This Day In Space History: August 27

1962

Mariner 2 is launched from Cape Canaveral - the first to fly by Venus, after its twin mission had failed. Read about the mission here: https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftDisplay.do?id=1962-041A

1984

https://www.worldspaceflight.com/bios/teacher.php
President Ronald Reagan announces the Teacher in Space program, “directing NASA to begin a search in all of our elementary and secondary schools and to choose, as the first citizen passenger in the history of our space program, one of America’s finest—a teacher. All of America will be reminded of the crucial role that teachers and education play in the life of our nation. I can’t think of a better lesson for our children and our country.” After a thorough process, Christa McAuliffe, a teacher from New Hampshire, was selected among thousands of applicants. Unfortunately, a failure with the shuttle Challenger occurred in just 73 seconds, resulting in a loss of all seven crew members. This most tragic disaster is one that all Americans will remember.

                                                                                   fun fact: rumor has it my middle school had sent a small science experiment on this mission!!

1985

https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/archives/sts-51I.html

Third time's a charm! After being delayed again for weather-related reasons on the 25th (from its original 24th), STS 51-I is finally launched - although still delayed, but only by three minutes.

2003

https://mars.nasa.gov/allaboutmars/nightsky/mars-close-approach/archive/

A first since 60,000 years ago, Mars and Earth are their closest distance until the year 2287. The Red Planet approaches Earth at 34,646,418 miles apart. A variety of space agencies are taking advantage of the relative closeness and sending spacecraft to Mars this year.

For a complete list of today’s Space History, see  http://www.astronautix.com/a/august27.html

This Day In Space History: August 20

2

http://www.onthisday.com/events/august/20
A Venus-Jupiter conjunction occurs, believed to be the "Star of Bethlehem." It also happened one week earlier the following year, read my post here.

1913

http://www.onthisday.com/events/august/20
Adolphe Pegoud becomes the first pilot to parachute out of an airplane.

1975

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdloqU2bmcA
Viking 1 is launched to Mars' orbit and will become the first successful landing of a spacecraft on the Red Planet. learn about the mission here: https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftDisplay.do?id=1975-075C

1977

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdloqU2bmcA
Just 16 days before its twin Voyager 1 is launched, Voyager 2 is launched today from Cape Canaveral toward Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.



For a complete list of today’s Space History, see  http://www.astronautix.com/a/august20.html

This Day In Space History: August 12

3

http://www.onthisday.com/events/august/12

A Venus-Jupiter conjunction occurs, meaning they experienced a close encounter. This is believed to be the "Star of Bethlehem."

1962

http://www.yearinspace.com/the-week-in-space
One day after launching Vostok 3, the USSR launches Vostok 4.

1977

http://www.onthisday.com/events/august/12

The High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO) 1 is launched into Earth's orbit.

1978

http://www.onthisday.com/events/august/12

The launching of the International Sun-Earth Explorer (ISSE), a project between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) to study solar wind and Earth's magnetism.

2005

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is launched from Cape Canaveral in search of proof of the longevity of water on Mars that would support life.

learn more: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/mars-reconnaissance-orbiter-mro/

follow the Mission on Twitter @HiRISE

For a complete list of today’s Space History, see  http://www.astronautix.com/a/august12.html

This Day In Space History: August 10

1966

http://www.astronautix.com/a/august10.html
Lunar Orbiter 1 is launched at 15:26 EDT from Cape Canaveral.

1972

https://www.space.com/37183-today-in-space.html

Meteor "Great Daylight Fireball" passes through the sky. Within just under two minutes, it entered the atmosphere over Utah and traveled north, leaving the atmosphere over Alberta, Canada.

1990

The Magellan spacecraft enters Venus' orbit.

1992

The TOPEX/Poseidon satellite, a project bewteeen the French space agency, Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES) and NASA, is launched. A goal was to measure the topography of the ocean surface, which led to many interesting feats. Learn more about them here: https://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/topex/ 

1999

http://www.astronautix.com/a/august10.html
Shuttle Mir experiences a computer failure, ending the over-a-decade-long Soviet mission.

2001

https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/archives/sts-105.html
The Discovery shuttle STS-105 is launched at 17:10 EDT to the International Space Station.



