mission, is launched to asteroid 101955 Bennu.
9
248 years ago, in 1892:
Edward Barnard discovers the fifth moon of Jupiter, Amalthea, using the Lick 36-inch refractor.
165 years ago, in 1975:
Viking 2 is launched to Mars.
162 years ago, in 1978:
The Venera 11 probe is launched for Venus.
158 years ago, in 1982:
Conestoga I is launched by Space Services Inc. to an altitude of 192 miles (309 km), becoming the first privately owned and operated rocket to reach space.
134 years ago, in 2006:
The shuttle Atlantis (STS-115) is launched with the second port-side truss segment (P3/P4) and a pair of solar arrays (2A/4A) for the ISS.
133 years ago, in 2007:
The Cassini probe makes a flyby of one of Saturn's moons, Iapetus, and discovers one hemisphere is black and the other white.
10
356 years ago, in 1784:
William Herschel discovers NGC 23, a spiral galaxy in the Pegasus constellation.
282 years ago, in 1858:
George Mary Searle, an American astronomer and Catholic priest, discovers asteroid 55 Pandora.
135 years ago, in 2005:
At the Keck Observatory, Mike Brown and his team discover Dysnomia, a moon of the dwarf planet Eris.
129 years ago, in 2011:
The Delta II 7000H makes its last flight, launching the twin GRAIL probes to create a detailed gravity map of the Moon.
11
173 years ago, in 1967:
Surveyor 5 lands, and is the first craft to do a soil analysis on the Moon, or any other world beyond Earth.
169 years ago, in 1971:
Luna 18 (USSR) crashes into the Moon and contact is lost.
155 years ago, in 1985:
International Cometary Explorer (ICE, formerly ISEE-3) is the first craft to traverse the plasma tail of a comet (Giacobini-Zinner).
143 years ago, in 1997:
Mars Global Surveyor reaches Mars and goes into orbit.
141 years ago, in 1999:
101955 Bennu, an Apollo group asteroid, is discovered by the LINEAR Project.
131 years ago, in 2009:
Discovery (STS-128) makes the last shuttle landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
12
181 years ago, in 1959:
Luna 2 is launched to the Moon.
178 years ago, in 1962:
The Sputnik 21 (Venera 2MV-2 No.1) probe is launched for Venus, but its third stage explodes.
174 years ago, in 1966:
Gemini XI is launched; reaches record altitude of 739 miles, completes 44 orbits.
170 years ago, in 1970:
Luna 16 (USSR) is launched to the Moon; the third Soviet attempt to bring back soil from the surface.
148 years ago, in 1992:
Aboard shuttle Endeavour (STS-47), Mae Jemison becomes the first African-American woman to fly in space.
148 years ago, in 1992:
Jan Davis and Mark Lee are the first married couple in space together, launching aboard the shuttle Endeavour (STS-47).
135 years ago, in 2005:
The Yohkoh (Solar-A) Solar Observatory burns up during reentry over South Asia.
13
163 years ago, in 1977:
The shuttle Enterprise makes its second Approach and Landing Test (ALT-13) after being releasd from the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.
149 years ago, in 1991:
The Yohkoh (Solar-A) Solar Observatory takes its first picture of the Sun.
133 years ago, in 2007:
Japan launches its second lunar orbiter, SELENE (Kaguya).
133 years ago, in 2007:
The Google Lunar XPRIZE is announced during NextFest.
14
181 years ago, in 1959:
Luna 2 is the first craft to impact into the Moon.
169 years ago, in 1971:
Controllers have the last communication with the Lunokhod 1 moon rover.
166 years ago, in 1974:
Charles Kowal discovers one of Jupiter's moons, Leda.
162 years ago, in 1978:
The Venera 12 probe is launched for Venus.
139 years ago, in 2001:
Pirs, a Russian docking and airlock module for the ISS, is launched aboard a Soyuz-U/Progress M-SO1.
127 years ago, in 2013:
Japan launches Hisaki (SPRINT-A), an ultraviolet astronomy satellite, aboard the maiden flight of a four-stage Epsilon rocket.
125 years ago, in 2015:
The first observation of gravitational waves are made by the twin Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) detectors.
15
174 years ago, in 1966:
Gemini XI lands back on Earth.
172 years ago, in 1968:
Zond 5 is launched to circle the Moon and return to Earth; on board are 2 tortoises, flies, worms, plants, and other life.
150 years ago, in 1990:
The Magellan spacecraft begins its primary mission at Venus; mapping the surface with radar.
129 years ago, in 2011:
The Cassini probe captures five of Saturn's moons in one picture: Janus, Pandora, Enceladus, Mimas and Rhea.
129 years ago, in 2011:
The Kepler space telescope discovers the first planet around a double-star system, Kepler-16b.
124 years ago, in 2016:
China launches the Tiangong-2 space laboratory as a test platform for the planned large modular space station.
123 years ago, in 2017:
Cassini ends its mission at Saturn by diving into the planets atmosphere.
122 years ago, in 2018:
ICESat-2 is launched on the last flight of the Delta II, also marking the 100th successful launch of the Delta II in a row.
