1954day.year
The Obninsk Nuclear Power Plant, the Soviet Union's first nuclear power station, opens in Obninsk, near Moscow.
The Soviet Union’s first nuclear power plant, Obninsk, begins operations near Moscow.
On June 27, 1954, the Obninsk Nuclear Power Plant starts generating electricity, becoming the world’s first civilian nuclear power station. With a capacity of 5 megawatts, it feeds power to the local grid and heats nearby buildings. The plant’s construction demonstrates early Soviet achievements in nuclear technology. Researchers use it for experimental reactor designs and safety studies. Obninsk paves the way for larger-scale nuclear power development worldwide. It remains a symbol of the atomic age and technological competition during the Cold War.
1954
Obninsk Nuclear Power Plant
Soviet Union
nuclear power station
Obninsk
1982day.year
Space Shuttle Columbia launched from the Kennedy Space Center on the final research and development flight mission, STS-4.
Space Shuttle Columbia launched on its final test flight, STS-4, from Kennedy Space Center on June 27, 1982.
This mission marked the conclusion of NASA's Space Shuttle test program.
Under the command of astronauts Ken Mattingly and Henry Hartsfield, Columbia carried scientific experiments and engineering tests.
The crew evaluated thermal protection systems, flight controls, and the Remote Manipulator System.
The nearly one-week flight confirmed the shuttle's readiness for operational missions.
Data collected during STS-4 paved the way for the first operational flight, STS-5.
STS-4 stands as a milestone in reusable spacecraft development and human spaceflight.
1982
Space Shuttle Columbia
Kennedy Space Center
STS-4
1995day.year
Space Shuttle Atlantis launches on STS-71, the first space shuttle mission to dock with the Russian space station Mir.
Space Shuttle Atlantis embarks on STS-71, becoming the first shuttle to dock with Russia’s Mir space station.
On June 27, 1995, NASA launched Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-71, marking the beginning of direct US–Russian cooperation in space. The shuttle successfully docked with the Mir space station, allowing an exchange of crew members and joint scientific experiments. This landmark mission symbolized a post-Cold War rapprochement and set the stage for future collaborative efforts on the International Space Station. Atlantis returned to Earth on July 7, having paved the way for a new era of international space partnerships.
1995
Space Shuttle Atlantis
STS-71
Mir
2013day.year
NASA launches the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph space probe to observe the Sun.
NASA sends the IRIS spacecraft on a mission to study the Sun’s interface region and unravel solar dynamics.
On June 27, 2013, NASA launched the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) aboard a Pegasus XL rocket. IRIS is designed to study the Sun’s chromosphere and transition region, where solar material is heated and accelerated. The mission aims to uncover the mechanisms behind solar flares and coronal mass ejections by capturing high-resolution images and spectra. Data from IRIS help scientists better understand space weather processes that can impact Earth’s technology and space exploration efforts.
2013
NASA
Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph