1952day.year
A De Havilland Comet makes the first jetliner flight with fare-paying passengers, from London to Johannesburg.
On May 2, 1952, the De Havilland Comet conducted the first commercial jetliner flight with fare-paying passengers, flying from London to Johannesburg. This pioneering journey inaugurated the jet age in civil aviation.
The Comet departed London Heathrow with passengers eager to experience jet-powered travel.
Cruising at speeds around 460 mph, it dramatically reduced flight times compared to propeller-driven airliners.
The journey included fuel stops in Europe and North Africa before reaching Johannesburg.
Passengers enjoyed a quieter, more comfortable cabin, heralding a new standard in air travel.
De Havilland's achievement spurred airlines worldwide to invest in jet aircraft technology.
Although later grounded due to structural issues, the Comet's inaugural flights laid the groundwork for modern aviation.
1952
De Havilland Comet
Johannesburg
1963day.year
Berthold Seliger launches a rocket with three stages and a maximum flight altitude of more than 100 kilometres (62 mi) near Cuxhaven. It is the only sounding rocket developed in Germany.
On May 2, 1963, Berthold Seliger launched Germany's only indigenous sounding rocket from Cuxhaven, reaching over 100 kilometers altitude. This milestone marked a significant achievement in postwar German rocketry.
Engineer Berthold Seliger's three-stage rocket carried scientific instruments into the upper atmosphere.
Launched near Cuxhaven on Germany's North Sea coast, it crossed the 100 km boundary into near-space.
The privately funded project demonstrated advanced propulsion and staging techniques.
Data gathered during the flight contributed to early atmospheric research.
Further development was curtailed due to political and military concerns during the Cold War.
Seliger's launch remains a landmark in German aerospace history.
1963
Berthold Seliger
Cuxhaven
sounding rocket
2000day.year
President Bill Clinton announces that accurate GPS access would no longer be restricted to the United States military.
On May 2, 2000, President Bill Clinton announced the end of GPS Selective Availability, granting civilians worldwide full access to precise satellite positioning.
President Bill Clinton declared on May 2, 2000, that the United States would discontinue Selective Availability, a measure that intentionally degraded civilian GPS accuracy. This policy change allowed non-military users to access precise location data within meters, revolutionizing navigation technology. The decision spurred a surge in civilian applications, from automotive navigation systems to emergency response coordination. Technology companies and researchers hailed the move as a catalyst for innovation. Improved accuracy transformed industries such as agriculture, aviation, and surveying. GPS capabilities soon became embedded in smartphones and wearable devices, reshaping daily life. Clinton’s announcement underscored the growing importance of global satellite infrastructure in the 21st century.
2000
Bill Clinton
GPS
United States military