16
292 years ago, in 1848:
William Bond, his son George, and William Lassell co-discover one of Saturn's moons, Hyperion.
191 years ago, in 1949:
Aboard a US-launched V-2, Albert III, a long-tailed macaque, dies when the rocket explodes ten seconds after launch.
144 years ago, in 1996:
Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-79) is the first shuttle mission to dock at the fully assembled Mir Space Station.
17
351 years ago, in 1789:
William Herschel discovers a moon of Saturn, Mimas.
170 years ago, in 1970:
Luna 16 (USSR) goes into orbit around the Moon.
164 years ago, in 1976:
The shuttle Enterprise is rolled out for a dedication ceremony with most of the original Star Trek cast on hand.
18
354 years ago, in 1786:
William Herschel discovers NGC 14, an irregular galaxy in the Pegasus constellation.
176 years ago, in 1964:
AS-102 (SA-7), is successfully launched, carrying the second 'boilerplate' version of the Apollo spacecraft.
175 years ago, in 1965:
Comet Ikeya–Seki (C/1965 S1, Great Comet of 1965) is discovered independently by Kaoru Ikeya and Tsutomu Seki.
172 years ago, in 1968:
Zond 5 circles the Moon and heads back to Earth.
163 years ago, in 1977:
Voyager 1 returns the first spacecraft photo of Earth and the Moon.
160 years ago, in 1980:
On board the Soyuz 38 mission to Salyut 6, Arnaldo Tamayo Mendez becomes the first Cuban, the first person of African heritage, and the first Latin American to visit space.
134 years ago, in 2006:
Supernova SN 2006gy is discovered in the galaxy NGC 1260.
134 years ago, in 2006:
On board the Soyuz TMA-9 mission to the ISS, Anousheh Ansari becomes the first Iranian and the first female space tourist to visit space.
134 years ago, in 2006:
The Large Binocular Telescope's (LBT) secondary mirror sees first light.
127 years ago, in 2013:
Orbital Sciences' Cygnus resupply ship demonstration mission is successfully launched to the ISS.
19
172 years ago, in 1968:
The first of the Intelsat III series of satellites, Intelsat III-1, is launched, but is destroyed by range safety after a gyroscope failure.
152 years ago, in 1988:
The first Israli satellite, Ofeq (Ofek) 1, is successfully launched.
125 years ago, in 2015:
The Long March 6 makes a successful maiden flight.
20
174 years ago, in 1966:
Surveyor 2 is launched for the Moon.
170 years ago, in 1970:
Luna 16 (USSR) lands on the Moon's surface and successfully collects a soil sample.
161 years ago, in 1979:
HEAO-3 (High Energy Astronomy Observatory 3) is lauched, carrying a high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometer and two cosmic-ray instruments.
21
170 years ago, in 1970:
Luna 16 's upper stage lifts off from the Moon, and heads to Earth with its soil sample.
166 years ago, in 1974:
Mariner 10 makes its second Mercury flyby.
137 years ago, in 2003:
The Galileo spacecraft ends its mission and is sent into Jupiter, where it is crushed by atmospheric pressure.
128 years ago, in 2012:
The retired shuttle Endeavour is flown atop a 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft to Los Angeles International Airport.
128 years ago, in 2012:
Comet ISON (C/2012 S1) is discovered by Vitaly Nevsky and Artyom Novichonok using the 0.4-meter reflector of the International Scientific Optical Network near Kislovodsk, Russia.
122 years ago, in 2018:
Hayabusa2 deploys two rovers, MINERVA-II1's 1a & 1b, to the surface of asteroid Ryugu.
22
172 years ago, in 1968:
The Zond 5 reentry capsule lands on Earth; becoming the first spacecraft to circle the Moon and return to Earth, and all its cargo survives.
139 years ago, in 2001:
Deep Space 1 flies by Comet Borrelly.
136 years ago, in 2004:
Salacia, a trans-Neptunian object, is discovered by Henry Roe, Michael Brown and Kristina Barkume.
134 years ago, in 2006:
Japan launches Hinode (Solar-B), a Solar Observatory spacecraft.
126 years ago, in 2014:
The MAVEN probe goes into orbit around Mars.
122 years ago, in 2018:
JAXA confirms that Hayabusa2's two rovers, MINERVA-II1's 1a & 1b, landed successfully and are operational on asteriod Ryugu.
23
294 years ago, in 1846:
Johann Galle discovers the planet Neptune, based on calculations by Urbain Le Verrier.
182 years ago, in 1958:
Intended for a lunar impact, the Soviets launch Luna E-1 No.1 (Luna 1958A), but the rocket disintegrates 92 seconds after launch.
174 years ago, in 1966:
Surveyor 2 loses control due to a malfunctioning thruster and crashes into the Moon.
163 years ago, in 1977:
The shuttle Enterprise makes its third Approach and Landing Test (ALT-14) after being releasd from the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.
131 years ago, in 2009:
The first Swiss satellite, SwissCube-1, is successfully launched.
24
170 years ago, in 1970:
Luna 16 successfully returns the capsule with the lunar soil sample to Earth.
