2015 Event A SpaceX cargo rocket explodes shortly after launch; the unmanned vessel was carrying over two tons of food, provisions, supplies and equipment for the International Space Station 2015 Event Commercial space company SpaceX has been approved as a contractor to the U.S. military for satellite launches; SpaceX will compete for contracts against the Boeing-Lockheed Martin United Launch Alliance, currently the primary military launch provider 2015 Event Scientists have concluded that a large ocean exists beneath the icy surface of Ganymede, the largest moon of Jupiter; the discovery was made by using the Hubble Space Telescope to observe aurora movements at the moon's poles 2015 Event Astronauts at the International Space Station complete a tricky cable installation project to prepare for addition of docking ports; the ports will be able to receive manned commercial space capsules such as those launched by SpaceX and Boeing 2015 Event Commercial space company SpaceX successfully launches its Falcon 9 rocket, which has released the Dragon cargo ship into orbit to the International Space Station; the rocket returned to Earth after releasing the Dragon but had a rough landing 2014 Event Astronauts at the International Space Station have created a specialized wrench in their 3D printer using a custom-designed blueprint emailed to the station from engineers on Earth; previously, objects have been printed from pre-loaded design files 2014 Event The International Space Station announces that it has successfully installed and operated a 3D printer; the printer will be used to reduce costs by manufacturing parts at the station rather than transporting them from Earth 2014 Event The European Space Agency makes history by landing a probe named Philae on the surface of a comet; scientists report that the probe anchors did not fire and that the vessel appears to have made two landings 2014 Event CEO Richard Branson says that Virgin Galactic will first determine the cause of a recent test space flight crash before deciding whether to continue developing commercial space travel 2014 Event India has successfully launched a space probe into orbit around Mars on its first attempt, making it the first Asian country to orbit the planet; at $74 million, the spacecraft cost about 11% of the U.S. Maven, which reached Mars orbit two days prior 2014 Event NASA outsources its role in space travel by awarding a $4.2 billion contract to Boeing and a $2.6 billion contract to Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) to shuttle astronauts between Earth and the International Space Station 2014 Event Russia counters sanctions by the U.S. and the European Union by banning all imports of dairy, fish, meat, fruit and vegetables; Ukrainian flights have also been prohibited from Russian air space 2014 Event Orbital Sciences Corp. launches its second cargo rocket to the International Space Station; Orbital and competitor Space X each have contracts for space supply delivery 2014 Event Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, reveals the latest Dragon space capsule; the craft is reusable and will allow astronauts to control re-entry and landing; the development suggests that full commercialization of the space industry will soon be a reality 2014 Event Space station astronauts received an Easter Day delivery in the form of the SpaceX Dragon cargo spaceship filled with food, supplies, equipment and care packages; the space station delivery was the fourth for the commercial space technology company 2014 Event The government of the U.K. has announced that it will put 11 million pounds into the funding of the Square Kilometer Array project, a radio telescope that will collect massive amounts of data from space, requiring immense computing resources 2014 Event NASA announces that its Kepler space telescope has discovered 715 planets in other solar systems, bringing the instrument's new-planet tally to 961; four of the latest discoveries are thought to have an orbit favorable to habitation, but the distance of these planets makes exploration impossible with current technology 2014 Event Water vapor on the minor planet Ceres, the largest asteroid and the only dwarf planet in the inner Solar System, is detected by European Space Agency researchers 2014 Event U.S. NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden and John Holdren, White House Science Advisor, announce that President Obama's administration approved extending the use of the International Space Station through 2024 2014 Event The cryogenic engine built India's Space Research Organisation engineers powers the launch of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-D5), which successfully placed a 1,982-kg GSAT-14 communications satellite into orbit in 17 minutes 2013 Event A series of spacewalks are made by two NASA astronauts in an effort to fix the faulty coolant pump on the International Space Station 2013 Event The International Space Station suspends some of its non-critical systems after an ammonia cooling pump fails; the station and six crew members aboard were not in danger 2013 Event The PSLV-XL rocket carrying the Mars