Final Mission to the Moon
On December 11, 1972, Apollo 17 became the last manned NASA mission to the Moon.
Space Exploration
First U.S. Hologram Postal Stationary
On December 3, 1989, the USPS issued its first postal item to be produced with a hologram – a 25¢ stamped envelope picturing a space shuttle docking at a space station.
First Solar Eclipse Over the U.S. in 38 Years
August 21, 2017, marks the first total solar eclipse of the sun to pass over the United States since 1979.
Happy Birthday Neil Armstrong
Neil Alden Armstrong, the first man to walk on the Moon, was born on August 5, 1930, near Wapakoneta, Ohio.
First U.S.-Soviet Joint Issue Stamps
On July 15, 1975, the US and Soviet Union each issued stamps honoring the launch of their Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, their first joint space venture.
First U.S. Space Shuttle Docking to Mir
On June 29, 1995, the U.S. Space Shuttle Atlantis docked the Russian space station Mir for the first time. The mission, STS-71, was the third in the U.S./Russian Shuttle-Mir program. It began on June 27, 1995, when the Atlantis launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This was the 100th U.S. human space launch from Cape Canaveral.
Alan Shepard Becomes First American in Space
On May 5, 1961, Alan Shepard became the first American to travel into space when he successfully took a sub-orbital flight aboard Freedom 7.
Mariner 10 Makes First Fly By of Mercury
On March 29, 1974, Mariner 10 became the first space probe to fly by Mercury.
Pioneer 10 is Launched
On March 2, 1972, Pioneer 10, the first spacecraft to leave our Solar System, was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida.