The events on this day in history for our heritage companies are noted below.
The earliest event was in 1956, the latest event was in 2009
Two milestone events (5 to 65+years ago)
Human Spaceflight:
1989 – LAUNCH: STS-34 (Atlantis), LC39B, KSC – 5 person crew, deployed the Galileo spacecraft (Jupiter mission) – MILESTONE: 35 years ago. Crew: Donald Williams, Michael McCulley, Shannon Lucid, Franklin Chang-Diaz (Costa Rica/USA), Ellen Baker. MM built the Galileo AACS computer and three instruments (see below); GE provided the Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators.
1993 – LAUNCH: STS-58 (Columbia), LC39B, KSC – 7 person crew, Spacelab2
2002 – LANDING: STS-112 (Atlantis), KSC
Military and Classified Programs:
2003 – LAUNCH: LM DMSP-Block-5D 3 (16), LM Titan II SLV, SLC4W, VAFB – Final Titan II SLV launch
2009 – LAUNCH: LM DMSP-Block-5D 3 (18), ULA Atlas V 401, LC41, CCAFS – MILESTONE: 15 years ago
Exploration and Interplanetary Programs:
1962 – LAUNCH: Ranger 5, GD Atlas/Lockheed Agena B, LC12, CCAFS – Excessive velocity imparted by the Agena upper stage resulted in the Ranger 5 spacecraft flying past the moon
Earth-Monitoring and Civil Weather Satellite programs:
NONE
Commercial Programs:
NONE
Test, ICBM, FBM programs:
1956 – LAUNCH: Lockheed X-17, LC3, CCAFS
1960 – LAUNCH: Lockheed Polaris A1, SSBN599, ETR
Other:
NONE
The photos today are from two missions. First, there are photos of the STS-34 mission, including the launch, the crew and the deployment of the Galileo spacecraft on a mission to Jupiter. I have also included a diagram of the Galileo atmospheric probe. Martin Marietta built the AACS (Attitude and Articulation Control System) computer for Galileo and the Galileo Probe Atmospheric Structure Instrument (ASI), the Galileo Probe Nephelometer (NEP) instrument, and the Galileo Probe Net-flux Radiometer (NFR) instrument. General Electric provided two RTGs used for electrical power. Photo Credits: NASA.
Second, there is a photo of an example of a DMSP (Defense Meteorological Satellite Program) Block 5D spacecraft and the last Titan II/SLV launch that finally put that DMSP in orbit in 2003 after more than two years reworking issues with the launch vehicle and spacecraft. Photo Credit: USAF/Attributed to public domain by Wikipedia.