Orbiter Mission probe is launched by India's Space Research Organization; the will eventually be sent to Mars 2013 Event Japan's Hisaki satellite is carried to the Uchinoura Space Center by the new Epsilon rocket, which was launched by two laptop computers 2013 Event NASA's Voyager 1 space probe makes history by advancing past the solar system - becoming the first man-made object to reach interstellar space 2013 Event In California, NASA launches a space probe to observe the Sun; the probe is referred to as the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS 2013 Event Three astronauts begin a 15-day mission on the Shenzhou 10, the fifth manned spaceflight mission and the second and final one to space laboratory Tiangong-1 2013 Event The Soyuz capsule safely lands in Kazakhstan, carrying Expedition 35 astronauts Thomas Marshburn of the U.S., Chris Hadfield of Canada and Roman Romanenko of Russia back from the International Space Station 2013 Event Crew members from the International Space Station prepare for a contingency spacewalk required to stop the anticipated leakage of ammonia coolant 2013 Event The most distant supernova on record is recorded by the Hubble Space Telescope 2013 Event NASA loses communication with the International Space Station's for three hours as a result of updating the station's command and control software 2012 Event A study conducted at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York, announces the a harmful type of space radiation may accelerate the development of Alzheimer's disease 2012 Event The launch of a space satellite into space by North Korea is disputed by South Korean defense ministry, who claim it was a disguised test of a 10,000 km range missile 2012 Event The U.N. condemns North Korea for launching a long-range Unha rocket; North Korea claims its purpose is to put its first satellite into space, but critics say the launch is a disguised ballistic missile test 2012 Event New findings from MESSENGER, NASA's space probe, indicate almost definitively, that the north pole of Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun, has water ice buried beneath the surface 2012 Event Mikhail Korniyenko and Scott Kelly, veteran astronauts, are chosen to carry out the first year-long mission to the International Space Station in 2015 2012 Event Australian daredevil Felix Baumgartner breaks the world record for human ascent by balloon by space diving 128,100 feet out of the Red Bull Stratos helium-filled balloon over Roswell, New Mexico 2012 Event The U.S. Space Shuttle Endeavor inches through the streets of Los Angeles on a trolley, making its way to a museum 2012 Event NASA reports its three-man crew of Joe Acaba and Russian colleagues Gennady Padalka and Sergei Revin landed safely in the Russian-made Soyuz capsule after 123 days at the International Space Station 2012 Event Astronauts, Sunita Williams of the United States, Yuri Malenchenko of Russia and Aki Hoshide of Japan, arrive at the International Space Station for a three-month long mission 2012 Event Soyuz, a spacecraft originally designed for the Soviet space program, lands safely in Kazakhstan, with Oleg Kononenko of Russia, Andre Kuipers of the Netherlands, and Don Pettit of the United States, onboard 2012 Event The first commercial spacecraft, SpaceX Dragon, docks with the International Space Station when it completes docking at 12:02pm EDT 2012 Event The United States space agency NASA reveals it had its security compromised by hackers 13 times in the past year 2011 Event The European Space Agency makes contact with the Fobos-Grunt probe 48 hours after the spacecraft's window for launch to Mars closes 2011 Event New York's Police Department clears Occupy Wall Street protesters from Zucotti Park, the public space they have occupied to stage their protest 2011 Event China makes its first orbital docking as its unmanned Shenzhou 8 spacecraft successfully docks with the orbiting Tiangong 1 space station module 2011 Event The Tiangong 1 space laboratory announces it has scheduled to launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China's Gansu Province 2011 Event NASA reveals its Space Launch System plan, intended to replace the Space Shuttle program with its first flight scheduled for 2017 2011 Event Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announces the country's plan to launch a manned shuttle into space by 2019 2011 Event Space Shuttle Atlantis takes off to conduct the final mission of the U.S. Space Shuttle program 2011 Event Executing its final mission, Space Shuttle Endeavor successfully undocks from the International Space Station to return to earth 2011 Event Crewmembers of the Endeavour space shuttle Mike Fincke and Greg Chamitoff take what is potentially the last spacewalk ever conducted by a space shuttle crew 2011 Event The Japanese launch the H-II Transfer Vehicle HTV-2 Resupply Craft, in a mission to deliver cargo to the International Space Station 2010 Event U.S. Space Shuttle Endeavor launches from the Kennedy Space Center, successfully beginning a two-week mission to the International Space Station 2009 Event A large amount of space debris is created