Mariner 2 was launched to Venus #OnThisDay in 1962. It would become the first spacecraft to successfully reach another planet in the history of humanity. It's up-close look at Venus revealed that it was not what we expected: science.nasa.gov/mission/marine… NASA Solar System NASA JPL

#OTD in 2003, the Shaped Sonic Boom Demonstration aircraft, a modified U.S. Navy F-5E jet, proved that an aircraft can be shaped to change its shock waves in supersonic flight. This technology is getting ready to fly on NASA's X-59 research aircraft! nasa.gov/quesst

We're going on an adventure! The massive Apollo 17 rocket left the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center #OTD in 1972 and rolled out to the launchpad for the final crewed flight to the Moon. What the Apollo 17 astronauts were up to that summer: go.nasa.gov/4cJGlg6

STS-128's Jose Hernandez Hernández posted the first ever Spanish language tweet from space 15 years ago today. His dream of becoming an astronaut had finally been realized. "Espero la cosecha de mi sueno sirva como inspiracion a todos!" x.com/Astro_Jose/sta…

Tarzan, is that you? Astronaut L. Gordon Cooper Jr. is hoisted up to a Navy helicopter #OTD in 1965, after the Gemini V spacecraft splashed down in the Atlantic. It was the first time that the U.S. had surpassed the Soviet Union for the record longest spaceflight: nearly 8 days.

From #Chandra25 to JAXA(Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)’s XRISM’s first year in space, 2024 has been a big year in X-ray astronomy. As we celebrate these milestones, it seems like a good time to dig into a little history and talk about the telescopes that help us explore the high-energy universe. 🧵

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the very first flight of Space Shuttle Discovery. 📷 The STS-41D astronauts who went to space #OTD in 1984: Michael L. Coats, Charles D. Walker, Steven A. Hawley, Judith A. Resnik, Richard M. Mullane, and Mission Commander Henry Hartsfield.

Before NASA could send humans to space, we needed to better understand the effects of weightlessness on the human body. In the late 1950s, 11 deaf men from what is now Gallaudet University were recruited, and helped us learn about adaptation to spaceflight. go.nasa.gov/4e5fvAh

The little spacecraft that could 🚂 45 years ago today, Pioneer 11 sailed past Saturn, catching 440 photos of the planet and its moons before heading off to the outer reaches of our solar system and beyond! Enjoy more photos of this close encounter here: go.nasa.gov/3T3yG5p

The Viking 2 lander's first photo from the surface of Mars 👇 was taken within minutes of the spacecraft touching down #OTD in 1976. Besides taking photos, the lander analyzed samples and conducted experiments in search of Martian life until April 1980.

55 years ago, scientists like biologist Elaine Muñoz at NASA Ames were getting their first looks at the Apollo 11 lunar samples. While they didn't find evidence of life, the samples have shed light on how the Moon formed. More on moon rocks on NASA+ plus.nasa.gov/video/nasa-exp…

The first of the Orbiting Geophysical Observatories, OGO-1, was launched 60 years ago #OTD. This series of six satellites studied the Earth's atmosphere, magnetosphere, and the space between the Earth and Moon. The 1,073-pound OGO-1 carried 20 experiments.

Hurricane Frances slammed into NASA's Kennedy Space Center 20 years ago today on September 5, 2004. The storm damaged the Vehicle Assembly Building and other structures, and toppled the Mercury-Redstone rocket on display near an administrative office.

“You can only do things for the first time once..." ✨ #OTD 47 years ago, Voyager 1 launched into space, joining Voyager 2 among the stars. Sit back and celebrate their epic journey with this documentary, streaming now on NASA+: plus.nasa.gov/video/jpl-and-…

This year, dedicated teams of engineers, designers, test technicians, and analysts at #NASAMarshall are celebrating 25 years of the Chandra Observatory and the incredible data it has provided us. Check out some of its most memorable moments >> nasa.tumblr.com/post/760791875… #Chandra25

This historic facility does pretty cool 🧊 research. Oh, and it has been used for decades to develop nearly every modern ice protection system for aircraft! nasa.gov/centers-and-fa…

At NASA, our mission demands that we be bold and innovative. Why not express it with a fun shirt just like the STS-87 crew onboard Space Shuttle Columbia in 1997? #ArchivesHashtagParty #ArchivesPatterns