on this day in space

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a black and white photo of a white spacecraft with a large radio dish on one side
On this day in space! Nov. 1, 1962: The Soviet Union Launches Mars 1 spacecraft to Red Planet during the Space Race

By Hanneke Weitering Published

On Nov. 1, 1962, the Soviet Union launched the Mars 1 spacecraft on a mission to fly by the Red Planet. Here's why it mattered.

Space Exploration
This radar image of asteroid 2015 TB145, which NASA says is likely a dead comet, was captured using the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico on Oct. 30, 2015 with a resolution of 25 feet per pixel. The skull shaped asteroid flew by Earth on Halloween (Oct. 31).
On this day in space! Oct. 31, 2015: Creepy skull-shaped Halloween asteroid flies by Earth, NASA names it the 'Great Pumpkin'

By Hanneke Weitering Published

On October 31, 2015, an asteroid shaped like a human skull flew by Earth. Here's why it was so creepy.

Space Exploration
The first Lunar Landing Research Vehicle is pictured during a test flight at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in California.
On this day in space! Oct. 30, 1964: NASA's weird Lunar Landing Research Vehicle takes 1st test flight to help Apollo astronauts land on the moon

By Hanneke Weitering Published

On October 30, 1964, NASA's Lunar Landing Research Vehicle, or LLRV, took to the skies for the first time. Here's why it mattered.

Space Exploration
the asteroid gaspra as seen by nasa's galileo probe
On this day in space! Oct. 29, 1991: NASA's Galileo spacecraft flies by asteroid Gaspra and snaps amazing photos while flying at 18,000 mph

By Hanneke Weitering Published

On Oct. 29, 1991, the Galileo spacecraft flew by the asteroid Gaspra on its way to Jupiter. Here's why it mattered.

Space Exploration
he satellite Prospero X-3 is launched from the RAAF test range in Woomera, South Australia, by a British Black Arrow carrier rocket, 28th October 1971.
On this day in space! Oct. 28, 1971: Britain launches its 1st satellite Prospero into space on a Black Arrow rocket

By Hanneke Weitering Published

On Oct. 28, 1971, the United Kingdom launched its first satellite. Here's why it mattered.

Space Exploration
The first Saturn rocket, Saturn-Apollo 1 or SA-1, lifted off from Launch Complex 34 at Cape Canaveral, Florida on Oct. 27, 1961.
On this day in space! Oct. 27, 1961: NASA launches Saturn I rocket on 1st test flight from Florida to set stage for the mighty Saturn V moon rocket

By Hanneke Weitering Published

On Oct. 27, 1961, NASA launched the first test flight of its new Saturn I space launch vehicle. Here's why it mattered.

Space Exploration
A new picture of Titan by the Cassini spacecraft reveals a bright region in the middle named Xanadu. Scientists don't know what it is.
On this day in space! Oct. 26, 2004: Cassini spacecraft takes 1st-ever closeup photos of Saturn moon Titan

By Hanneke Weitering Published

On Oct. 26, 2004, NASA's Cassini spacecraft took the first close-up images of Saturn's largest moon Titan. Here's why it mattered.

Space Exploration
This image taken by the Cassini spacecraft shows what the two-tone surface of the moon Iapetus looks like without false color. Cassini examined Iapetus for about a week in early 2015, in a campaign partly dedicated to further investigating subtle color differences within the moon's bright terrain.
On this day in space! Oct. 25, 1671: Astronomer Giovanni Cassini discovers Iapetus, Saturn's 'yin-yang' moon

By Hanneke Weitering Published

On Oct. 25, 1671, the Italian astronomer Giovanni Cassini discovered a new moon at Saturn! Here's why it mattered.

Space Exploration
This photo is the first view of Earth from space taken by a camera on a U.S. Army V-2 rocket launched from White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico on Oct. 24, 1946.
On this day in space! Oct. 24, 1946: V-2 rocket takes 1st photos of Earth from space

By Hanneke Weitering Published

On October 24, 1946, a V-2 rocket captured the first-ever photo of Earth from space. Here's why it mattered.

Space Exploration
The U.S. Harmony node flew to space aboard space shuttle Discovery during mission STS-120, in October 2007. NASA describes Harmony as a utility hub, as it circulates air, water, electrical power and similar systems to other space station modules. It supports the U.S. Destiny laboratory, the European Space Agency Columbus Laboratory and the Japanese Kibo laboratory.
On this day in space! Oct. 23, 2007: NASA launches Harmony module to ISS on STS-120 space shuttle mission

By Hanneke Weitering Published

On October 23, 2007, the space shuttle Discovery launched the Harmony module to the International Space Station. Here's why it mattered.

Space Exploration
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