Daily Extra :
synchronous rotation: If the period of a satellite's rotation about its axis is the same as the period of its orbit around its primary. This implies that the satellite always keeps the same hemisphere facing its primary (e.g. the Moon). It also implies that one hemisphere (the leading hemisphere) always faces in the direction of the satellite's motion while the other (trailing) one always faces backward. Most satellites in the solar system rotate synchronously.
Who Was Born Today?:
1942 Vladimir Sergeyevich Kozelsky, cosmonaut, Soyuz 24 backup
Who Died Today?:
Today in History:
1830: The founding of a new organization, which in 1831 would become the Royal Astronomical Society, by John Herschel, Charles Babbage, James South, and several others. The RAS has published it's Monthly Notices continuously since 1831.
1866: The Royal Aeronautical Society founded in London.
1958: President Eisenhower calls on U.S.S.R. to dedicate outer space "to the peaceful uses of mankind".
1961: First Italian launching of scientific sounding rocket in cooperative program with United States, a Nike-Cajun launched from a range in Sardinia to a height of over 100 miles, and released a cloud of sodium vapor visible for many miles.
1986: 24th space shuttle (61-C) mission-Columbia 7-launched
1997: Space Shuttle STS 81 (Atlantis 18), launches into space
2005: Deep Impact spacecraft is launched from Cape Canaveral