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Items tagged with: OtD


#OTD one year ago, we passed 5,000 confirmed exoplanets. It was a milestone decades in the making. When we add sound for each new planet, you can hear the pace of discovery as worlds appear across our galaxy. https://go.nasa.gov/3Jz67Y0
#NASAExoplanets


Comet me, bro!

Astronomer Caroline Herschel, born #OTD in 1750, was the first woman credited with discovering a comet and the first woman to earn a salary as a scientist. She went on to discover 7 additional comets in her lifetime! #WomensHistoryMonth
#NASAhistory


Gemini VIII launched #OTD in 1966 to conduct the first ever docking in space. The docking went smoothly, but a critical failure necessitated an immediate abort of the mission.

Read about Neil Armstrong and Dave Scott's wild ride: https://go.nasa.gov/3JyLhZQ
#NASAhistory


Apollo 9 splashed down #OTD in 1969 after completing its 10-day mission. It was the last crewed spacecraft to splash down in the Atlantic Ocean until Crew Dragon Demo-1 in 2019, 50 years later!

Watch a video with highlights of the Apollo 9 mission: https://go.nasa.gov/3ITxtaZ
#NASAhistory


A million-second exposure. 10,000 galaxies. One mind-blowing image.

The Hubble Ultra Deep Field image unveiled a powerful, deep view of our universe #OTD in 2004.

This image only covers the amount of sky you can see through an eight-foot-long soda straw: https://go.nasa.gov/3FaoVLC
#Hubble


#OTD in 2009, @nasa launched the Kepler Space Telescope. It found more than 3,250 planets beyond our solar system and identified 3,000+ planet candidates before running out of fuel. Its name is written in the stars (and planets) it discovered. 💜 https://go.nasa.gov/3YvAPql
#NASAExoplanets


Echo, echo…

Hubble captured a “light echo” from the star V838 Mon. A sequence of images shows how a pulse of light from this star illuminated its surrounding clouds of material!

Find out more about V838 Mon, including an image released #OTD in 2004: https://go.nasa.gov/3SNCyG4
#Hubble


This stunning aerial photo, captured from a Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA), shows Space Shuttle Columbia lifting off from @NASAKennedy #OTD in 1994 for STS-62.

Learn more about how the STA prepared Shuttle pilots: https://go.nasa.gov/3ZbIbAi
#NASAhistory


Recognizing the need for the U.S. to keep up with other nations in advancing flight technology, Congress created the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) #OTD in 1915. The NACA went on to develop faster fighter planes for WWII… 1/2
#NASAhistory


The Apollo 11 Moon landing in July 1969 hinged on the success of Apollo 9, the first flight of the full Apollo spacecraft with the lunar module, launched #OTD in 1969. 🧵
#NASAhistory


Pioneer 10, launched #OTD in 1972, was designed for a 21-month flyby mission to Jupiter, but lasted for more than 30 years, racking up firsts along the way! By this day 50 years ago, it had passed the asteroid belt unscathed and was on its way to Jupiter. https://go.nasa.gov/3IH1j26
#NASAhistory


As the New Horizons spacecraft flew by Jupiter #OTD in 2007, the most volcanically active body in our solar system didn't disappoint: Tvashta, a volcano on Jupiter's moon Io, was caught spewing a plume 200 miles above the surface! More about Io: https://go.nasa.gov/41vbEXP
#NASAhistory


NASA astronaut and US Air Force Colonel Alvin Drew performed his first spacewalk #OTD in 2011, making repairs and upgrades to the @Space_Station during STS-133. In this photo from the 12-day mission, he's seen in the station's newly-installed Permanent Multipurpose Module. #BHM
#NASAhistory


NASA Research Pilot Bill Dana flew the HL-10 lifting body to an altitude of 90,030 ft (more than 27 km), setting the altitude record for the lifting body program #OTD in 1970.

