On August 12, 1977, NASA’s Space Shuttle Enterprise successfully made its first free flight test, as part of NASA’s Orbiter Approach and Landing Tests (ALT). The ALT program allowed shuttle pilots to explore the orbiter’s low-speed flight and landing characteristics.
Category Archives: Space Exploration
The first E-mail from Space was sent on August 9, 1991
On August 9, 1991, two STS-43 astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis, Shannon W. Lucid and James C. Adamson sent the first e-mail from space. The astronauts used an Apple Macintosh portable computer and AppleLink, a popular service for Mac and Apple IIGS users before the commercialization of the Internet, offered from 1986 to 1994. …
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The first photo of Earth from space taken by a person (August 6, 1961)
On August 6, 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Gherman Titov took the first photo of Earth from space taken by a person. It was also the first color image of Earth from space. Titov became the first photographer from space. This spaceflight was the first crewed spaceflight lasting over 24 hours. Titov was also the first to …
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Syncom 2, the first geosynchronous satellite was launched on July 26, 1963
On July 26, 1963, Syncom 2 (for Synchronous Communication Satellite) was launched on top of a Delta B #20 launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral.
Bumper 8 became the first rocket launched from Cape Canaveral on July 24, 1950
On July 24, 1950, Bumper 8, a two-stage rocket, combining German (V-2) and American technology, was launched. It was the first rocket launch from a place on the Atlantic coast of central Florida called Cape Canaveral.
From computers to Nike Airs: 10 Moon-landing innovations that changed life on Earth
Much of the technology common today that we take for granted originate from the moon landing. Here are 10 moon-landing innovations that changed life on Earth.
Heroes of Space and Flight Solitaire
Give yourself a break and learn about the important figures in the field of flight and space exploration in this educational solitaire game. Discover some space and flight pioneers who paved the way and learn while you play!
Telstar 1, the satellite that allowed the first live broadcast of television images was launched on July 10, 1962
On July 10, 1962, Telstar 1, the satellite that allowed the first live broadcast of television images was launched from Cape Canaveral. It was the first privately sponsored space mission. Two days after the launch, on July 12, it relayed the world’s first transatlantic television signal, from Andover Earth Station, Maine, United States, to the …
AS-203, the first Apollo orbital mission was launched on July 5, 1966
On July 5, 1966, the first Apollo orbital mission, AS-203 was launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida. It was an uncrewed flight of the vehicle’s second stage, the S-IVB stage (it was the 3rd stage of Saturn V, which carried humans to the Moon), to test it under orbital conditions and to obtain flight …
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Sojourner (Mars Pathfinder) became the first operational rover on another planet on July 4, 1997
NASA’s robotic spacecraft Mars Pathfinder landed on Mars on July 4, 1997. It was carrying a small rover named Sojourner and with that landing, Sojourner became the first operational rover on another planet.
