1911day.year
The first official flight with airmail takes place from Allahabad, United Provinces, British India (now India), when Henri Pequet, a 23-year-old pilot, delivers 6,500 letters to Naini, about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) away.
The first official airmail flight delivers 6,500 letters from Allahabad to Naini in British India.
On February 18, 1911, French pilot Henri Pequet completed the first official airmail flight, carrying 6,500 letters from Allahabad to Naini in the United Provinces of British India. Flying a Humber-Sommer biplane, he covered the 10-kilometre journey in just thirteen minutes, marking a milestone in aviation and communication. The event demonstrated the potential of aircraft to revolutionize mail delivery, reducing times that previously required days by train. Indian and British officials witnessed the flight as a symbol of technological progress within the empire. Pequet’s successful mission paved the way for the global development of airmail services in the years that followed. The original letters from this inaugural flight are now prized historical artifacts.
1911
airmail
Allahabad
United Provinces
British India
Henri Pequet
Naini
1930day.year
While studying photographs taken in January, Clyde Tombaugh discovers Pluto.
American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh discovers Pluto, the ninth planet in our solar system, while analyzing photographic plates.
On February 18, 1930, Clyde Tombaugh, working at Lowell Observatory in Arizona, identified a new celestial body beyond Neptune.
He examined photographic plates taken in January that showed a moving object against the fixed stars.
This discovery confirmed the existence of Pluto, which was later classified as the ninth planet in the solar system.
Tombaugh used a blink comparator, a device that alternates between two images to reveal motion.
The announcement captured global interest and expanded our understanding of the outer reaches of the solar system.
In 2006, Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet, but Tombaugh's achievement remains a landmark in astronomy.
1930
January
Clyde Tombaugh
Pluto
1930day.year
Elm Farm Ollie becomes the first cow to fly in a fixed-wing aircraft and also the first cow to be milked in an aircraft.
Elm Farm Ollie becomes the first cow to fly in a fixed-wing aircraft and to be milked during flight.
On February 18, 1930, Elm Farm Ollie, a Guernsey cow, boarded a De Havilland biplane for a publicity flight from Broughton, Flintshire.
During the journey, Elm Farm Ollie became the first cow to be milked midair, producing several pints of milk for onlookers below.
The flight demonstrated advances in aviation capabilities and captured public imagination with its novelty.
This event marked a whimsical milestone in aviation history and showcased the broader possibilities of airborne transport.
Photographs of the smiling cow in flight circulated widely, turning Elm Farm Ollie into an unexpected celebrity.
Elm Farm Ollie
cow
fixed-wing aircraft
1955day.year
Operation Teapot: Teapot test shot "Wasp" is successfully detonated at the Nevada Test Site with a yield of 1.2 kilotons. Wasp is the first of fourteen shots in the Teapot series.
Operation Teapot’s first nuclear test shot “Wasp” detonates successfully at the Nevada Test Site with a yield of 1.2 kilotons.
On February 18, 1955, the United States conducted its first nuclear test under Operation Teapot, code-named “Wasp,” at the Nevada Test Site. The device yielded 1.2 kilotons of explosive energy, testing new weapons designs and tactics. Wasp served as the inaugural shot in a series of fourteen tests aimed at improving battlefield nuclear capabilities. Scientists and military personnel observed blast effects, radiation levels, and crater formation. The data collected from Wasp informed subsequent tests and contributed to the development of more advanced nuclear arms during the Cold War. Operation Teapot played a key role in refining American nuclear strategy and weapons technology.
1955
Operation Teapot
Nevada Test Site
1.2 kilotons
1977day.year
The Space Shuttle Enterprise test vehicle is carried on its maiden "flight" on top of a Boeing 747.
NASA’s Space Shuttle Enterprise makes its first captive flight atop a Boeing 747, testing shuttle transport and landing systems.
On February 18, 1977, the Space Shuttle Enterprise was carried by a modified Boeing 747 at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center in California. This inaugural “captive carry” flight was part of the Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests program to validate the orbiter’s aerodynamic performance and support systems. Although Enterprise did not detach from the 747 on this first flight, engineers monitored flight stability, instrumentation, and communication links. Subsequent free-flight tests would involve separation and landing maneuvers. The data collected during these tests were crucial for refining shuttle design and operational procedures. Enterprise’s captive flights represented the first major step toward operational reusable spacecraft.
1977
Space Shuttle Enterprise
Boeing 747
2021day.year
Perseverance, a Mars rover designed to explore Jezero crater on Mars, as part of NASA's Mars 2020 mission, lands successfully.
On February 18, 2021, NASA's Perseverance rover successfully landed in Jezero Crater on Mars to search for signs of past microbial life.
Perseverance launched on July 30, 2020, as part of NASA's ambitious Mars 2020 mission. On February 18, 2021, it executed a precise powered descent and sky crane maneuver to land in the ancient Jezero crater. The rover carries advanced scientific instruments designed to search for signs of past microbial life and collect rock and sediment samples. Its mission also includes characterizing Mars' geology and climate to prepare for future human exploration. Perseverance deployed the first helicopter, Ingenuity, to demonstrate powered flight on another planet. The successful landing marked a major milestone in planetary exploration, and the rover continues to transmit high-resolution images and data back to Earth.
2021
Perseverance
Mars rover
explore
Jezero crater
Mars
NASA
Mars 2020