March 20, 1960 – Birth date of Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Georgiyevich Shargin.

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NASA BIOGRAPHY Posted: October 11, 2004 Yuri Shargin, a lieutenant-colonel in Russia’s Air Force, will fill the third seat in the Soyuz with the Expedition 10 crewmembers. He will spend eight days aboard the Station conducting scientific experiments before returning … Continue reading →

March 18, 1965 – Soviet cosmonaut Alexey Arkhipovich Leonov becomes the first human to “walk” in space.

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Alexei Leonov, was the first man to “walk” in space on March 18, 1965. Though he was expected to become a professional artist, aviation beckoned and Leonov was soon flying jets and studying engineering. When the call came for Cosmonaut … Continue reading →

March 17, 1936 – Birth date of Ken Mattingly, American admiral, pilot, and astronaut.

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PERSONAL DATA: Born in Chicago, Illinois, March 17, 1936. One grown son. EDUCATION: Attended Florida elementary and secondary schools and is a graduate of Miami Edison High School, Miami, Florida; received a bachelor of science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Auburn University … Continue reading →

March 17, 1930 – Birth date of James Irwin, American pilot and astronaut.

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PERSONAL DATA: Born March 17, 1930, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Died August 8, 1991 of a heart attack. He is survived by his wife Mary Ellen and their five children. EDUCATION: Graduated from East High School, Salt Lake City, Utah. He received a … Continue reading →

March 17, 1958 – The United States launches the Vanguard 1 satellite.

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Vanguard 1 was a small earth-orbiting satellite designed to test the launch capabilities of a three-stage launch vehicle and the effects of the environment on a satellite and its systems in Earth orbit. It also was used to obtain geodetic … Continue reading →

March 16, 1927 – Birth date of Vladimir Mikhaylovich Komarov.

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Did this Soviet cosmonaut crash back to Earth screaming in rage at his superiors? When dealing with Soviet space history of the Sixties and Seventies great caution must be taken. Unlike NASA, the Soviets were highly secretive about their space … Continue reading →

March 16, 1750 – Birth date of Caroline Lucretia Herschel.

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Caroline Herschel Biography. The first woman to discover a comet, the first woman officially recognized in a scientific position, and the first woman to receive honorary membership into Britain’s prestigious Royal Society, Caroline Herschel made a significant contribution to the field … Continue reading →

March 15, 1932 – Birth date of Alan Bean, American captain, pilot, and astronaut.

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PERSONAL DATA: Born in Wheeler, Texas, on March 15, 1932. Married. Two grown children, a son and a daughter. EDUCATION: Graduated from Paschal High School in Fort Worth, Texas; received a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering from the University of … Continue reading →

March 14, 1934 – Birth date of the last man on the moon: Eugene Cernan.

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Eugene Cernan was the last man to walk on the moon. He visited the moon’s neighborhood twice, aboard Apollo 10 and Apollo 17, and also did a challenging spacewalk aboard Gemini 9. While he chose not to fly in the … Continue reading →

March 14, 1928 – Birth date of Frank Borman, American colonel, pilot, and astronaut.

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FRANK BORMAN NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER) A hero of the American Space Odyssey, Frank Borman led the first team of American astronauts to circle the moon, extending man’s horizons into space. He is internationally known as Commander of the 1968 Apollo … Continue reading →