when a Russan and American satellite collide over Siberia 2008 Event Space Shuttle Atlantis, STS-122, launches to deliver laboratory to the ISS 2007 Event Space Shuttle Atlantis, STS-117, begins mission 2006 Event Stardust space mission returns dust from a comet to earth 2004 Death Ed Kemmer, actor, Space Patrol, dies at 83 2004 Death Max Faget, engineer, led the design of the Gemini space capsule, dies at 83 2004 Death Cecily Adams, casting director/actress, Deep Space Nine, dies at 46 2003 Event China sends Yang Liwei into orbit, the third country to have successfully sent a person into space 2003 Death Ilan Ramon, astronaut, first Israeli in space, mission specialist on Columbia, STS-107, dies at 48 2003 Death Kalpana Chawla, astronaut, first Asian Indian woman in space, payload specialist on the Columbia, STS-107, dies at 41 2003 Event Space Shuttle Columbia destroyed over Texas when returning to Earth, 7 crew members are killed 2002 Death Jonathan Harris, TV actor, TV's Lost in Space, dies at 84 2001 Event Dennis Tito becomes the first space tourist by paying $20 million to fly on a Soyuz mission to the International Space Station. 2001 Event Russian Mir space station is crashed into the Pacific during a controlled re-entry 2000 Event International Space Station becomes permanently staffed 1998 Event John Glenn returns to space at the age of 77 as a payload specialist on the Discovery 1998 Death Alan Shepard, astronaut, first American in space, dies at 74 1998 Event NASA announces John Glenn, 76, may fly in space again 1997 Event U.S. space probe Pathfinder lands on Ares Vallis Mars 1997 Event Progress M-34 Collides with and damages Mir Space Station 1997 Event Ashes of Star Trek creator, Gene Roddenberry are launched into space 1997 Event Discovery captures Hubble Space Telescope 1997 Event Space Shuttle Atlantis Returns to Earth, Successful 1997 Event Space Shuttle Atlantis docks with Mir Space Station 1997 Event HAL became operational (2001: A Space Odyssey) 1997 Event Space Shuttle STS-81 (Atlantis 18), launches into space 1996 Event Space Shuttle STS-80 (Columbia 21), lands 1996 Event Space Shuttle STS-80 (Columbia 21), launches into space 1996 Event Space Shuttle STS-79 (Atlantis 17), lands 1996 Event Space Shuttle STS-79 (Atlantis 17), launches into space 1996 Event Space Shuttle STS-78, Columbia 20, lands 1996 Event Space Shuttle STS-78, Columbia 20, launches into space 1996 Event Mark Van Thillo and Abigail Alling, former biospherian win $100,000 lawsuit against Biospheric Development for Space Biospheres Ventures 1996 Event Space Shuttle STS-77 Endeavour 11 lands 1996 Event Space Shuttle STS-76 (Atlantis 16), lands 1996 Event 1st surface photos of Pluto by Hubble Space Telescope 1996 Death Lyle Talbot, actor 'Plan 9 From Outer Space', dies at 76 1996 Event Space Shuttle STS-72 (Endeavour 10), launches into space 1995 Event U.S. space probe Galileo begins orbiting Jupiter 1995 Event Space shuttle Atlantis docks with orbiting Russian space station Mir 1995 Event U.S. space probe Ulyssus completes 2nd passage behind Sun 1995 Event Space shuttle STS-69 (Endeavour 9), lands 1995 Event Space shuttle STS-70, Discovery 20, lands 1995 Event Space shuttle STS-70, Discovery 20, launches 1995 Event Space shuttle STS-71, Atlantis 14, lands 1995 Event Space shuttle STS-71 (Atlantis 14), launches 1995 Event Space probe Ulysses begins 2nd passage behind the Sun 1995 Event 1st time 13 people in space 1995 Event Space shuttle STS-67 (Endeavour 8), launches 1995 Event Space shuttle STS-63 (Discovery 19), lands 1995 Event U.S. space shuttle Discovery launched 1994 Event Space shuttle STS-66 (Atlantis 13), lands 1994 Event Progress M-25 launched to space station Mir 1994 Event Space probe Ulyssus completes 1st passage behind the Sun 1994 Event Space shuttle STS-66 (Atlantis 13), launches 1994 Event Japanese space probe Sakigake passes Earth for 3rd time 1994 Event Space probe Magellan burns up in atmosphere of Venus 1994 Event Space shuttle STS-68 (Endeavour 7), lands 1994 Event Space shuttle STS-68 (Endeavour 7), launches into orbit 1994 Event Space shuttle STS-64 (Discovery 20), lands 1994 Event Space probe Ulyssus passes south pole of Sun 1994 Event Space shuttle STS-64 (Discovery 20), launches into orbit 1994 Event Space shuttle STS-65: Columbia 17, lands after record 14 days 55 minutes 1994 Event Space shuttle STS-65 (Columbia 17), launches 1994 Event Russian manned space craft TM-18, lands 1994 Event U.S. space probe Clementine launched 1994 Event Space shuttle STS-59 (Endeavour 6), lands 1994 Event Space shuttle STS-62 (Columbia 16), lands 1994 Event Space shuttle STS-62 (Columbia 16), launches into orbit 1994 Event Space shuttle STS-60 (Discovery 18), lands 1994 Event U.S. space probe Clementine launched 1994 Event Russian manned space craft TM-17, lands 1994 Event Russian manned space craft TM-18, launches into orbit 1993 Event Space shuttle STS-61 (Endeavour 5), lands 1993 Event Astronauts begin repair of Hubble telescope in space 1993 Event Space shuttle STS-61 (Endeavour 5), launches 1993 Event Cosmonaut Aleksandr Serebrov makes record 9th space walk 1993 Event Russian manned space