National Air and Space Museum@airandspace#OTD in 2005, the Huygens probe landed on Saturn's moon Titan and took this image from the surface. The probe lasted 72 minutes on the surface of Titan.
National Air and Space Museum@airandspace·#OTD in 1976, Helios 2 launched to investigate solar processes. It was put into heliocentric orbit and made its closest approach to the Sun (27 million miles) in April of that year, becoming the record holder at the time for the closest flyby of the Sun.
James W. Draper@James_W_Draper·50 years ago today, Helios 2 launched from historic LC-41 atop a Titan IIIE. Built by NASA and Germany, it became the fastest spacecraft of its era and flew closer to the Sun than any probe until 2018. A bold Cape Canaveral milestone ☀️🚀@ccspacemuseum
National Air and Space Museum@airandspace·20 years ago today, cometary particles collected by the Stardust spacecraft, the first U.S. space mission to successfully return samples from outside the Earth-Moon orbit, returned to Earth.
National Air and Space Museum@airandspace·Falling foam damaged the left wing leading edge of Space Shuttle Columbia during the STS-107 launch on #TDIH in 2003. The Shuttle and crew were lost on return on February 1.
National Air and Space Museum@airandspace·80 years ago today, a U.S. upper atmospheric research program was initiated using captured German V-2 rockets. Under this program, V-2s were launched from the Army's White Sands Proving Ground in New Mexico.
National Air and Space Museum@airandspace·On this day 1997, Clyde Tombaugh, the astronomer who discovered Pluto, died at age 90. He's pictured here with a homemade telescope at age 22.
National Air and Space Museum@airandspace·20 years ago today, the New Horizons spacecraft launched on a decade-long journey to Pluto. New Horizons was the first mission sent to explore Pluto and its moons, and it made its closest approach to the dwarf planet in July 2015: http://s.si.edu/4jkmitf #AirSpacePhoto
National Air and Space Museum@airandspace·Launched atop a Titan II rocket on this day in 1965, Gemini 2 was the last uncrewed test flight of the Gemini program. The suborbital flight lasted 18 minutes and was a success.
James W. Draper@James_W_Draper·20 years ago today, NASA’s New Horizons launched from Cape Canaveral aboard an Atlas V.In 2015, it delivered humanity’s first close-up images of Pluto and kept going into the Kuiper Belt.From the Cape to the edge of the solar system. 🚀@ccspacemuseum
Ben Cooper@LaunchPhoto20 years ago January 19, New Horizons launched to Pluto, the first and still only spacecraft to ever visit when it arrived almost ten years later.
National Air and Space Museum@airandspace·#OTD in 1993, Space Shuttle Endeavour returned to Earth, completing STS-54. Though the mission had multiple highlights, the primary payload was the fifth Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, which was deployed on day one of the mission.
Mike Constantine@Moonpans·Happy 96th Birthday to Buzz Aldrin - Apollo 11 Lunar Module Pilot - 2nd man to walk on the moon and Gemini XII pilot
National Air and Space Museum@airandspace·60 years ago today, Apollo command module #002B (A-004) launched atop a Little Joe II rocket to test the Apollo Launch Escape System. At 61,000 feet, the abort signal was sent and all components of the Launch Escape System performed as planned. More: https://s.si.edu/4jQf40N
National Air and Space Museum@airandspace·Space Shuttle Discovery launched on STS-42 on this day in 1992 with the International Microgravity Laboratory-1 as its primary payload . The crew studied the effects of microgravity on humans and other life forms like lentil seedlings, fruit fly eggs, and bacteria.
National Air and Space Museum@airandspace·Phoning home one last time. On this day in 2003, Pioneer 10 sent back its last signal. Sent from 7.6 billion miles away, Pioneers last signal was very weak and took 11 hours to reach Earth.
James W. Draper@James_W_Draper·65 years ago today (23 Jan 1961), Atlas 90D launched from Launch Complex 12, completing Atlas D flight testing. The 55th Atlas launch helped turn America’s first ICBM into a legendary space booster. Here are some Atlas D highlights from our archives. @ccspacemuseum
National Air and Space Museum@airandspace·This may not seem like much of an image, but this photographic plate led to the discovery of Pluto a few weeks later.On this day in 1930, Clyde Tombaugh captured the image from Lowell Observatory.
National Air and Space Museum@airandspace·On #TDIH in 2004, Mars rover Opportunity landed on the Red Planet at Meridiani Planum. Affectionately called Oppy, the rover far exceeded its 90-day mission, working on Mars for over 14 years. More via NASA: https://s.si.edu/42tzSVk
National Air and Space Museum@airandspace·The Hubble Space Telescope captured this image of Venus in UV light #OTD in 1995. At ultraviolet wavelengths, Venus's cloud patterns become distinctive.
