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| SKC Films Library >> Technology >> Astronautics | |
History |
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| CONTENTS | |
The Space Age Begins In the fall of 1957 man conquered outer space in a far more spectacular manner than had been predicted by experts. |
 Fire Kills Three Apollo Astronauts At about 1:00 p.m. on January 27, 1967, three astronauts and a multitude of ground personnel began a launch pad test of the Apollo/Saturn space vehicle being prepared for the first piloted flight. At 6:31.06 p.m. a cry of "fire in the cockpit" was heard, and all communication with the astronauts ended fifteen seconds later. |
Tracking Satellites in 1957 |
Astronautics in 1978 The Soviet Union led the way in manned space flights in 1978, setting new records for human endurance in space, while the United States's manned program remained grounded during the year. The Soviet Union also had a total of 88 unmanned launchings during the year, compared to 32 by the United States. |
The Space Age in 1958 The United States entered the space age on January 31, 1958, with the launching of its first satellite, the Army's 31-pound Explorer I. |
Animals in Space American and Russian scientists utilized animals -- mainly monkeys, chimps and dogs -- in order to test each country's ability to launch a living organism into space and bring it back alive and unharmed. |
The Mercury Seven On April 9, 1959, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration introduced seven military test pilots as the first U.S. "space pilots." |
Mid-Air Recovery of a Satellite Capsule On August 18, 1960, a U.S. Air Force plane recovered the Discoverer XIV capsule in midair over the Pacific Ocean; it was the first time any airplane had ever recovered a satellite data capsule in flight. |
| Astronautics in 1961 | Space Cabin Simulator In February 1958 an airman spent seven days in a sealed cabin as part of a study on how to keep a man alive and alert in a cabin surrounded by a vacuum. |
 Alan Shepard Becomes the First American in Space on May 5, 1961 |
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| SKC Films Library >> Technology >> Astronautics | |