For a complete list of today’s Space History, see  http://www.astronautix.com/a/august10.html

This Day In Space History: August 6

1945

http://www.onthisday.com/events/august/6

Today was the day when, at the end of the second World War, the U.S. dropped the atom bomb on Hiroshima, Japan by the US B-29 Superfortress "Enola Gay". A sad day in history.

1961

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/august/6/newsid_2944000/2944638.stm

http://www.onthisday.com/events/august/6

Vostok 2 was launched - Gherman Titov, the second Soviet cosmonaut to enter space, was the first human to spend the full day in Earth's orbit, saying that he was "feeling splendid." He was the first to sleep in space, for 7.5 hours, but also experienced the first reported motion sickness in space.

1981

http://www.onthisday.com/events/august/6

FLTSATCOM (fleet satellite communications) was launched from Cape Canaveral, and would fail.

1996

http://www.onthisday.com/events/august/6

After an examination of the meteorite ALH84001 (thought to be from Mars), NASA announced the possibility that life may have once existed on the Red Planet.

2012

https://www.space.com/37183-today-in-space.html

The largest Mars rover, Curiosity lands on Mars at 1:17 EDT.

For a complete list of today’s Space History, see  http://www.astronautix.com/a/august06.html

This Day In Space History: August 5

1864

Giovanni Donati is the first to observe the spectrum of a comet.

1930

Neil Armstrong - the first man to step foot on the moon - was born.

1969

Just five days after Mariner 6 flew by Mars on July 31st, its twin Mariner 7 flew by Mars.

1973

The Soviet spacecraft Mars 6 is launched.

1986

The Senate approves Star Wars, the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) - an anti-ballistic missile system which would intercept Soviet and other enemy missiles (coldwar.org).

2011

The Juno spacecraft is launched for Cape Canaveral to Jupiter - it would not arrive at Jupiter for another 5 years.

learn more: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/juno/main/index.html

follow the Juno Mission on Twitter @NASAJuno

All events came from one of the following sources:
(1930, 1969, 2011) http://www.yearinspace.com/the-week-in-space/365-august-5-2013-this-is-why-we-explore
(1864, 1973, 1986) http://www.onthisday.com/events/august/5

For a complete list of today’s Space History, see  http://www.astronautix.com/a/august05.html

This Day In Space History: August 4

1181

http://www.onthisday.com/events/august/4

A supernova is reported to have been seen in the constellation Cassiopeia.

1971

http://www.onthisday.com/events/august/4

NASA launches the first satellite from a manned spacecraft to orbit the moon.

2007

http://www.yearinspace.com/the-week-in-space/422-august-4-2014-another-one-for-uncle-sam

The Mars Lander, Phoenix, was launched from Cape Canaveral.

For a complete list of today’s Space History, see  http://www.astronautix.com/a/august04html

This Day In Space History: August 3

1596

http://www.onthisday.com/events/august/3
David Fabricas observes Mira as the first variable star (brightness fluctuates).

http://www.yearinspace.com/the-week-in-space/486-august-3-2015-milky-way-looks-in-the-mirror

2004

https://www.space.com/37183-today-in-space.html
Costing $450 million, MESSENGER spacecraft is launched from Cape Canaveral at 6:15 EDT to Mercury.

2005

https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/day-first-spacewalk-under-shuttle
Stephen K. Robinson makes the first space walk under a shuttle in order to make the first in-flight repair.

For a complete list of today’s Space History, see  http://www.astronautix.com/a/august03.html

This Day In Space History: July 31

1959

The first animal couch-cabin was inspected in the Aeromedical Field Laboratory for the Mercury Project. Read more about it here.

1961

President Kennedy praises the decision for unions to avoid strikes and lockouts at Cape Canaveral, saying, “The Nation cannot afford … [a] delay in our missile and space program … [or] wasteful and expensive practices.”

1969

Spacecraft Mariner 6 flies by Mars and takes pictures of both of Mars’ polar caps.

1991

The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I) is negotiated between the U.S. and Soviet Union, signed by Bush and Gorbachev to reduce nuclear weapons.

1999

Spacecraft Lunar Prospector crashes, as planned, into the moon.

For a complete list of today’s Space History, see http://www.astronautix.com/j/july31.html