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NASA SATELLITE HISTORY
A satellite was launched for the first time with frequency division multiple access in 1966. After functioning for nearly 20 years, it slipped into a useless orbit almost 7 years after official deactivationATS-1 was launched on December 7, 1966, to test satellite communications, weather observation and orbital technologies. The spacecraft was ...- World Space Week 2026: How the ‘Rocket Revolution’ is changing the cost, speed and future of space travelWorld Space Week 2026 will highlight the increasing accessibility of space through the theme 'Rocket Revolution' this October. Celebrations...
- World Space Week 2026: Theme, history, how to celebrate and a special Pokémon twist- here's everything you need to knowWorld Space Week will occur from October 4 to October 10, 2026, themed 'Rocket Revolution'. This theme highlights advancements in rocket te...
- Want to do NASA research? 24 new US projects backed by $23 million will let citizen scientists hunt comets, study space weather and explore Earth data — all you need to knowNASA has selected 24 organizations to partake in a new Science Activation portfolio aimed at public engagement. This initiative will provid...
- A satellite map revealed a mysterious giant circle that was hiding in Canada for 390 million years. One amateur astronomer finally noticed itResearchers have identified the Uhackatik impact crater in Quebec, which is about 25 kilometers wide. The crater was discovered by amateur ...
- Around 1850, sailors drove giant Galápagos tortoises to extinction, keeping them as live food because they could survive for up to a year without food or water; then scientists found mysterious ‘alien’ survivors in 2000In an astonishing twist of fate, researchers found tortoises linked to a lineage believed to have vanished 150 years ago. Genetic testing r...
- In 1984, Tonga's Home Reef shot a 12km-high plume into the sky and built an island. 42 years later, the growing volcanic island has gained nearly 20 acres of landIn 1984, Tonga's Home Reef shot a 12km-high plume into the sky and built an island. 42 years later, the growing volcanic island has gained ...
- In 1966, Gemini 9 and Gemini 12 exposed fungal spores and viruses directly to space; a 0.4 mm aluminum shield kept fungal spores alive and boosted virus survival 3,000-foldEarly space missions tested microbial survival outside spacecraft without protection. Fungal spores and viruses showed very low survival ra...
- In 1957, Vanguard TV3 rose about 4 feet before its rocket exploded; the 3-pound satellite was thrown clear, recovered, and now sits in the Smithsonian's Air and Space MuseumIn 1957, an American satellite launch ended in disaster when the rocket exploded on the launchpad. The salvaged satellite ultimately became...
- In 1966, NASA launched Biosatellite I with 13 biology experiments and more than 10 million organisms; its retrorocket failed, and the spacecraft was never recoveredIn 1966, NASA's Biosatellite I mission attempted to carry over ten million organisms into orbit, but a retrorocket malfunction led to the c...
- In 1947, the military sent fruit flies 67 miles into space to test radiation risks. 11 years later, NASA was founded in 1958, with animal flights underway in America now1947 mission was part of a larger American effort to understand whether living organisms could survive the journey into space. Beginning in...
- In 1990, NASA recovered tomato seeds after nearly 6 years on LDEF; classroom tests found space seeds germinated at 73.8% versus 70.3% for Earth controlsAfter nearly six years aboard NASA's LDEF satellite, Rutgers tomato seeds returned to Earth to inspire young scientists. Millions of studen...
- NASA sent a 77-year-old payload specialist back into space in 1998, 36 years after he became the first American to orbit Earth - not just to make history again, but to study how an older human body responds to microgravity, becoming the oldest person ever to fly in spaceJohn Glenn returned to space aboard the shuttle Discovery in 1998. He became the oldest person to travel into space at age seventy-seven. N...
- In 1960, NASA launched rhesus monkey Miss Sam to test Mercury's escape system, and she reached 1,800 mph and 9 miles, then returned in overall good conditionMiss Sam, a rhesus monkey, played a pivotal role in NASA's launch escape system testing, demonstrating the system's ability to safely eject...
- In 1984, two shuttle-deployed satellites became stranded when their rocket stages failed; months later, Discovery astronauts captured both and returned them to the shuttleIn 1984, a space shuttle mission retrieved two communication satellites left in the wrong orbit. Insurance underwriters funded this unusual...
- In 1969, NASA launched Bonnie the monkey for a planned 30 days in orbit; his condition deteriorated after about 8 days, and the mission was ended earlyIn 1969, a brave monkey named Bonnie embarked on a solo space voyage aboard Biosatellite III. Unfortunately, his mission was cut short due ...
- Rising CO₂ is making the planet hotter, but it is also making Earth greener: A 2026 study analyzing 40 years of satellite data found carbon dioxide was responsible for 82.8% of global greening through 2021Earth has experienced sustained global greening from 1982 to 2021. Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide was the dominant driver behind this tr...
- In 1994, the space shuttle Discovery held a Wake Shield disk behind it while still attached to its robot arm; the facility produced 5 good semiconductor filmsIn 1994, the space shuttle Discovery transported the Wake Shield Facility, designed to establish an ultra-clean vacuum environment. This gr...
- In 1992, Endeavour rescued stranded Intelsat VI; three astronauts captured it by hand, and a new booster sent the satellite to geosynchronous orbitIn 1992, NASA unleashed the Endeavour shuttle on an ambitious mission to salvage a damaged satellite. The crew faced daunting challenges du...
- In 1985, NASA astronauts built two giant “flyswatters” aboard Space Shuttle Discovery; they used them in an attempt to activate a stranded satelliteIn the remarkable year of 1985, astronauts faced a daunting challenge when they crafted makeshift tools from spare materials aboard their s...
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