1405day.year
Ming admiral Zheng He sets sail to explore the world for the first time.
Ming admiral Zheng He departs on his inaugural voyage, commanding a grand fleet that will expand China’s maritime influence.
Commissioned by the Yongle Emperor, Zheng He sets sail from Suzhou with hundreds of ships and thousands of sailors.
His fleet includes massive treasure ships designed to project Ming naval power.
Aimed at establishing tributary relations, the expedition travels through the South China Sea and beyond.
Zheng He's voyages introduce Chinese goods and diplomacy to Southeast Asia, South Asia, and East Africa.
These missions reflect the technological prowess and cosmopolitan vision of the early Ming dynasty.
Zheng He's first journey lays the groundwork for seven subsequent expeditions over the next decades.
1405
Ming
Zheng He
to explore the world
1576day.year
While exploring the North Atlantic Ocean in an attempt to find the Northwest Passage, Martin Frobisher sights Greenland, mistaking it for the hypothesized (but non-existent) island of "Frisland".
Explorer Martin Frobisher sights Greenland on his quest for the Northwest Passage, misidentifying it as the mythical island of Frisland.
On this voyage, Frobisher sails the North Atlantic in search of a route to Asia.
He unexpectedly sights the icy coast of Greenland, believing it to be Frisland.
The misidentification reflects the era's limited cartographic knowledge.
Undeterred, Frobisher presses onward, mapping the northern seas for future explorers.
His discoveries ignite renewed European interest in Arctic navigation.
Although no passage is found, these expeditions expand geographic understanding of the North.
1576
North Atlantic Ocean
Northwest Passage
Martin Frobisher
Greenland
1616day.year
Samuel de Champlain returns to Quebec.
French explorer Samuel de Champlain returns to Quebec, reinforcing France’s colonial presence in North America.
Having founded Quebec in 1608, Champlain spends years in France securing support.
He embarks on his return voyage to solidify the fledgling settlement on the St. Lawrence River.
Arriving with supplies and settlers, he strengthens defenses against rival powers.
Champlain renews alliances with Indigenous allies, crucial for the colony’s survival.
His leadership helps shape the political and cultural foundations of New France.
This return marks a pivotal moment in early European colonization of Canada.
1616
Samuel de Champlain
Quebec
1735day.year
Mathematical calculations suggest that it is on this day that dwarf planet Pluto moved inside the orbit of Neptune for the last time before 1979.
On July 11, 1735, mathematical calculations show that dwarf planet Pluto moved inside Neptune's orbit for the last time before 1979.
Early astronomers applied Newtonian mechanics to trace Pluto’s highly eccentric path and discovered that it periodically crosses inside Neptune’s orbit. Though Pluto would not be discovered until 1930, retrospective calculations revealed this orbital crossover. The event underscores the dynamic complexity of our solar system and hints at the subtle gravitational interplay among distant worlds. Pluto’s 248-year orbital period ensures such crossovers are rare, making this 1735 occurrence a notable footnote in astronomical history.
1735
dwarf planet
Pluto
Neptune
1801day.year
French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons makes his first comet discovery. In the next 27 years he discovers another 36 comets, more than any other person in history.
French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons discovered his first comet, beginning a record-breaking career in comet hunting.
On July 11, 1801, amateur astronomer Jean-Louis Pons spotted a new comet through his modest telescope in Marseilles. Over the next 27 years, he identified 36 more, surpassing all other comet discoverers. His systematic observations and dedication advanced the study of cometary orbits. Pons’s work influenced later astronomers and contributed to understanding the solar system’s dynamics. Despite his humble background, he earned respect in scientific circles. His legacy endures in the naming of several comets and lunar features in his honor.
1801
Jean-Louis Pons
comet
1893day.year
The first cultured pearl is obtained by Kōkichi Mikimoto.
In 1893, Kōkichi Mikimoto succeeded in creating the world's first cultured pearl, revolutionizing the jewelry industry.
On July 11, 1893, Japanese entrepreneur Kōkichi Mikimoto achieved a milestone by producing the first cultured pearl.
By inserting a tiny nucleus into an oyster and nurturing it under controlled conditions, he coaxed the creature to form a lustrous pearl.
Prior to this, pearls were rare and expensive, harvested from wild oysters in unpredictable numbers.
Mikimoto's innovation democratized pearl ownership, transforming pearls into accessible luxury items.
His work laid the foundation for a global pearl culturing industry and cemented Japan's status as a leader in pearl production.
Today, Mikimoto is celebrated as a pioneer whose techniques continue to shape modern gemology and fashion.
1893
pearl
Kōkichi Mikimoto
1897day.year
Salomon August Andrée leaves Spitsbergen to attempt to reach the North Pole by balloon.
In 1897, Swedish explorer Salomon August Andrée departed from Spitsbergen in a hydrogen balloon to reach the North Pole.
