The events on this day in history for our heritage companies are noted below.
The earliest event was in 1957, the latest event was in 2022.
Two milestone events (5 to 65+ years ago)
Human Spaceflight:
1993 – LANDING: STS-57 (Endeavour), KSC
1997 – LAUNCH: STS-94 (Columbia), LC39A, KSC – 7 person crew, Microgravity Science Lab. Crew: James Halsell, Susan Still, Janice Voss, Michael Gernhardt, Donald Thomas, Roger Crouch, Greg Linteris. Reflight of STS-83.
Military and Classified Programs:
1967 – LAUNCH: IDCSP 3-1 to 3-4, LES-5, DODGE-1, MM Titan IIIC, LC401, CCAFS – completes Initial Defense Communications Satellite program, two experimental satellites
2022 – LAUNCH: WFOV/USA-337/USSF-12, Atlas V 541, LC-41, CCSFS – Classified payloads on the last Atlas V 541 configuration
Exploration and Interplanetary Programs:
2004 – Cassini spacecraft orbital insertion successful at Saturn, using LM Cassini propulsion module – MILESTONE: 20 years ago
Earth-Monitoring and Civil Weather Satellite programs:
NONE
Commercial Programs:
NONE
Test, ICBM, FBM programs:
1957 – First GD Atlas wing activated at Cooke AFB
1960 – LAUNCH FAILURE: Martin Titan I, LC20, CCAFS – first operational configuration – broken hydraulic line, destroyed by RSO at T+11 seconds
1977 – Limited funds from Congressional appropriations for MM Missile-X (Peacekeeper) basing options (no air or silo based authorized)
1992 – LAUNCH: MM Peacekeeper, LF02, VAFB
Other:
1962 – Launch Operations Center founded, separating what later becomes the Kennedy Space Center from CCAFS
1964 – Point Arguello transferred from USN to USAF control, VAFB – MILESTONE: 60 years ago
The images today are from two events. First, there are two artist’s depictions of the orbital insertion trajectory that was required for the Cassini spacecraft when it arrived at Saturn in 2004, 20 years ago. Image Credits: NASA/JPL.
Second, there are photos from the STS-94 mission in 1997. This was a reflight (including crew) of the STS-83 mission that was curtailed due to battery problems. The photos include the launch, the crew while in orbit, and the Spacelab module in the shuttle bay used for microgravity experiments. Photo Credits: NASA.
