In 1940, the Federal Communications Commission got its first demonstration of FM radio by Major Edwin H. Armstrong.
According to Major Armstrong’s niece, Jeanne Hammond:
Another inventor, Lee DeForest, challenged Armstrong’s priority for this discovery and the issue was twice argued before the US Supreme Court—which found in DeForest’s favor. However, the scientific community has always credited Armstrong for the invention and he received a gold medal for it from the Institute of Radio Engineers.
Learn more about Major Armstrong at http://www.yonkershistory.org/arms.html
In 1969, the USSR Venera 5 launched for the first successful planet landing (Venus).
The spacecraft carried a medallion bearing the coat of arms of the U.S.S.R. and a bas-relief of V.I. Lenin to the night side of Venus.
Learn more at http://www.solarviews.com/span/venera5.htm
In 1972, President Richard M. Nixon announced that NASA would proceed with the development of a reusable ‘low cost’ space shuttle system.
The Mercury and Gemini programs had put Americans into Earth orbit. Apollo had been to the moon. But NASA wanted a reusable rocket ship to explore Earth orbit and to supply and staff a space station.
Learn more at http://http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2011/01/0105nixon-space-shuttle/