On July 11, 1897, Salomon August Andrée and his two companions lifted off from Danskøya, Spitsbergen, aboard the balloon Örnen.
The daring expedition aimed to be the first to reach the North Pole by air, combining scientific research with adventure.
Andrée's plan faced challenges from the start: unpredictable Arctic winds and limited control over balloon direction.
The team gathered meteorological and magnetic data, hoping to advance polar science through their journey.
Despite meticulous planning, the flight was beset by navigational drift and technical difficulties.
The Örnen soon vanished into the Arctic skies, with the fate of the explorers remaining a mystery for decades.
Andrée's attempt remains one of history's most poignant examples of human ambition and the perils of polar exploration.
1897
Salomon August Andrée
Spitsbergen
North Pole
balloon
1914day.year
The US Navy launches the USS Nevada (BB-36) as its first standard-type battleship.
The USS Nevada (BB-36), the U.S. Navy's first standard-type battleship, was launched on July 11, 1914.
On July 11, 1914, the battleship USS Nevada (BB-36) slid down the ways at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation yards.
As the Navy's first standard-type battleship, Nevada featured uniform speed, protection, and armament across the fleet.
Her innovative design included oil-fired boilers and improved propulsion systems for greater endurance.
The ship's assembly heralded a new era in naval engineering, emphasizing balanced performance over specialty builds.
Nevada would later serve in both World Wars, surviving the attack on Pearl Harbor and providing naval gunfire support at Normandy.
The vessel's storied career underscored its robust construction and strategic value to the U.S. fleet.
The 1914 launch event set a high standard for battleship design throughout the 20th century.
USS Nevada (BB-36)
standard-type battleship
1934day.year
Engelbert Zaschka of Germany flies his large human-powered aircraft, the Zaschka Human-Power Aircraft, about 20 meters at Berlin Tempelhof Airport without assisted take-off.
German engineer Engelbert Zaschka achieved a 20-meter human-powered flight in Berlin in 1934.
Inventor Engelbert Zaschka designed and built a large human-powered aircraft capable of short flights. On July 11, 1934, he piloted the Zaschka Human-Power Aircraft at Tempelhof Airport without assisted take-off. The craft relied solely on the pilot’s muscle power to drive its propellers. The flight covered approximately 20 meters and demonstrated the feasibility of human-powered flight. Although brief, this achievement spurred further research into ultra-light aviation. Zaschka’s work laid foundational concepts for future human-powered aircraft competitions.
1934
Engelbert Zaschka
human-powered aircraft
Berlin Tempelhof Airport
assisted take-off
1962day.year
First transatlantic satellite television transmission.
The Telstar I satellite transmits the first live television images across the Atlantic, ushering in satellite communications.
On July 11, 1962, the Telstar I satellite achieved the first live transatlantic television transmission between the United States and Europe.
Launched on July 10, Telstar relayed images of the American flag and starfish to viewers across the Atlantic.
This groundbreaking feat marked the dawn of satellite communications and the Space Age.
Engineers and viewers celebrated real-time global broadcast as a leap in information exchange.
Telstar's success paved the way for modern international news, entertainment, and telecommunications networks.
Its legacy endures in today's global connectivity and satellite-based services.
1962
satellite television
1962day.year
Project Apollo: At a press conference, NASA announces lunar orbit rendezvous as the means to land astronauts on the Moon, and return them to Earth.
NASA announces lunar orbit rendezvous as the mission profile for Project Apollo to achieve a Moon landing.
On July 11, 1962, NASA unveiled lunar orbit rendezvous (LOR) as the mission profile for the Apollo Moon landing program.
LOR design called for a separate lunar module to ferry astronauts between lunar orbit and the Moon's surface.
This method reduced spacecraft mass and complexity compared to other approaches like direct ascent.
The decision was a turning point, aligning with President Kennedy's goal to land on the Moon before 1970.
It set the stage for the historic Apollo 11 mission in July 1969 and subsequent lunar explorations.
Lunar orbit rendezvous remains a pivotal innovation in the history of space exploration.
Project Apollo
NASA
lunar orbit rendezvous
astronauts
1979day.year
America's first space station, Skylab, is destroyed as it re-enters the Earth's atmosphere over the Indian Ocean.
Skylab, America's first space station, re-enters Earth's atmosphere and breaks apart over the Indian Ocean.
On July 11, 1979, NASA's Skylab space station ended its nearly six-year mission as it succumbed to atmospheric drag and re-entered Earth's atmosphere.
Large debris scattered across the southern Indian Ocean and remote regions of Western Australia, though no injuries were reported.
Skylab had hosted three crewed missions between 1973 and 1974, conducting groundbreaking research in microgravity and solar astronomy.
The station's uncontrolled descent captured global attention and highlighted the challenges of orbital decay.
Lessons from Skylab's demise informed the design of future space habitats, including the International Space Station.
Its legacy endures as a milestone in human space exploration and long-duration flight experience.
1979
Skylab