NASA History Office@NASAhistorySpace shuttle Atlantis arrives at @NASAKennedy after a productive 8-day space mission #OTD in 1995. STS-74 was an important part of the Shuttle-Mir Project: an international collaboration in preparation for the International @Space_Station.
Mike Constantine@MoonpansOn this day 1969 Apollo 12 EVA-2Apollo 12 Landing site from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter showing the Lunar module (top) and Surveyor crater with the Surveyor III spacecraft on the rim.The crews foot tracks are also visible when they entered Surveyor crater on EVA-2 and to remove a piece of the Surveyor III spacecraft for analysis back on Earth. The bottom image shows the panorama the crew captured, showing the Surveyor spacecraft with LM in the background
National Air and Space Museum@airandspaceOn this day in 2013, astronaut Sally Ride was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Ride was the first American woman in space and was passionate about STEM education and gender equality. More on Ride's career: https://s.si.edu/4fGQ2hS
National Air and Space Museum@airandspaceIt was the dawn of a new era. On this day in 1998, the first piece of the International @Space_Station, the Zarya (“Dawn”) module, launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome.
National Air and Space Museum@airandspaceOn this day in 2022, the Artemis I Orion spacecraft performed its first powered lunar flyby, making its closest lunar approach about 81 miles above the lunar surface. This photo of the far side of the Moon was taken from a camera on one of Orion's solar arrays as it approached.
National Air and Space Museum@airandspace#OTD in 1989, Frederick D. Gregory became the first African American shuttle commander. He was on the STS-33 mission aboard Space Shuttle Discovery. This picture is from a later spaceflight (STS-44, which he also commanded).
NASA History Office@NASAhistory30 years ago today, five STS-74 astronauts said farewell to the crew aboard the Mir space station after delivering a new docking module, solar arrays, and supplies.More on the Shuttle-Mir Program: https://go.nasa.gov/48reLV1
National Air and Space Museum@airandspaceHappy birthday to astronaut Guy Bluford!Born today in 1942, Bluford became the first African American in space on STS-8. He holds a doctorate in aerospace engineering and flew F-4C fighters for the Air Force in Vietnam. Learn more about Bluford: https://s.si.edu/45FHDIP
National Air and Space Museum@airandspaceOn #TDIH in 2002, John Herrington launched on STS-113 aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour. A member of Chickasaw Nation, he was the first enrolled member of a Native American tribe to fly in space. #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth
NASA History Office@NASAhistoryMR-1: The Four-Inch Flight65 years ago today, the first attempt to launch a Mercury capsule on a Redstone rocket (MR-1) took place. Unfortunately, a fault in the ground equipment caused the engines to shut down shortly after firing, lifting the vehicle four inches off the ground before it settled back down on the launch pad. The capsule's escape rocket was activated, causing it to jettison itself and triggering the spacecraft's parachutes to deploy. NASA launched its first astronaut to space aboard the Mercury-Redstone vehicle a mere 6 months later.Read more about what initially seemed like a huge blow to the Mercury program in the NASA History publication “This New Ocean: A History of Project Mercury”: https://go.nasa.gov/4r5Ppo3
National Air and Space Museum@airandspaceThe name "Project Mercury" was chosen for America's first human spaceflight program on #TDIH in 1958. NASA introduced us to the Mercury astronauts less than five months later.
National Air and Space Museum@airandspace#OTD in 2011, Mars Curiosity rover launched on board a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on its 8 month journey to the Red Planet. A model of Curiosity in our collection and on display helps us tell the rover's story: https://s.si.edu/4acpSTZ
National Air and Space Museum@airandspaceOn #TDIH in 1964, Mariner 4 was successfully launched on an 8-month journey to Mars. As the spacecraft flew by the Red Planet, it captured and returned the first close-up photos of the Martian surface and the first images of a planet returned from deep space.
National Air and Space Museum@airandspaceOn this day in 1961, Enos became the first chimp to orbit the Earth when he launched on Mercury-Atlas 5. Discover the story of the often-forgotten chimp and his contribution to human space travel: http://s.si.edu/4icJysv
Jason Major@JPMajorMany of you are familiar with the famous photo of the astronaut (Bruce McCandless II) floating alone above the Earth, which just happened to be taken 38 years ago today. Bruce took pictures too, and this was his view of the space shuttle Challenger while he was 98m (or so) away.
NASA History Office@NASAhistoryNeil Armstrong, not yet an astronaut, completes his first of seven flights in the X-15 rocket-powered aircraft 65 years ago today.
