Observation / Anniversary

Nationwide celebrations and educational events occur to observe NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) first business day as newly-formed National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on this day in 1958.

First solar observatory for China known as CHASE or Xihe / 羲和 surpasses another full year in space since launching on this day via Long March 2D in 2021.

Detecting some of the most energetic radiation in space, ESA, NASA, Roscosmos spacecraft surpasses another year of operations in space, despite loss of its thrusters; launched 2002, expected to run out of fuel early 2020s and fall to Earth Feb 2029.

European Space Agency (ESA) and Roscosmos spacecraft surpasses another full year at Mars, launched 2016; craft continues collecting data on atmosphere, deployed Schiaparelli demonstration lander 19 Oct 2016 (unsuccessful).

NASA spacecraft mapping boundary between the Solar System and interstellar space surpasses another full year in space; launched on this day 2008.

European Space Agency / JAXA Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (dubbed Mio ‘waterway or fairway’) starts its next year in space today, launched 2018; expected to reach Mercury polar orbit in Nov 2026 to map planet, investigate magnetosphere.

NASA spacecraft surpasses another full year in orbit around Mars today, holds record for longest-surviving continually active spacecraft in orbit around a planet other than Earth; launched 2001.

NASA craft imaging Sun and solar phenomena surpasses another full year in space today; launched 2006.

Awards include those named in honor of Neil Armstrong, Sally Ride, Carl Sagan, Patti Grace Smith, Dick Brouwer and John F. Kennedy, awards for space entrepreneurship, life sciences, technology and flight, and for advancement of international cooperation, et al. Nominations are also accepted for AAS Fellows.