craft TM-17, launches into orbit 1993 Event Japanese space probe Sakigake passes Earth 1993 Event Russian space agency tests a 82' wide space mirror 1992 Event Space Shuttle STS-52 (Columbia 13) lands (scheduled) 1992 Event Space Shuttle STS-52 (Columbia 13) launches into space 1992 Event U.S. Mars Observer launched from Space shuttle 1992 Death Paul E Garber, 1st curator (National Air and Space Museum), dies at 93 1992 Event Space shuttle STS-47 (Endeavour 2) lands 1992 Event Space Shuttle STS-50 (Columbia 13) lands 1992 Event U.S. space shuttle STS-49 lands (maiden voyage of Endeavour) 1992 Event 3 astronauts simultaneous walked in space for the 1st time 1992 Event U.S. space shuttle STS-49 launched (maiden voyage of Endeavour) 1992 Event Space Shuttle STS-45, Atlantis 11, lands 1992 Event Russian manned space craft TM-14, lands 1992 Event Space Shuttle STS-45 (Atlantis 11) launches into space 1992 Event 1st Belgium in the space, Dirk Frimout on Atlantis Space Shuttle STS-45 (Atlantis 11) launches into space 1992 Event Russian manned space craft TM-14, launches into orbit 1992 Event Space Shuttle STS-42 (Discovery 15) lands 1992 Event Hubble space telescope optics finds NGC3862/3C264 1992 Event Space Shuttle STS-42 (Discovery 15) launches into space 1992 Event International Space Year begins 1991 Event U.S. 75th manned space mission "STS-44" Atlantis 10 lands 1991 Event U.S. 75th manned space mission "STS-44" Atlantis 10 launched 1991 Event Scorecard Harry, Space Appeal and Cafe Lex in 9th race at Belmont, creating 2nd triple dead heat in New York thoroughbred racing history 1991 Event Space shuttle STS-48 (Discovery 14) lands 1991 Event Space shuttle STS-48 (Discovery 14) launched 1991 Event Space shuttle STS-43 (Atlantis 9) lands 1991 Event Space shuttle STS-43 (Atlantis 9) launched 1991 Event Space Shuttle STS-40 (Columbia 12) lands 1991 Event Space Shuttle STS-40 (Columbia 12) launched 1991 Event U.S.S.R. launches 2 cosmonauts to MIR space station 1991 Event Space Shuttle STS-39 (Discovery 12) lands 1991 Event Space Shuttle STS-39 (Discovery 12) launched 1991 Event Space Shuttle STS-37, Atlantis 8, lands 1991 Event Space Shuttle STS-37, Atlantis 8, launched 1991 Event U.S. 70th manned space mission STS-39 (Discovery 12) launches into orbit 1990 Event U.S. 69th manned space mission STS-35 (Columbia 11) returns from space 1990 Event Space Shuttle STS-35 (Columbia 11) lands 1990 Event 1st time 12 people in space 1990 Event U.S. 69th manned space mission STS-35 (Columbia 11) launches into orbit 1990 Event U.S. 68th manned space mission STS-38 (Atlantis 7) returns from space 1990 Event U.S. 68th manned space mission STS-38 (Atlantis 7) launches into orbit 1990 Death Dave Willock, actor (Queen of Outer Space), dies at 81 1990 Event U.S. 67th manned space mission STS-41 (Discovery 11) returns from space 1990 Event U.S. 67th manned space mission STS-41 (Discovery 11) launches into orbit 1990 Event Hubble Space Telescope sends 1st photograph's from space 1990 Event U.S. 66th manned space mission STS-31 (Discovery 10) returns from space 1990 Event Hubble space telescope is placed into orbit by shuttle Discovery 1990 Event U.S. 66th manned space mission STS-31 (Discovery 10) launches into orbit 1990 Event U.S. 65th manned space mission STS-36 (Atlantis 6) returns from space 1990 Event U.S. 65th manned space mission STS-36 (Atlantis 6) launches into orbit 1990 Event Space probe Voyager 1 takes photograph of entire solar system 1990 Event U.S. 64th manned space mission STS-32 (Columbia 10) returns from space 1990 Event 64th U.S. manned space mission STS-32 (Columbia 10) launches into orbit 1989 Event U.S. 63rd manned space mission STS-33 (Discovery 9) returns from space 1989 Event U.S. 63rd manned space mission STS-33 (Discovery 9) launches into orbit 1989 Event U.S. 62nd manned space mission STS-34 (Atlantis 5) returns from space 1989 Event U.S. 62nd manned space mission STS-34 (Atlantis 5) launches into orbit 1989 Event U.S. Venus probe Magellan launched from Space shuttle 1989 Event U.S. space shuttle STS-28 lands 1989 Event U.S. space shuttle STS-28 launched 1989 Event U.S. space shuttle STS-30 lands 1989 Death Guy Williams, actor (Zorro, Lost in Space), dies in Argentina at 65 1989 Death Guy Williams, actor (Zorro, Lost in Space) 1989 Event U.S. space shuttle STS-30 launched 1989 Event 27th space shuttle mission, STS-29 (Discovery 8), returns to Earth 1989 Event U.S. space shuttle STS-29 launched 1988 Event Soviet space shuttle makes unmanned maiden flight (2 orbits) 1988 Event Fire in Seattle's Space Needle causes evacuation, $2,000 damage 1988 Event 26th Space Shuttle Mission, Discovery 7 returns to Earth after 4-days 1988 Event 26th Space Shuttle mission, Discovery 7 launched 1988 Event U.S. space shuttle STS-26 launched 1988 Event NASA launches space vehicle S-214 1988 Event NASA launches space vehicle S-213 1988 Event NASA launches space vehicle S-211 1988 Event NASA launches space vehicle S-206 1988 Death Neil Ronald Jones, science fiction writer (Space War, Twin Worlds), dies at 78 1987 Event Soyuz TM-4 launches 3 cosmonauts to space station Mir 1987 Event NASA launches space vehicle S-209 