National Air and Space Museum@airandspace25 years ago today, Space Shuttle Endeavour launched on the STS-97 mission to install the first solar arrays on the International Space Station.
National Air and Space Museum@airandspaceOn #TDIH in 1973, Pioneer 10 became the first spacecraft to fly by Jupiter. Pictured here is a Pioneer 10 prototype which is currently on display in the Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall: https://s.si.edu/4pdGuPT
NASA History Office@NASAhistoryToday we salute astronauts Jim Lovell and Frank Borman who launched into orbit for Gemini VII #OTD 60 years ago. Their mission would last for 14 days—the longest crewed space flight in U.S. history until 1973—and would be part of the first rendezvous of two crewed spacecraft.
National Air and Space Museum@airandspaceOn this day in 1996, Mars Pathfinder launched. Seven months later, it landed on the Red Planet with Sojourner, a small robotic rover. A Pathfinder engineering model, along with a model of the Sojourner rover, is on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia.
Jason Major@JPMajorLaunched December 4, 1996, Pathfinder was NASA's first rover mission to Mars. It consisted of the Carl Sagan Memorial Station lander and Sojourner rover.
National Air and Space Museum@airandspace60 years ago today, Frank Borman and Jim Lovell launched on the Gemini VII mission in this spacecraft to show that humans could survive in weightlessness for 14 days. Gemini VII was also Gemini VI-A's target vehicle for the world's first space rendezvous. #AirSpacePhoto
National Air and Space Museum@airandspaceOn this day in 1993, Space Shuttle Endeavour captured the Hubble Space Telescope during STS-61, the first Hubble servicing mission.
National Air and Space Museum@airandspaceOn #TDIH in 1968, the ESA HEOS 1 satellite launched to study interplanetary magnetic fields, cosmic rays, the solar wind, and the magnetosheath. It was fully operational for 16 months.
National Air and Space Museum@airandspace·On this day in 2001, Space Shuttle Endeavour launched on STS-108. The mission was successful, but it also held another honor: It carried 6,000 small U.S. flags to be given to heroes and families of the victims of the September 11th attacks.
National Air and Space Museum@airandspace#OTD in 1957, the United States made its first satellite launch attempt, two months after the success of Soviet Sputnik. Vanguard Test Vehicle-3 exploded when its main rocket engine failed seconds after liftoff. #AirSpacePhoto
Cady Coleman@Astro_Cady🚀 #OTD 12/6/1957: 2 months after #Sputnik, the US launched its first #satellite, #TV3. The rocket rose a few feet, then crashed and exploded on the pad. Though it didn't reach orbit, the mission paved the way for future successes: https://edn.com/1st-us-satellite-attempt-fails-december-6-1957/
Mike Constantine@MoonpansOn this day 1972 - Launch of Apollo 17 - taking Astronauts Gene Cernan, Harrison Schmitt and Ron Evans on the last manned mission to the Moon.
NASA History Office@NASAhistoryThis photo of Earth, dubbed the Blue Marble, was taken by the Apollo 17 crew #OTD in 1972 as they traveled to the Moon. It soon became one of the most widely-distributed photographs in history.
National Air and Space Museum@airandspace·Dec 640 years ago today, NASA transferred the title of Space Shuttle Enterprise to our Museum.It was on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center from December 2003 until 2012, when Space Shuttle Discovery went on display and Enterprise moved to the Intrepid Museum in New York.
National Air and Space Museum@airandspaceOn #TDIH in 1972, the Apollo 17 mission was on its way to the Moon for the last lunar landing of the Apollo program. The spacecraft for the mission were command module “America” and lunar module “Challenger.”
James W. Draper@James_W_DraperOn this day in 1964, the last ASSET vehicle launched from Cape Canaveral. These small uncrewed reentry bodies gathered data for the X-20 Dyna-Soar spaceplane program. You can see one of these rare test vehicles up close at the Sands Space History Center.
National Air and Space Museum@airandspaceOn #TDIH in 2006, Space Shuttle Discovery launched on mission STS-116 to deliver a truss segment of the International Space Station and begin the intricate process of reconfiguring and redistributing the power generated by two pairs of US solar arrays.
National Air and Space Museum@airandspaceApollo 17 reached lunar orbit on this day in history in 1972. The crew consisted of:👨🚀 CDR Gene Cernan👨🚀 CMP Ron Evans👨🚀 LMP Harrison SchmittCernan was a veteran astronaut but it was the first spaceflight for both Evans and Schmitt. More on the mission: https://s.si.edu/3MF8AVT
National Air and Space Museum@airandspaceOn this day in 1972, Apollo 17, the last crewed lunar landing mission of the Apollo program, landed on the Moon in the valley of Taurus-Littrow. More on Apollo 17: https://s.si.edu/31ynOVK
Mike Constantine@MoonpansOn this day 1972 Apollo 17 lands at Taurus Littrow16mm film footage captured through the Lunar Module Pilot’s windowVideo enhancement and audio synchronisation by Moonpans Source video: Apollo Flight Journal
NASA History Office@NASAhistory"The Challenger has landed!"#OTD in 1972, Apollo 17, the final mission of the Apollo Program, landed on the Moon. Watch: https://apolloinrealtime.org/17/?t=112:58:31 📷 Gene Cernan with the flag, Challenger (the Lunar Module), and lunar rover during the mission's first extravehicular activity
Space Intelligence@SpaceIntel101Iconic photo of astronaut and geologist Jack Schmitt, the only scientist to fly to the Moon.You can also see Gene Cernan's reflection in his visor and Earth in the distance.Taken 53 years ago today.
NASA's Johnson Space Center@NASA_JohnsonFrom a historic splashdown to a historic crewed mission, Artemis keeps leveling up. 🌕✨On this day in 2022, Artemis I splashed down after a groundbreaking journey around the Moon, validating key systems that will carry future astronauts deeper into space.At NASA’s Johnson Space Center, teams are preparing for @NASAArtemis II with intensive training and mission simulations to support the first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years.
National Air and Space Museum@airandspace·On this day in 1998, the Mars Climate Orbiter launched aboard a Delta II rocket. Communication with the spacecraft was lost during orbital insertion when it reached Mars the following year.
