February 13

Sigmund Jähn was selected for the Soviet Interkosmos program and flew on the Soyuz 31 mission in 1978. Born in 1937 in Laubegast, he trained as a fighter pilot in the East German Air Force. His eight-day mission aboard the Salyut 6 space station made him the first German to orbit Earth. During the flight, he conducted scientific experiments in materials processing and life sciences. After returning home, Jähn promoted space education and technology in both East Germany and reunified Germany. His pioneering flight remains a milestone in European space exploration. He passed away in 2019, leaving a legacy as Germany's trailblazing cosmonaut.

Born in Lafayette, Indiana, Donald E. Williams graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1964. He served as a Navy pilot, including tours in Vietnam, before being selected by NASA in 1978. Williams flew as pilot on STS-51D in 1985 and commanded STS-34 in 1989, deploying the Galileo probe to Jupiter. He logged over 380 hours in space and contributed to the advancement of human spaceflight. After retiring from NASA, he served as Director of Operations at Johnson Space Center until 1996.