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On This Date in History - February 11

by Nick Greene
for About.com

Daily Extra :

Astronomy & Space Word of The Day

topography: The general configuration of a land surface.

Who Was Born Today?:

1953: Stephen D. Thorne, Frankfurt-on-Main, German FR, Lt Cmdr USN/astronaut
1960: Richard A. Mastracchio, Waterbury, Connecticut, astronaut

Who Died Today?:

Today in History:

1970: Japan becomes 4th nation to put a satellite, Osumi, in orbit

1974: Titan-Centaur Test launch fails

1984: 10th space shuttle mission (41-B)-Challenger 4-returns to Earth

1994: Clementine - USA Lunar Orbiter - (launched January 25, 1994) spent 70 days (between February 6 and May 5, 1994) in lunar orbit. The official name for Clementine is Deep Space Probe Science Experiment (DSPSE). It was a Department of Defense program used to test new space technology. Clementine was a new design using lightweight structure and propellant systems. Its four cameras mapped the surface of the Moon at 125-250 meters/pixel resolution. Clementine also used a laser to gather altimeter data which will make it possible to generate the first lunar topographic map.

1994: Space shuttle STS-60 (Discovery 18), lands

1995: Space shuttle STS-63 (Discovery 19), lands

1997: STS 82 (Discovery 22) launches

Featured Astronomy Image of the Week

Check out the former Astronomy Picture of the Day. See what surprises await you this week.

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