May 20

Born in 1451 in the Republic of Genoa, Christopher Columbus embarked on his first voyage in 1492 under the auspices of the Spanish Crown. His expeditions led to sustained European contact with the Caribbean, Central America, and South America, dramatically altering global history. Columbus made four transatlantic voyages, seeking a westward route to Asia and encountering diverse indigenous societies. Although his actions ushered in an era of exploration and colonization, they also sparked controversy over the treatment of native populations. Columbus was appointed Admiral of the Ocean Sea and Governor of the Indies but faced legal disputes and financial troubles later in life. He died in 1506, his reputation remaining a subject of debate. Columbus’s voyages remain a pivotal moment in the Age of Discovery.

Yevgeny Vasilievich Khrunov was born in 1933 and graduated as an engineer before joining the Soviet Air Force. In 1969, he was selected as a cosmonaut and flew aboard Soyuz 5. During that mission, he conducted a spacewalk to transfer crews between Soyuz 5 and Soyuz 4, marking one of the first successful extravehicular excursions. Khrunov's expertise in aerospace engineering contributed to the development of spacecraft flight procedures. After leaving active flight status, he trained new generations of cosmonauts and worked on research projects in the Soviet space program. He was awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union and several military honors for his achievements. Khrunov passed away on May 20, 2000, and is remembered as a pioneer of human spaceflight.