On this day · archive
Mariner 2 sets out for Venus
NASA launched Mariner 2 in 1962 on an uncrewed mission to Venus, sending a compact spacecraft across interplanetary distance to measure another world.
8
events in todayish file
1962
NASA launches the uncrewed Mariner 2 mission to Venus.
A compact spacecraft left Earth for Venus, carrying instruments meant to turn a distant bright object into a measured planet.
NASA launched Mariner 2 toward Venus on August 27, 1962. The uncrewed spacecraft carried instruments designed to study the planet’s atmosphere, temperature, magnetic environment, and surrounding space.
Planetary flight was still new and failure was common. Mariner 2 had to survive launch, navigate millions of miles, communicate with Earth, and return useful measurements during a brief encounter.
Its successful flyby later that year became the first successful planetary encounter by a spacecraft. The mission helped replace long-distance speculation about Venus with direct observation.
The full record
8 entries from the day’s archive, filed year by year with a note on what each one leaves behind.
Hurricane Irene strikes the United States east coast, killing 47 and causing an estimated $15.6 billion in damage.
The hurricane caused deaths, flooding, and widespread damage along the East Coast.
Disaster
Comair Flight 5191 crashes on takeoff from Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Kentucky, bound for Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta. Of the passengers and crew, 49 of 50 are confirmed dead in the hours following the crash.
The takeoff crash killed 49 of the 50 people aboard.
Disaster
Aeroflot Flight 2808 crashes in Lebyazhy Lug during approach to Ivanovo Yuzhny Airport, killing all 84 aboard.
The approach crash killed all 84 people aboard.
Disaster
Space Shuttle Discovery is launched on STS-51-I to deploy three communication satellites and repair a fourth malfunctioning one.
Discovery’s mission combined satellite deployment with an orbital repair.
Space
The Mariner 2 unmanned space mission is launched to Venus by NASA.
The launch began the first successful spacecraft encounter with another planet.
Space
The first edition of the Guinness Book of Records is published in Great Britain.
The record book grew from a reference work into a publishing institution.
Publishing
First flight of the turbojet-powered Heinkel He 178, the world's first jet aircraft.
The experimental Heinkel demonstrated turbojet-powered flight.
Aviation
Petroleum is discovered in Titusville, Pennsylvania, leading to the world's first commercially successful oil well.
The Titusville well helped establish commercial petroleum production.
Industry