About the HL-10: https://go.nasa.gov/3xM3YCy

📷 Dana after his 4th free flight in the HL-10 in Sept. 1969
#NASAhistory


The first Saturn 1B rocket (AS-201), developed at @NASAMarshall, lifted off on an unpiloted, suborbital flight #OTD in 1966. In all, 9 Saturn IB flights were made, ending with the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) in July 1975. More about this test flight: https://go.nasa.gov/3IOhM5T
#NASAhistory


Before Apollo 10 and 11 went to the Moon in 1969, Mariner 6 launched from Cape Canaveral #OTD in 1969 for a flyby mission of Mars. It made its closest encounter of the Red Planet on 31 July of that year, taking 24 close-up photos over 17 minutes. https://go.nasa.gov/3XRLDih
#NASAhistory


Space Shuttle Discovery roared into the sky for its final space flight #OTD in 2011 (STS-133). With 39 missions over its 27 years in service, Discovery spent a cumulative 365 days in orbit. You can visit the shuttle orbiter now at @airandspace's Udvar Hazy Center.
#NASAhistory


Happy 35th birthay to the #LTEE! 🎂 🎼 Started #OTD in 1988 at UC-Irvine, raised at #MSU, now residing at UT-Austin in Jeff Barrick's lab and approaching 77,000 generations!!
#evolution #science #microbiology #experiments #time #TimeTravel


3 days after John Glenn's landmark space flight, President John F. Kennedy met the astronaut at the Launch Operations Center (now @NASAKennedy) #OTD in 1962 to present Glenn with the NASA Distinguished Service Medal.

More images from this day in history: https://go.nasa.gov/3ShuNYV
#NASAhistory


First discovered in May 2005, it was confirmed #OTD in 2006 that @NASAHubble had discovered 2 more moons orbiting Pluto. Later named Nix and Hydra, @NASANewHorizons flew by in 2017, capturing photos. These tiny moons are only 20–70 mi (32–113 km) wide! https://go.nasa.gov/3Kt0Jrn
#NASAhistory


John Glenn made history #OTD in 1962 when he became the first American to orbit the Earth. He made 3 orbits (2 of them manually controlled) in the Friendship 7 capsule before splashing down.

Read the details of this landmark space flight: https://go.nasa.gov/40UWMSa
#NASAhistory


#OTD in 1977, Enterprise, the Space Shuttle prototype, took to the skies for the first time perched atop a NASA Shuttle Carrier Aircraft high above what is now @NASAArmstrong in Edwards, CA.

Learn more about these early Shuttle tests: https://go.nasa.gov/3ltHoMa
#NASAhistory


As a former Boy Scout, Roger Chaffee (born #OTD in 1935) had more outdoor experience than some of his fellow astronauts. Over his 3-day jungle survival training, he was able to find various things to eat, describing palm hearts as delicious, and snails as just plain terrible.
#NASAhistory


Did somebody say touchdown?

NEAR Shoemaker became the 1st ever spacecraft to touch down on an asteroid #OTD in 2001. Although the probe wasn't expected to survive the landing, it surprised scientists by continuing to transmit data for ~2 weeks on Eros! https://go.nasa.gov/3JN2Vd0
#NASAhistory


Hubble upgrade!

STS-82, launched #OTD in 1997, was dedicated to servicing @NASAHubble. Over 5 EVAs totaling more than 33 hours, the telescope's scientific instruments were updated and Hubble's orbit was boosted by 3.2 km (2 mi).

Get the details: https://go.nasa.gov/3YuUhns
#NASAhistory


"Hiya, Pal!"

Mickey Mouse greeted the astronauts and cosmonauts making up the prime crew for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project during a visit to Disney World #OTD in 1975. The visit took place at the end of a 3-day tour of the launch facilities at @NASAKennedy in Florida.
#NASAhistory


The first Black astronaut in history to perform a spacewalk!

