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FAILED SPACE MISSIONS
A 1.5-pound squirrel monkey named Goliath was launched into space in 1961; 35 seconds later, his Atlas E rocket was destroyed- In 2013, Bion-M1 carried land snails in orbit for 30 days; hardware failures killed many other animals, but the snails survived
- In 1984, Challenger captured the failing SolarMax satellite; astronauts spent nearly seven hours repairing it before sending the observatory back to work
- 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 ...30 Aug, 2026, 03.00 PM IST
- 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...30 Aug, 2026, 02.10 PM IST
- 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 ...29 Aug, 2026, 08.26 PM IST
- In 1959, Able and Baker survived a 300-mile Jupiter rocket flight; Able died during surgery four days later, while Baker lived to 27In 1959, two brave monkeys named Able and Baker embarked on a historic space mission. Tragically, Able passed away just four days post-miss...29 Aug, 2026, 07.20 PM IST
- In 1951, Yorick the monkey and 11 mice rode an Aerobee rocket to 236,000 feet; the flight showed animals could survive launch and landing, though Yorick died after touchdownIn 1951, a rhesus monkey named Yorick embarked on a groundbreaking mission aboard a rocket, soaring nearly forty-five miles above the New M...29 Aug, 2026, 06.40 PM IST
- In 1962, NASA packed 22,900 gallons of water into a Saturn I rocket and deliberately released it 65 miles above Earth to see how water behaved in the upper atmosphereNASA scientists have long explored recycling resources for extended space travel. Plants and microorganisms could help regenerate vital sup...28 Aug, 2026, 09.39 PM IST
- 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...27 Aug, 2026, 01.40 PM IST
- In 1958, NASA launched a spacecraft Able 2 for the first time to the Moon but the mission failed after a small error and the probe reentered Earth's atmosphere about 43 hours after launchIn 1958, NASA launched Able 2, later known as Pioneer 1, on a mission to study the Moon. The spacecraft failed to reach lunar orbit after a...26 Aug, 2026, 10.37 PM IST
- In 1997, NASA launched Columbia to study undercooled molten metals in microgravity; the STS-83 mission also carried experiments on sintering and fire behaviorThe 1997 mission of space shuttle Columbia was cut short due to problems with fuel cells. However, the crew managed to perform crucial micr...26 Aug, 2026, 07.00 PM IST
- In 2023, NASA grew tomatoes for 100 days aboard the space station; ground plants produced more than 100, while the space crop yielded 12 and was not eatenNASA's tomato experiment on the International Space Station faced major hurdles in microgravity, where watering issues resulted in uneven m...26 Aug, 2026, 02.40 PM IST
- In 1958, US Air Force launched an Able 1 spacecraft to the Moon in humanity’s first attempt to send a spaceship anywhere beyond Earth orbit but the mission lasted only 73.6 secondsIn 1958, US Air Force launched an Able 1 spacecraft to the Moon in humanity’s first attempt to send a spaceship anywhere beyond Earth orbit...26 Aug, 2026, 01.26 AM IST
- In 1986, Challenger broke apart 73 seconds after liftoff; 36 years later, a TV dive team found a shuttle artifact with 8-inch tiles off FloridaDivers found a large, tiled object while filming a documentary series. This unexpected discovery was later identified as space shuttle Chal...25 Aug, 2026, 01.00 PM IST
- From Thumba to tomorrow: Indian space programme is preparing for its biggest leap yetIndia's space program began with a small rocket range in 1962. It progressed to launching its first satellite and developing indigenous lau...24 Aug, 2026, 01.25 PM IST
- 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...23 Aug, 2026, 02.20 PM IST
- In 2004, NASA’s Genesis sample capsule crashed in Utah at up to 193 miles per hour; scientists later recovered valuable solar-wind samplesNASA's Genesis mission faced a dramatic mishap in Utah when its capsule crashed after gathering precious solar wind samples. The failure of...22 Aug, 2026, 02.40 PM IST
- NASA abandons attempt to rescue aging space telescope from atmospheric re-entryNASA and Katalyst Space Technologies have ended their mission to save the Swift Observatory. Persistent attitude-control failures on the Li...21 Aug, 2026, 12.25 AM IST
- Rescue mission for aging NASA space telescope failsKatalyst's LINK craft was launched in early July to approach the observatory, also known as Swift, some 216 miles (347 km) in space, grap...20 Aug, 2026, 08.11 AM IST
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