Today in space history, 45 years ago -- March 9, 1965 -- a Thor-Agena D-model rocket launched eight satellites at once from Vandenberg AFB. (A 1962 Thor-Agena-D launch. USAF image from Wikimedia Commons.) Not only was it the first time eight spacecraft had been launched at the same time, but one of those satellites -- Oscar-3 -- was the first ...
Most people know about NASA, even though some may be hard pressed to recite what it stands for: the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. I suspect many people forget about, or may not even know about, its predecessor, the NACA, established by Congress on this day in history, 1915. (Monochrome NACA logo, from Wikimedia Commons.) The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics ...
Fifteen years ago today -- March 2, 1995 -- Space Shuttle Endeavour launched from the Kennedy Space Center on mission STS-67. (Astro-2 telescope in the cargo bay during the STS-67 mission. Note the constellation Orion in the right side of the picture. NASA image from the University of Virginia web site.) Astronauts Stephen S. Oswald, William G. Gregory, Tamara E. Jernigan, John ...
Twenty years ago, in 1990, the Space Shuttle Atlantis was in orbit on mission STS-36. It had launched on the Department of Defense mission on February 28, during a classified launch window. (Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts, taken from Atlantis on STS-36. NASA image.) Astronauts John O. Creighton, John H. Casper, David C. Hilmers, Richard M. Mullane, and Pierre J. Thuot ...
After much soul-searching and "counting the cost," I have decided NOT to file as a candidate for the 2010 election primary. (Today is the deadline.) Instead, I will continue making snide observations about the candidates and the process, and as the Anti-Candidate I remain available for any write-in votes you want to cast. (East view of the U.S. Capitol. U.S. Government photo. Click to enlarge.) I received a lot of encouragement from ...
Updated 02-26-2010 at 09:33 AM by Gray Rinehart
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