STS-63 Mission Specialist Bernard Harris gained this distinction #OTD in 1995. Before his 1990 selection as an astronaut, Dr. Harris worked at @NASA_Johnson as a flight surgeon & clinical scientist. #BlackHistoryMonth
#NASAhistory


Apollo 14 splashed down in the Pacific Ocean #OTD in 1971 after a successful 9-day mission! It was the last of the Apollo missions to quarantine the astronauts upon their return. More on the completion of the mission: https://go.nasa.gov/3XayznR

📷 Astronaut Ed Mitchell disembarks
#NASAhistory


After 2 years of study, NASA announced the selection of 5 possible Apollo landing sites on the Moon #OTD in 1968. The Sea of Tranquility (Site 2) was where Apollo 11 ultimately landed.

Read about the criteria that NASA used to choose the landing sites: https://go.nasa.gov/3Yjj3r1
#NASAhistory


“The Moon is one big sand trap”

Astronaut Alan Shepard famously worked on his #golf game on the 2nd lunar EVA of the Apollo 14 mission #OTD in 1971. How well do you know your Moon golf trivia? Tell us how many golf balls are on the Moon!

Watch Al's shot: https://go.nasa.gov/40gDgPA
#NASAhistory


Apollo 14 astronauts Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell landed on the Moon #OTD in 1971, becoming the 5th and 6th humans to reach the lunar surface.

Watch highlights of NASA's 1st mission to the lunar highlands: https://go.nasa.gov/3HScjdV
#NASAhistory


I feel the need...the need for speed! 💨

The Douglas D-558-II "Skyrocket" was first flown #OTD in 1948. One of the early transonic research airplanes, the Skyrocket later became the first aircraft to fly 2x the speed of sound.

More about the D-558-II: https://go.nasa.gov/3Ru386H
#NASAhistory


After @MIT, Dr. Ron McNair's research included electro-optic laser modulation for satellite-to-satellite space communications, and led him to apply to be a NASA astronaut.

Ron McNair is seen here training for his first mission, STS-41B (launched #OTD in 1984). #BlackHistoryMonth
#NASAhistory


#NASARemembers: 20 years ago #OTD, Feb 1, 2003, at 8:59am ET, space shuttle Columbia broke up on reentry. The entire crew perished.

Rick Husband
Willie McCool
Michael Anderson
Kalpana Chawla
David Brown
Laurel Clark
Ilan Ramon

We will never forget. https://go.nasa.gov/3YezowF
#NASAhistory


A few months after the USSR launched Sputnik, the US's first satellite, Explorer 1, was launched into space #OTD in 1958. Explorer 1 measured the radiation environment in Earth orbit, leading to the discovery of the Van Allen Belts.

Watch the news reel: https://archive.org/details/1958-02-03_First_US_Satellite_Launched
#NASAhistory


Apollo 14 lifted off from Pad 39A at @NASAKennedy at 4:03 pm ET #OTD in 1971. Commander Alan Shepard returned to space with Command Module Pilot Stu Roosa and Lunar Module Pilot Ed Mitchell.

Read more about the launch: https://go.nasa.gov/3WOFR0c
#NASAhistory


#OTD in 1986, as the crew of Space Shuttle Challenger (STS-51L) perished when the vehicle exploded shortly after liftoff.

They were Michael Smith, Dick Scobee, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Greg Jarvis, and Judy Resnik. #NASARemembers
#NASAhistory


Ever wonder what Hubble saw on your birthday?

Here’s what Hubble captured #OTD in 2000 – the galaxy NGC 4013, seen edge-on from 55 million light-years away!

Find your image: https://go.nasa.gov/3WwqARC
#Hubble


Space, meet the Lunar Module!

The uncrewed Apollo 5 mission was launched on the Saturn IB SA-204 rocket #OTD in 1968 with the primary objective of testing the Apollo Lunar Module's ascent and descent propulsion systems while in Earth's orbit.
#NASAhistory


Ready for your close-up, Pluto!

#OTD in 2006, NASA launched the first spacecraft to take a close look at the edges of our solar system: New Horizons! We got our first detailed views of Pluto and its moons 9 years later in 2015.

More on @NASANewHorizons: https://go.nasa.gov/3GO3MHg
#NASAhistory

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