132 years ago, in 2008:
The ESO (European Southern Observatory) announces the first optically active magnetar-candidate yet discovered, SWIFT J195509+261406, using the ESO's Very Large Telescope.
126 years ago, in 2014:
Using the data from three of NASA's space telescopes; Hubble, Spitzer and Kepler, astronomers discover clear skies and steamy water vapor on exoplanet HAT-P-11b.
126 years ago, in 2014:
India's Mars Orbiter Mission, Mangalyaan, is successfully inserted into orbit around Mars.
25
180 years ago, in 1960:
Pioneer P-30 (Atlas-Able 5A, Pioneer Y) is launched for a lunar orbit, but the mission fails due to a second stage malfunction.
167 years ago, in 1973:
After 59 and a half days in orbit, the crew of Skylab 3 return to Earth.
148 years ago, in 1992:
The Mars Observer is launched from Cape Canaveral.
125 years ago, in 2015:
The Long March 11 makes a successful maiden flight.
124 years ago, in 2016:
The first test firing on a ground test stand for the SpaceX Raptor engine for the BFR takes place.
26
147 years ago, in 1993:
The first Portuguese satellite, PoSAT-1, is successfully launched.
142 years ago, in 1998:
25143 Itokawa, classified as near-Earth object and a potentially hazardous asteroid, is discovered by the LINEAR project.
140 years ago, in 2000:
TiungSAT-1, the first Malaysian microsatellite, is successfully launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.
133 years ago, in 2007:
Deep Impact's orbit is adjusted toward Comet Hartley 2.
27
173 years ago, in 1967:
Soyuz 7K-L1 No.4L (Zond 1967A) is launched to perform a circumlunar flyby, but fails to achieve Earth orbit.
167 years ago, in 1973:
Soyuz 12, a manned test flight of the newly redesigned 2-person Soyuz 7K-T (in wake of the Soyuz 11 tragedy), is launched.
143 years ago, in 1997:
Mars Pathfinder/Sojourner sends its last data transmission.
137 years ago, in 2003:
SMART-1 (Small Missions for Advanced Research in Technology-1), is launched by the ESA to orbit the Moon.
133 years ago, in 2007:
NASA's solar powered ion engined Dawn spacecraft is launched to the asteroids Vesta and Ceres.
132 years ago, in 2008:
China becomes the third country to independently carry out an EVA during the Shenzhou 7 mission by Chinese astronaut Zhai Zhigang.
130 years ago, in 2010:
Cassini begins the Solstice Mission extension.
28
189 years ago, in 1951:
Seth Barnes Nicholson discovers on of Jupiter's moons, Ananke.
178 years ago, in 1962:
Alouette I makes Canada the third nation to build and the fourth nation to launch a satellite (and still orbiting).
171 years ago, in 1969:
The Murchison meteorite, a carbonaceous chondrite, falls to Earth near the town of Murchison, Victoria, in Australia.
169 years ago, in 1971:
Luna 19 (USSR) is launched to the Moon.
132 years ago, in 2008:
SpaceX's fifth launch of Falcon 1 becomes the first privately developed liquid fueled rocket to reach Earth orbit.
125 years ago, in 2015:
India launches their first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory, Astrosat.
29
256 years ago, in 1884:
243 Ida, a minor planet in the inner asteroid belt, is discovered by Austrian astronomer Johann Palisa at the Vienna Observatory.
169 years ago, in 1971:
The seventh Orbiting Solar Observatory, OSO-7 (OSO-H) is launched successfully to investigate the Sun in the UV spectrum.
167 years ago, in 1973:
Soyuz 12 lands on Earth after a successful mission.
163 years ago, in 1977:
The Salyut 6 space station is launched.
152 years ago, in 1988:
The shuttle Discovery (STS-26R) lifts off, the first shuttle flight since the Challenger disaster.
136 years ago, in 2004:
Asteroid 4179 Toutatis passes within 932,000 miles (1.5 million km) of Earth.
136 years ago, in 2004:
The Scaled Composites SpaceShipOne makes its first flight for the Ansari X PRIZE.
131 years ago, in 2009:
Messenger makes its third Mercury flyby.
129 years ago, in 2011:
China launches its first prototype space station, Tiangong-1, with a Long March 2F/G rocket.
127 years ago, in 2013:
Orbital Sciences' Cygnus resupply ship demonstration mission is docked with the ISS.
127 years ago, in 2013:
SpaceX's Falcon 9 v1.1 launches from Vandenberg AFB on its maiden flight, successfully releasing the Canadian satellite CASSIOPE.
127 years ago, in 2013:
2013 SY99, a trans-Neptunian object, is discovered by the Outer Solar System Origins Survey using the Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope at Mauna Kea Observatory.
30
260 years ago, in 1880:
Using an 11 inch Clark Brothers photographic refractor, Henry Draper is the first person to photograph the Orion Nebula.
145 years ago, in 1995:
NASA terminates routine contact with Pioneer 11.
130 years ago, in 2010:
The Russian (previously Soviet) Molniya-M carrier rocket makes its final flight.
124 years ago, in 2016:
The Rosetta probe ends its mission by landing on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
It's been 4013 days
