Searched for
APOLLO SPACECRAFT
In 1969, lightning struck Apollo 12 seconds after launch; John Aaron’s “SCE to AUX” call restored telemetry and helped save the Moon missionApollo 12 astronauts encountered a significant crisis when lightning struck their rocket, not once but twice. A neglected protocol related ...
In 1974, Skylab 4 astronauts returned after 84 days in orbit; flipped circuit breakers cut pitch-and-yaw control before Carr used backup mode for reentryThe Skylab 4 mission set a new record with astronauts spending 84 days in space, where they conducted crucial scientific experiments while ...
In 1961, America sent its first astronaut into space. 15 minutes later, he was back on EarthOn May 5, 1961, Alan Shepard made history as the first American to reach space, completing a spectacular 15-minute journey aboard Freedom 7...
NASA's Apollo 12 survived two lightning strikes, then astronaut Alan Bean accidentally pointed its TV camera at the Sun, ending live broadcasts from the MoonDuring Apollo 12’s lunar mission, an incident occurred shortly after the astronauts landed on the Moon. Alan Bean unintentionally aimed the...
In 1968, two Russian steppe tortoises travelled around the Moon before humans did. They survived a punishing 20G force while returning to EarthIn a remarkable journey, two Russian steppe tortoises embarked on a mission aboard Zond 5, orbiting the Moon in September 1968. This pionee...
In 1966, Gemini VIII made the first U.S. docking in space; 27 minutes later, a stuck thruster sent it spinning near 1 revolution per second before Neil Armstrong stopped itThe Gemini VIII mission quickly transitioned from a planned rendezvous to a critical in-flight emergency. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Dav...
In 1965, an astronaut secretly smuggled corned-beef sandwich into space, creating a '$30 million' problem for NASAIn 1965, astronaut John Young secretly carried an unauthorized corned-beef sandwich aboard NASA’s Gemini 3 mission. The sandwich created pr...
NASA sent 3 aluminum LEGO figures on a 1.7 billion mile journey; by 2016, the figurines of 2 Roman gods and 1 famous scientist had become the fastest and farthest-traveling toys in history. Still orbiting Jupiter, they now face a fiery fateNASA's ambitious Juno mission made history by sending three aluminum LEGO figures to Jupiter, marking them as the fastest LEGO items ever c...
In 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, headed to the Moon without a traditional life insuranceIn 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, headed to the Moon without traditional life insurance. NASA...
In 1971, Apollo 15 astronauts found a white rock later identified as part of the Moon's ancient crust; the "Genesis rock" was estimated to be around four billion years oldIn 1971, the Apollo 15 mission led astronauts to discover a remarkable lunar rock, affectionately termed the 'Genesis rock' due to its age ...
In 1970, Apollo 13 used a wristwatch to time a 14-second burn without computer guidance. 56 years later, the manual maneuver remains a textbook survival feat and a NASA legendWhen Apollo 13 Went Dark, a Mechanical Wrist watch Saved the Mission. After an explosion crippled their spacecraft, the crew powered down t...
In 1969, three NASA astronauts abroad Apollo 10 flew incredibly close to the Moon. They had a lunar module a working descent engine but weren't allowed to landDuring the Apollo 10 mission, astronauts soared just nine miles above the Moon's surface, meticulously testing lunar module systems and lan...
In 1968, Apollo 8 photographed the famous Earthrise during its fourth lunar orbit; decades later, NASA used time-lapse images and LRO maps to reconstruct when and where it happenedThe forgotten camera aboard Apollo 8 inadvertently captured the Earthrise photo, highlighting an extraordinary moment for humanity. Utilizi...
In 1964, NASA first tracked a satellite with lasers; the method later helped measure sea-level rise and ice lossIn 1964, NASA researchers made history by tracking a satellite for the first time using a laser beam. Leveraging spare radar components and...
In 1969, she helped Apollo 11 carrying Neil Armstrong land on the moon. Indiana woman wrote the code that made it happen. She was MIT's first female programmerMargaret Hamilton, a computer scientist from Indiana, played a crucial role in NASA’s Apollo programme by leading the team that developed t...
In 1968, two Afghan tortoises who beat humans to the Moon lost 10% of their weight - They flew around the moon on Soviet Zond 5 and returned alive 3 months before Apollo 8In September 1968, two tortoises made history as the first animals to orbit the Moon and safely return to Earth aboard the Soviet Zond 5 sp...
In 1975, Soviet Union sent a cannon to space and tested it from Salyut 3 station, just six months before US and Soviet astronauts met in orbit for the Apollo-Soyuz mission during the Cold WarIn January 1975, the Soviet Union fired a 23mm cannon from its Salyut 3 military space station as a test of its orbital defence system. The...
In 1966, Michael Collins lost a camera and a micrometeorite experiment during a Gemini X spacewalk; both drifted away into orbitDuring the Gemini X mission in 1966, astronaut Michael Collins faced setbacks when he lost both his camera and a scientific experiment duri...
After Apollo 11 returned to Earth in 1969, Neil Armstrong spent his 39th birthday behind a glass wall from his wife; NASA kept him in a 3-week quarantine while scientists investigated a Lunar threat that probably never existedApollo 11 astronauts underwent a three-week quarantine after returning from the Moon. This precaution was taken due to the unknown biologic...
In 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts saw mysterious flashes with their eyes closed. Scientists later found the causeDuring the Apollo missions, astronauts noted peculiar flashes of light occurring inside their spacecraft. These experiences were later attr...