1986 Event NASA launches space vehicle S-199 1986 Event Bryan O'Connor named chairman of Space Flight Safety Panel 1986 Event NASA publishes "Strategy for Safely Returning the Space Shuttle to Flight Status" 1986 Event European Space Agency's Giotto flies by Halley's Comet (605 km) 1986 Event Soyuz T-15 carries 2 cosmonauts to Soviet space station Mir 1986 Event U.S.S.R. launches Mir space station into Earth orbit 1986 Event Space Shuttle Challenger 10 explodes 73 sec after liftoff 1986 Event Columbia returns to Kennedy Space Center via Davis-Monthan AFB 1986 Event 24th Space Shuttle (61-C) Mission-Columbia 7-returns to Earth 1986 Event 24th space shuttle (61-C) mission-Columbia 7-launched 1985 Event NASA launches space vehicle S-207 1985 Event Atlantis returns to Kennedy Space Center via Kelly AFB 1985 Event 23rd Space Shuttle Mission (61-B)-Atlantis 2-is launched 1985 Event Enterprise (OV-101) flies from Kennedy Space Center to Dulles Airport 1985 Event Challenger flies back to Kennedy Space Center via Davis-Monthan AFB 1985 Event 22nd Space Shuttle Mission (61A) -Challenger 9- lands at Edwards AFB 1985 Event Space shuttle Challenger lands at Edwards AFB California 1985 Event 22nd Space Shuttle Mission (61-A)-Challenger 9-launched 1985 Event Atlantis returns to Kennedy Space Center via Kelly AFB 1985 Event 21st Space Shuttle Mission (51-J)-Atlantis 1 lands at Edwards AFB 1985 Event Soyuz T-14 carries 3 cosmonauts to Salyut 7 space station 1985 Event Discovery flies back to Kennedy Space Center via Kelly AFB 1985 Event 20th Space Shuttle Mission (51-I)-Discovery 6-returns to Earth 1985 Event 20th Space Shuttle Mission (51-I)-Discovery 6-launched 1985 Event Challenger flies to Kennedy Space Center via Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz 1985 Event 19th space shuttle mission (51-F), Challenger 8, lands at Edwards AFB 1985 Event NASA launches space vehicle S-209 1985 Event 19th Space Shuttle Mission (51-F)-Challenger 8-launched 1985 Event Christa McAuliffe chosen 1st school teacher to fly space shuttle 1985 Event Columbia returns to Kennedy Space Center via Offutt AFB, Neb 1985 Event European Space Agency launches Giotto (Halley's Comet Flyby) 1985 Event Discovery ferried back to Kennedy Space Center via Bergstrom AFB, Tx 1985 Event 18th Space Shuttle Mission (51-G)-Discovery 5 returns to Earth 1985 Event 18th Space Shuttle Mission (51-G)-Discovery 5 launched 1985 Event Russian space probe Vega 2 lands on Venus 1985 Event Russian space probe Vega 1 lands on Venus 1985 Event Soyuz T-13 carries 2 cosmonauts to Salyut 7 space station 1985 Event Challenger transports back to Kennedy Space Center via Kelly AFB 1985 Event 17th Space Shuttle Mission (51-B)-Challenger 7 lands at Edwards AFB 1985 Event 17th space shuttle mission (51-B)-Challenger 7 launched 1985 Event 16th Space Shuttle Mission (51-D)-Discovery 4 returns to Earth 1985 Event Atlantis ferried to Kennedy Space Center via Ellington AFB, Texas 1985 Event 15th Space Shuttle (51-C) Mission-Discovery 3 returns to Earth 1985 Event 15th Space Shuttle (51-C) Mission-Discovery 3 is launched 1985 Event Japan launches Sakigake space probe to Halley's Comet 1985 Event Japanese space probe Sakigake launched to Halley's comet 1984 Event Space shuttle astronauts retreive a satellite - 1st space salvage 1984 Event STS-41-G mission; lands at Kennedy Space Center 1984 Event 1st space walk by U.S. woman, Kathryn D. Sullivan 1984 Event NASA launches space vehicle S-208 1984 Event Kathy Sullivan becomes 1st U.S. woman to walk in space 1984 Event 13th Space Shuttle Mission (41-G)-Challenger 6-launched 1984 Event Discovery returns to Kennedy Space Center via Altus AFB, Okla 1984 Event 12th Space Shuttle Mission (41-D) -Discovery 1- lands at Edwards AFB 1984 Event 12th Space Shuttle Mission (41-D)-Discovery 1-launched (6 days) 1984 Event President Reagan announces Teacher in Space project 1984 Event Cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya becomes 1st woman to walk in space 1984 Event Soyuz T-12 carries 3 cosmonauts to space station Salyut 7 1984 Event U.S. missile shot down an incoming missile in space for 1st time 1984 Death A[rthur] Bertram Chandler, author (Empress of Outer Space), dies at 72 1984 Event Challenger flies back to Kennedy Space Center via Kelly AFB 1984 Event 11th Space Shuttle Mission (41C)-Challenger 5-returns to Earth 1984 Event Challenger astronauts complete 1st in space satellite repair 1984 Event 11th Space Shuttle Mission (41-C)-Challenger 5 is launched 1984 Event 1st time 11 people in space 1984 Event 10th space shuttle mission (41-B)-Challenger 4-returns to Earth 1984 Event 1st time 8 people in space 1984 Event Bruce McCandless, U.S., makes 1st untethered space walk 1984 Event 10th Space Shuttle Mission (41B)-Challenger 4 launched 1984 Event Space Shuttle 41-B (STS-11) Challenger launched 1983 Event Columbia flies to Kennedy Space Center via El Paso, Kelly AFB 1983 Event 9th Space Shuttle Mission - Columbia 6 - lands at Edwards AFB 1983 Event 9th Space Shuttle Mission Columbia 6 is launched 1983 Event Discovery flies from Vandenberg AFB to Kennedy Space Center 1983 Event Challenger returns to Kennedy