1959
The Soviet space probe Luna 3 returns the first photos of the Moon's dark side to Earth. The photos, returned via facsimile, were highly indistinct, however, through a system of computer enhancements, the a lunar atlas that later proved to be mostly accurate was developed from them. The first photos revealed mountainous landscapes drastically different from the side of the Moon astronomer had been studying through their telescopes for so long. These regions were later named Mare Moscovrae (the Sea of Moscow) and Mare Desiderii (the Sea of Dreams). It was the third Soviet probe to successfully reach to the Moon, placing the United States under immense pressure to accelerate its own space program; however, in comparison with later probes it was a crudely built device.
1962
NASA launched the Ranger 5 space probe on a mission to photograph the lunar surface. Once it reached the Moon, it was to impact the surface, depositing devices to study seismic activity and the radar reflectivity of the surface. However, due to an unknown malfunction, after entering into lunar trajectory, the spacecraft failed. Its batteries ran down eight hours and forty-four minutes into the flight and it missed the Moon by just over 725 km.
1967
The Soviet space probe Venera 4 successfully enters the atmosphere of the planet Venus and returns data before losing contact approximately twenty-seven kilometers above the surface.
1969
The Soviet spacecraft Soyuz 8 returns to Earth carrying seven cosmonauts.
1984
The NASA Space Shuttle Discovery is moved to Vandenberg Air Force Base in preparation for mission STS-51-A, the first mission on which a Shuttle will deploy two communication satellites.
1989
The Space Shuttle Atlantis deployed the Galileo space orbiter just six hours after its own launch. (STS-34) Following the orbiter's deployment, its inertial upper stage rocket brought it onto a course that take it through the inner solar system, past Venus and out toward Jupiter on a trajectory dubbed “VEEGA” for “Venus-Earth-Earth Gravity Assist.” The Galileo will be the first probe to conduct an asteroid flyby, the first probe to discover an asteroid moon, and the first space probe to orbit Jupiter. This mission had been delayed since May 1986 due
to the Challenger tragedy and the time required to reformulated the trajectory solution of the probe after its original Centaur booster was banned from being carried aboard a Space Shuttle for safety reasons.
2004
In the U.K., the science fiction series Battlestar Galactica premieres. It will run for sixty-three episodes over four seasons.