September 4, 2017 - Like a Rocket Takes to Water

Like a Rocket Takes to Water Germany’s V-2 rocket, the world’s first long-range guided missile, was developed too late to change the course of World War II, but it did change the course of space exploration. At the end of the war, the United States and the Soviet Union vied for control over the treasure trove of German rockets and the scientists who designed them. Both countries benefitted from these spoils of war, and seventy years ago today the US launched the first rocket—a captured V-2—from the deck of an aircraft carrier. Since then, rocket launches from sea platforms have become common (most notably by the Sea Launch company), but a new twist occurred in 2016 when, as seen here, the SpaceX company landed the first stage of its reusable Falcon 9 rocket on a floating platform at sea.

Image credit: SpaceX

Weekly Calendar

September 4-10, 2017

Holidays - Sky Events - Space History

Monday 4

Labor Day

Mercury appears stationary

Tuesday 5

Neptune at opposition
Jupiter 3° north of Spica

1964: OGO-1 launched
1977: Voyager 1 launched

Wednesday 6

Neptune 0.8° north of Moon
Full Moon 3:03 AM ET

1947: First rocket launch (V-2) from an aircraft carrier
1983: STS-8 Challenger makes first shuttle night landing
2013: LADEE lunar orbiter launched

Thursday 7

1995: STS-69 Endeavour launched

Friday 8

1966: “Star Trek” premieres
1967: Surveyor 5 launched
2000: STS-106 Atlantis launched
2004: Genesis spacecraft crash-lands on return to Earth
2016: OSIRIS-REx launched