Space Center via Sheppard AFB, Texas 1983 Event 8th Space Shuttle Mission-Challenger 3-lands at Edwards AFB 1983 Event 8th Space Shuttle Mission-Challenger 3-launched (6 days) 1983 Event Guion Bluford becomes 1st African-American astronaut in space 1983 Event Challenger flies back to Kennedy Space Center via Kelly AFB 1983 Event NASA launches space vehicle S-205 1983 Event Soyuz T-9 carries 2 cosmonauts to Salyut 7 space station 1983 Event 7th Space Shuttle Mission-Challenger 2 lands at Edwards AFB 1983 Event 1st time a satellite is retrieved from orbit, by Space Shuttle 1983 Event European Space Agency launches European Comm Satellite 1, Oscar 10 1983 Event India entered space age launching SLV-3 rocket 1983 Event 6th Space Shuttle Mission-Challenger 1 returns to Earth 1983 Event 6th space shuttle mission, Challenger 1 launched 1983 Death Arthur Space, actor (Doc Weaver-Lassie), dies of cancer at 74 1982 Event Columbia returns to Kennedy Space Center via Kelly AFB, Texas 1982 Event 5th Space Shuttle Mission-Columbia 5-lands at Edwards AFB 1982 Event Space Shuttle Columbia completes its 1st operational flight 1982 Event 5th space shuttle mission-Columbia 5-launched 1st coml flight 1982 Event Soyuz T-7 launched, Svetlana Savtiskaya 2nd woman in space 1982 Event Columbia flies to Kennedy Space Center via Dyess AFB, Texas 1982 Event Challenger flies to Kennedy Space Center via Ellington AFB, Texas 1982 Event 4th Space Shuttle Mission-Columbia 4 lands at Edwards AFB 1982 Event Soyuz T-5 is launched-Berezovoi and Lebedev for 211 days in space 1982 Event U.S.S.R. Salyut 7 space station put into orbit 1982 Event Columbia returns to Kennedy Space Center from White Sands 1982 Event 3rd space shuttle mission-Columbia 3 lands at White Sands, NM 1982 Event 3rd Space Shuttle Mission-Columbia 3 launched 1981 Event Spacelab I arrives at Kennedy Space Center 1981 Event 2nd Space Shuttle Mission-Columbia 2-returns to Earth 1981 Event Space Shuttle vehicle moves to Launch Complex 39A for STS-2 mission 1981 Event European Space Agency's Ariane carries 2 satellites into orbit 1981 Event NASA launches space vehicle S-192 1981 Event Columbia space shuttle returns 1981 Event 1st Space Shuttle-Columbia 1-returns to Earth 1981 Event Maiden voyage of space shuttle Columbia 1981 Event Computer glitch keeps Space Shuttle Columbia grounded 1981 Event 2 workers killed in space shuttle Columbia accident 1981 Event Soyuz T-4 carries 2 cosmonauts to Salyut 6 space station 1980 Event Soyuz T-3 carries 3 cosmonauts to Salyut 6 space station, launched 1980 Event U.S. space probe Voyager I approaches 77,000-mi (124,000 km) of Saturn 1980 Event Voyager 1 space probe discovers 15th moon of Saturn 1980 Event Cosmonauts Popov and Ryumin set space endurance record of 184 days 1980 Event Cosmonauts Ryumin and Popov break space endurance record of 176 days 1980 Event Soyuz 38 carries 2 cosmonauts (1 Cuban) to Salyut 6 space station 1980 Event Soyuz T-2 carries 2 cosmonauts to Salyut 6 space station 1979 Event NASA launches space vehicle S-203 1979 Event Soviet Cosmonauts Vladimir Lyakov and Valery Ryumin returned to Earth aboard Soyuz 34 after a record 175 days in space 1979 Event 1st space shuttle SRB qualification test firing; 122 seconds 1979 Event NASA launches space vehicle S-198 1979 Event Columbia flown on carrier aircraft lands at Kennedy Space Center 1979 Event Columbia flies on Shuttle carrier aircraft to Kennedy Space Center 1979 Event Soyuz 32 carries 2 cosmonauts to Salyut 6 space station is launched 1979 Event NASA launches space vehicle S-202 1978 Event Soyuz 30 carries 2 cosmonauts (1 Polish) to Salyut 6 space station 1978 Event NASA launches space vehicle S-201 1978 Death Eric Frank Russell, sci-fi author (Hugo, Deep Space), dies at 73 1978 Event Thiokol conducts 2nd test firing of space shuttle's SRB 1978 Event Soyuz 27 carring 2 cosmonauts to Salyut 6 space station, launched 1977 Event 1st Space walk made by G Grechko from Salyut 1977 Event Soyuz 26 carries 2 cosmonauts to Salyut 6 space station 1977 Event NASA launches space vehicle S-200 1977 Event 5th and final test of space shuttle Enterprise 1977 Event 4th test of space shuttle Enterprise 1977 Event Soviet space station Salyut 6 launched into Earth orbit 1977 Event 3rd test of Space Shuttle Enterprise 1977 Event U.S. Voyager I takes 1st space photograph of Earth and Moon together 1977 Event Space shuttle Enterprise makes 1st atmospheric flight 1977 Event 1st free flight test of space shuttle Enterprise 1977 Event Space Shuttle test model "Enterprise" carries a crew aloft for 1st time, It was fixed to a modified Boeing 747 1977 Event 1st flight of Space Shuttle (atop a Boeing 747) 1977 Event Space Shuttle above a Boeing 747 goes on it's maiden flight 1977 Event Burn up of Salyut 4 Space Station (U.S.S.R.) 1976 Event 4th Space Shuttle Enterprise, approach and land test (ALT) flight 1976 Event NASA publicly unveils space shuttle Enterprise in Palmdale, California 1976 Event NASA launches space vehicle S-197 1976 Event Thiokol conducts 2-minute firing of space shuttle's SRB at Brigham, Utah 1976 Event Soyuz 21 carries 2 cosmonauts to Salyut 5 space station 1976 Event