Category: This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History

AS-203, the first Apollo orbital mission was launched on July 5, 1966

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date July 4, 2022
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AS-203 launch — On July 5, 1966, the AS-203 rocket launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. It was the first Apollo orbital mission. Photo: NASA

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 information on venting and chill-down systems, fluid dynamics, and heat transfer of propellant tanks, attitude and thermal control system, launch vehicle guidance, and checkout in orbit.

During the fourth orbit, internal pressures built up in the S-IVB stage while a pressure differential test was being performed. The pressures built up well in excess of design values and the stage fragmented. Despite that, all mission objectives were achieved.

Sojourner (Mars Pathfinder) became the first operational rover on another planet on July 4, 1997

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Post date July 4, 2022
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Mars Pathfinder, lander and and Sojourner rover — Mars Pathfinder, lander and Sojourner rover. On July 4, 1997, Americans got more than a fireworks show, with NASA's first successful trip back to the surface of Mars since the Viking missions of the 1970s. The Mars Pathfinder mission and its gutsy rover, Sojourner, fascinated the world as they performed nearly flawlessly on our neighboring planet. Photo: NASA

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.

Space Exploration Solar System This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History

ESA’s Giotto became the first spacecraft to use Earth for a gravity assist on July 2, 1990

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Post date July 2, 2022
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Artist rendering of Giotto spacecraft approaching Halley comet — Artist's rendering of European Space Agency's Giotto spacecraft approaching Halley's comet. By Andrzej Mirecki - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

On July 2, 1990, European Space Agency’s (ESA) Giotto spacecraft performed the first-ever earth gravity-assisted maneuver to be retargeted for its destination, Comet P/Grigg-Skjellerup.

Space Exploration Solar System This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History

Cassini entered Saturn’s orbit on July 1, 2004

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Post date July 1, 2022
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Cassini, artist conception — This is an artist's concept of Cassini during the Saturn Orbit Insertion (SOI) maneuver, just after the main engine has begun firing. The spacecraft is moving out of the plane of the page and to the right (firing to reduce its spacecraft velocity with respect to Saturn) and has just crossed the ring plane. The SOI maneuver, approximately 90 minutes long, allowed Cassini to be captured by Saturn's gravity into a five-month orbit. Image: NASA

NASA’s Cassini space probe entered Saturn’s orbit on July 1, 2004, and became the first spacecraft to orbit the ringed planet.

This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History Solar System

Tunguska meteorite impacted on June 30, 1908

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Post date June 30, 2022
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Tunguska event: dead trees — The explosion caused by Tunguska impactor over the sparsely populated Eastern Siberian Taiga flattened an estimated 80 million trees over an area of 2,150 km² (830 sq mi) of forest. Eyewitness reports suggest that at least three people may have died in the event.

On June 30, 1908, at about 7:14 A.M., around the Tunguska River, a gigantic fireball devastated hundreds of square kilometers of uninhabited Siberian forest. It was about a ~12 megaton explosion, which means the blast was around 800 times more powerful than the Hiroshima atomic bomb.

Space Exploration This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History

Soyuz 11 Disaster: the only three humans who died in space [June 29, 1971]

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Post date June 29, 2022
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Soyuz 11 crew of Georgi T. Dobrovolski, left, Viktor I. Patsayev, and Vladislav N. Volkov in the Soyuz simulator. Credit: RKK Energia.

On June 29, 1971, after completing its record-breaking 20th day in orbit, the crew of Soyuz 11, Georgy T. Dobrovolski (Commander), Viktor I. Patsayev, and Vladislav N. Volkov departed from the Salyut 1 space station, the first space station in the history of space exploration, on June 29, 1971. Unfortunately, the mission ended in disaster when the crew capsule depressurized during preparations for re-entry. The cosmonauts rapidly lost consciousness as the pressure continued to drop and died within two minutes.

Dobrovolski, Patsayev, and Volkov still remain the only humans to have died in space (above the Kármán Line, see notes 1).

Computer Science Software Technology This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History

Atari was founded on June 27, 1972

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Post date June 27, 2022
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Atari 2600 wood weener — An Atari 2600 four-switch "wood veneer" version, dating from 1980-1982. Shown with standard joystick. Photo by Evan-Amos - Own work, Public Domain, Link

On June 27, 1972, Atari Inc. was founded in Sunnyvale, California by American businessman and electrical engineer Nolan Bushnell (born February 5, 1943) and American electrical engineer Ted Dabney (May 2, 1937 – May 26, 2018). One the most recognized and celebrated brands in the world, the company is a pioneer in arcade games, home video game consoles, and home computers.

Solar System Space Exploration This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History

Charon, Pluto’s Moon was discovered on June 22, 1978

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Post date June 22, 2022
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On June 22, 1978, Pluto’s moon Charon was discovered by United States Naval Observatory astronomer James Christy (born September 15, 1938).

Computer Science Technology This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History

Manchester Baby, the world’s first electronic stored-program computer ran its first program on June 21, 1948

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date June 21, 2022
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The recreation of the Manchester Small-Scale Experimental Machine (SSEM - AKA the Manchester Baby) in the museum of science and industry. Photo by Geni - Photo by user:geni, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link

On June 21, 1948, Manchester Baby, the world’s first electronic stored-program computer ran its first program.

This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History Space Exploration

V-2 rocket (MW 18014) became the first human-made object in space on June 20, 1944

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Post date June 20, 2022
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V-2 rocket launch - the first human-made object in space — V-2 rocket launch

On June 20, 1944, a German A-4/V-2 rocket became the first human-made object to travel into space by crossing the Kármán line with the vertical launch of MW 18014, attaining an apogee of 176 kilometers (109.3 miles). The Kármán line commonly represents the boundary between the Earth’s atmosphere and outer space. It lies at an altitude of 100 kilometers (62 miles) above the Earth’s sea level.