1999 – SWAS (Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite) detects water in star forming gas clouds! The mission went into hibernation on July 21, 2004 then on June 28, 2005 it was reactivated to support Deep Impact Mission.

1997 – Mona Kessel finds proof of the Earth’s bow shock position by studying the Earth’s magnetosphere.

1985 – Sakigake Launch. First Japanese deep space probe. (Japan Comet Halley Mission, on March 11, 1986, Sakigake made its closest approach to Halley’s Comet)

1610 – Galileo Galilei discovered three of the four major moons of the planet Jupiter. The final moon was found on January 10, 1610.

Birthdays

1935 – Valeri Kubasov, Russian engineer and astronaut (d. 2014)

1941 – Frederick D. Gregory, American astronaut