NASA launches space vehicle S-179 1976 Event Hermes rocket launched by European Space Agency 1975 Event NASA launches space vehicle S-196, it failed 1975 Event 1st Space Shuttle main engine test at National Space Tech Labs, Miss 1975 Event NASA launches space vehicle S-195 1975 Event Rollout of 1st space shuttle orbiter Enterprise (OV-101) 1975 Event Apollo 18 and Soyuz 19 make 1st US/U.S.S.R. linkup in space 1975 Event European Space Agency, ESA, forms 1975 Event Space Mountain opens at Disneyland 1975 Event Soyuz 17 carries 2 cosmonauts to space station Salyut 4 1974 Event Space probe Helios 1 launched 1974 Birthday Joaquin Leaf Phoenix, PR, actor, Russkies, Space Camp 1974 Birthday Leaf Phoenix, PR, actor, Russkies, Space Camp 1974 Event Soyuz 15 carries 2 cosmonauts to space station Salyut 3 1974 Event Soyuz 14 carries 2 cosmonauts to space station Salyut 3 1974 Event 1st extraterrestrial message sent from Earth into space 1973 Event 1st picture of a comet from space (Comet Kohoutek-Skylab) 1973 Event 2 Skylab 3 astronauts walk in space for a record 7 hours 1973 Event Skylab launched, 1st Space Station 1972 Event Rockwell receives NASA contract to construct Space Shuttle 1972 Birthday Shawn Bradley, NBA center, Dallas Mavericks, New Jersey Nets, Space Jams 1972 Event NASA selects 3 part configuration for Space Shuttle 1972 Event NASA announces development of space shuttle 1971 Death John W. Campbell, U.S., sci-fi writer (Space Beyond), dies at 61 1971 Birthday David Mendenhall, actor, Over the Top, Space Raiders, Witchfire 1971 Event Soyuz 11 takes 3 cosmonauts to Salyut 1 space station 1971 Birthday Jeff Stavroff, Columbus, Ohio, Canadian Tour golfer, 1994 Space Coast-4 1971 Event Soyuz 10 launched; cosmonauts become 1st in Salyut 1 space station 1970 Event US/U.S.S.R. sign an agreement to discuss joint space efforts 1969 Event 1st time 7 people in space 1969 Event 1st time 5 people in space 1969 Event David Bowie releases 'Space Oddity' 1969 Event Soviet Soyuz 4 and Soyuz 5 perform 1st transfer of crew in space 1968 Event 1st U.S. case of space motion sickness 1968 Event European Space Research Org launches 1st satellite 1968 Event U.S.S.R. launches space probe Zond 4; fails to leave Earth orbit 1968 Event Surveyor 7 space probe soft lands on Moon 1967 Event U.S.S.R. ratifies treaty with England and U.S. banning nuclear weapons in space 1967 Event Treaty banning military use of nuclear weapons in space, signed 1967 Birthday Joseph Amor, San Jose, video game record holder, Space Invaders 1966 Event U.S. and U.S.S.R. sign treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons in outer space 1966 Death Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger, sci-fi author (Space Lords), dies at 53 1966 Death Sergei Korolev, Russian space station constructor, dies 1965 Event Gemini 6 launched; makes 1st rendezvous in space (with Gemini 7) 1965 Event 1st French satellite launched, France becomes 3rd nation in space 1965 Event "Lost in Space" premieres 1965 Event Gemini 3 launched, 1st U.S. 2-man space flight (Grissom and Young) 1964 Event 1st time 4 people in space 1964 Event 1st time 3 people in space 1964 Event ESRO established, European Space Research Organization 1963 Event 2 Russian space missions return to Earth 1963 Event Valentina Tereshkova 1st woman in space returns to Earth 1963 Event Valentina Tereshkova (U.S.S.R.) is 1st woman in space, aboard Vostok 6 1963 Birthday Joe Lloyd, Highland Park, Illinois, Canadian Tour golfer, 1993 Space Coast 1962 Event US/U.S.S.R. sign joint space effort in telecommunications and meteorology 1962 Event U.S. space officials announce selection of 9 new astronauts 1962 Event 1st time 2 people in space 1962 Event Andrian G Nikolayev, becomes 3rd Russian in space aboard Vostok 3 1962 Event 1st time 2 manned crafts in space (U.S.S.R.) 1962 Event Cosmonaut Micolaev set then record longest space flight - 4 days 1961 Event Gherman S Titov, 2nd Russian in space aboard Vostok 2 (17 orbits) 1961 Event 1st case of motion sickness in space reported 1961 Event Alan Shepard becomes 1st American in space (aboard Freedom 7) 1961 Birthday Matt Cole, born in Stratford, Ontario, Canadian Tour golfer, 1990 Space Coast 1961 Event 1st animal returned from space, dog named Blackie aboard Sputnik 9 1961 Event Ham is 1st primate in space (158 miles) aboard Mercury/Redstone 2 1960 Event U.S.S.R. recovers 2 dogs, 1st living organisms to return from space 1960 Event Discoverer 13 launched into orbit; returned 1st object from space 1960 Event U.S.S.R. recovered 2 dogs; 1st living organisms to return from space 1960 Event U.S.S.R. launch 1st (unmanned) space capsule 1960 Birthday Michael Hutchence, Australia, rock vocalist/actor, INXS-Dogs in Space 1959 Event U.N. Committee on Peaceful Use of Outer Space is established 1959 Event 1st color photograph of Earth from outer space 1959 Event The 1st color photograph of Earth received from outer space 1959 Event Explorer 6 transmits 1st TV photo of Earth from space 1959 Event "Plan 9 From Outer Space," one of the worse films ever, premieres 1959 Event Monkeys Able and Baker zoom 300 mi (500 km) into space on Jupiter missile, became 