Geek Facts

In 1973, Pioneer 11 was launched. Pioneer 11 was the first mission to explore the planet Saturn and its main rings and the second to investigate Jupiter and the outer solar system. Learn more at http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftDisplay.do?id=1973-019A

In 1994, Netscape Communications was founded as Mosaic Communications. Mosaic, later renamed Netscape, was the pioneering company in the field of internet browsers. Its Navigator provided the first user-friendly way for people to be able to surf the internet. Learn more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/business/2000/microsoft/635689.stm

In 1984, Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian in space. Sharma’s crewmates were Yuri Malyshev and Gennady Strekalov from the Soviet Union. Sharma carried out various experiments, including capturing images of northern India ahead of the construction of a dam in the Himalayas. Learn more

In 1960, the first U.S. weather satellite, TIROS-1, was launched. TIROS stood for Television and InfraRed Observation Satellite. With TIROS-1, it became possible to observe the Earth’s weather conditions on a regular basis from the vantage point of outer space. Learn more at http://noaasis.noaa.gov/NOAASIS/ml/40yearsa.html

In 1997, Pioneer 10 ended its mission. Pioneer 10 had many “firsts”: — the first spacecraft to pass through the asteroid belt — the first spacecraft to flyby Jupiter — the first to obtain close-up images of Jupiter — the first to visit the outer

In 1858, the pencil with an attached eraser was patented by Hyman L. Lipman. In 1862, Lipman sold his patent to Joseph Reckendorfer for $100,000. Learn more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hymen_Lipman

In 1974, NASA’s Mariner 10 became the first space probe to fly by Mercury. Mariner 10 was launched on November 3, 1973. It was also the first spacecraft mission to visit two planets and the first spacecraft to use the gravitational pull of one planet

In 1993, a Type II supernova was detected in M81. Messier 81 (M81, NGC 3031) in Ursa Major is one of the most conspicuous galaxies in the sky. The supernova was discovered by the Spanish amateur astronomer Francisco Garcia Diaz from Lugo, Spain. Learn more

In 1845, scientist Wilhelm Roentgen (Röntgen)
 was born. He is best known for discovering x-rays. He called them x-rays because ‘x’ is the mathematical symbol for ‘unknown’. The first x-ray he took was of his wife’s hand, shown here. Learn more at http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/wilhelm_roentgen.htm

In 1936, the Hale telescope, the first telescope with a 200-inch-diameter reflecting mirror, was shipped from Corning, New York to Mt. Palomar Observatory in California. The lens of the Hale telescope weighed 20 tons. It took two weeks by train, at a maximum speed of

In 1928, U.S. astronaut James A. Lovell Jr. was born. James Lovell had several “firsts” – the first to complete 4 spaceflights, the first to make 2 flights to the Moon and man’s first flight around the Moon. In addition, he was aboard Gemini 7

In 1930, the planet Pluto was named. The name Pluto was suggested by Venetia Burney, an 11-year old school girl in England. Due to stricter guidelines put in place in 2006 defining what a planet is, Pluto is no longer considered to be a planet.

In 1965, Gemini 3, the first U.S. 2-man space flight, launched. Gemini 3 was the first crewed Earth-orbiting spacecraft of the Gemini series. It was piloted by astronauts Virgil “Gus” Grissom and John Young. Learn more at http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftDisplay.do?id=1965-024A