Today in History
2000 – 100th Mission of NASA’s Space Shuttle Program
Also known as the Space Transportation System or STS, the program was the first in the world to employ reusable spacecraft to take people into outer space. The first flight of the space shuttle fleet, which included Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour took place on April 12, 1981. The 100th flight was on the space shuttle Discovery, and the mission was designated STS-92. It was the 30th time Discovery had flown into space.
1984 – First American Woman to walk in Space
Kathryn Dwyer Sullivan undertook a 3.5-hour long spacewalk with fellow astronaut David Leestma while on the Space Shuttle Challenger mission STS-41-G. The spacewalk was performed to demonstrate the possibility of refuelling a satellite. STS-41-G was the first flight mission to carry two women astronauts – Sullivan and Sally Ride.
1975 – The First Episode of Saturday Night Live Airs
A popular sketch comedy show, SNL, as it is popularly known, was initially called NBC’s Saturday Night, and it was created and produced by Lorne Michaels. The show’s original cast members, which usually opens with the slogan “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!” included Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, and Chevy Chase.
1911 – Wuchang Uprising
The Wuchang Uprising occurred in Wuchang, China, leading to the fall of the Qing dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China. This day is celebrated as an important holiday in Taiwan.
1899 – Second Boer War Begins
The almost 3-year long conflict was fought between British and Irish troops and the Boers from the Transvaal and Orange Free State. The war began due to disagreements between the two sides over the region’s ownership of gold and diamond mines. The British annexed the two countries at the war’s end in May 1902. The word Boer is the Afrikaans word for the farmer, and it was used then to refer to Afrikaans-speaking settlers in the region.
Births On This Day, October 11
1989 – Michelle Wie
American golfer
1942 – Amitabh Bachchan
Indian actor
1937 – Bobby Charlton
English footballer
1884 – Eleanor Roosevelt
American politician, humanitarian, 34th First Lady of the United States
1739 – Grigory Potemkin
Russian military leader, politician
Deaths On This Day, October 11
2008 – Jörg Haider
Austrian politician, Governor of Carinthia
2004 – Keith Miller
Australian cricketer, pilot
1963 – Édith Piaf
French singer-songwriter, actress
1896 – Anton Bruckner
Austrian composer
1531 – Huldrych Zwingli
Swiss pastor, theologian