1st animals retrieved from a space mission 1958 Event 1st radio broadcast from space (President Eisenhower voice "To all mankind, America's wish for Peace on Earth and Good Will to Men Everywhere") 1958 Event 1st voice from space: recorded Christmas message by Eisenhower 1958 Event President Eisenhower signs NASA and Space Act of 1958 1958 Death Cyril M Kornbluth, U.S. sci-fi writer (Space Merchants), dies at 34 1957 Birthday Terri R Adams, educator, teacher in space 1957 Event USAF sends 2 aluminium bullets into space 1957 Birthday Nana Visitor, Tucker, actress, Deep Space 9 1955 Event Building of space travel center at Baikonur Kazachstan begins 1955 Event Soviets decides space center built in Baikonur, Kazachstan 1954 Birthday Billy Mumy, California, actor, Will Robinson-Lost in Space, Dear Brigitte 1953 Birthday Griff Rhys Jones, British humorist/actor, Morons From Outer Space 1953 Birthday Colm Meaney, actor, Star Trek Deep Space 9 1952 Birthday Mel Smith, author, Morons From Outer Space 1952 Birthday Angela Cartwright, England, Make Room for Daddy, Lost in Space 1951 Birthday Sally Ride, born in Encino, California, physicist, astronaut, first American woman crewmember in space on the Challenger, founded NASA's Office of Exploration 1949 Event V-2/WAC-Corporal 1st rocket to outer space, White Sands, NM, 400 km 1948 Birthday Avery Brooks, born in Evansville, Indiana, actor, Spenser for Hire, Deep Space 9 1943 Birthday Rolf Gehlhaar, born in Breslau, Poland, composer, known for computer-controlled composition, sound installations using Sound Space system 1943 Birthday Steve Miller, Milwaukee, rocker, Abracadabra, Space Cowboy 1943 Birthday Burt Rutan, born in Estacada, Oregon, Elbert Leander Burt Rutan, inventor, aerospace engineer, created the Voyager, the first plane to fly around the world without stopping or refueling, and SpaceShipOne, which entered space two times in fourteen days 1943 Death David Hilbert, German mathematician (Hilbert Space), dies at 81 1940 Birthday Rene Auberjonois, actor, Clayton-Benson, Star Trek Deep Space 9 1938 Death Samuel Alexander, English philosopher (Space, time and deity), dies at 79 1937 Birthday Valentina V Tereshkova-Nikolayev, 1st woman in space, Vostok 6 1936 Birthday Mark Goddard, Lowell Massachusetts, actor, Don West-Lost in Space 1934 Birthday Yuri Gagarin, born in Russia, cosmonaut, 1st man into space, aboard Vostok 1 1933 Birthday Juanita [Ruth] Coulson, sci-fi author, Web of Wizardry, Space Trap 1931 Birthday Barbara Bain, Chic, actress, Cinnamon-Mission Impossible, Space 1999 1929 Birthday Amar Bose, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, electrical engineer, Ph.D. from MIT, founder, chairman, Bose Corporation, patented dominantly reflecting sound field mimicking listening space of the audience in a concert hall 1929 Birthday Jules Verne Berman, space and science reporter, ABC-TV 1928 Birthday Kathleen Hughes, born in Hollywood, California, actress, It Came From Outer Space 1928 Birthday Leo P[atrick] Kelley, U.S., sci-fi author, Dead Moon, Vacation in Space 1928 Birthday Martin Landau, born in Brooklyn, New York, actor, 'Mission Impossible', 'Space 1999', 'Ed Wood' 1926 Birthday Maria Schell, Vienna Austria, actress, Space 1999 1925 Birthday June Lockhart, New York City, actress, Lassie, Lost in Space, Petticoat Junction 1924 Birthday Edward D Wood, Jr., Poughkeepsie, New York, director, Plan 9 from Outer Space 1924 Birthday Mary Ford, Colleen Summer, vocalist/actress, Queen of Outer Space 1924 Birthday Guy Williams, New York City, actor, Zorro, Lost in Space 1923 Birthday Wally Schirra, born in New Jersey, astronaut, flew in Mercury, Gemini and Apollo, America's first three space programs 1922 Birthday James E. Gunn, U.S., sci-fi author, Station in Space, Immortal 1921 Birthday Frankie Thomas, born in New York City, actor, Tom Corbett Space Cadet 1917 Birthday Arthur C. Clarke, born in Somerset, England, science fiction author, inventor, wrote '2001: A Space Odyssey' 1917 Birthday Zsa Zsa Gabor, born in Budapest, actress, Queen of Outer Space 1914 Birthday Jonathan Harris, actor, Dr. Zachary Smith-Lost in Space 1913 Birthday Marvin Miller, born in St. Louis, Missouri, actor, Space Patrol, Millionaire 1913 Birthday Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger, U.S., sci-fi author, Space Lords 1912 Birthday A[rthur] Bertram Chandler, UK, sci-fi author, Empress of Outer Space 1910 Birthday Russ Bender, actor and writer, Amazing Colossal Man, Space Monster 1909 Birthday Neil R[onald] Jones, U.S., sci-fi author, Space War, Twin Worlds 1907 Birthday James A. Michener, New York City, writer, South Pacific, Hawaii, Space 1905 Birthday Eric Frank Russell, UK, sci-fi author, Hugo, Deep Space, Dark Tides 1902 Birthday Carl Jaffe, born in Hamburg, Germany, actor, 1st Man in Space, Escapement 1899 Birthday Paul E Garber, U.S. founder/1st curator of National Air and Space Museum 1882 Birthday Bela Lugosi, born in Hungary, actor, Dracula, Plan 9 From Outer Space 1857 Birthday Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, pioneer in rocket and space research 1854 Event Georg F B Reiman proposes that space is curved
