1904day.year
Louis Rigolly, a Frenchman, becomes the first man to break the 100 mph (161 km/h) barrier on land. He drove a 15-liter Gobron-Brillié in Ostend, Belgium.
In 1904, Louis Rigolly became the first person to exceed 100 mph on land, driving a 15-liter Gobron-Brillié at Ostend, Belgium.
In an era when automotive engineering was still in its infancy, French driver Louis Rigolly pushed the limits of speed. On July 21, 1904, he climbed into the massive 15-liter Gobron-Brillié racing car and roared across the beaches of Ostend. The specially designed vehicle featured a powerful engine and lightweight chassis that challenged traditional designs. Rigolly achieved an official two-way average speed of 100.03 mph (161 km/h), shattering the previous record. His daring run captured international attention and spurred rapid innovation in land speed record attempts. This milestone marked the dawn of a new era in motor racing and automotive technology.
1904
Louis Rigolly
Gobron-Brillié
Ostend
1925day.year
Malcolm Campbell becomes the first man to exceed 150 mph (241 km/h) on land. At Pendine Sands in Wales, he drives Sunbeam 350HP built by Sunbeam at a two-way average speed of 150.33 mph (242 km/h).
Malcolm Campbell set a new land speed record of 150.33 mph at Pendine Sands in Wales in 1925.
British racer Sir Malcolm Campbell was determined to push the boundaries of speed in the 1920s. On July 21, 1925, he took the Sunbeam 350HP, a custom-built racing car, to the windswept Pendine Sands in Wales. Behind the wheel, Campbell achieved a two-way average speed of 150.33 mph (242 km/h), becoming the first person to exceed 150 mph on land. His meticulous engineering preparations and daring driving style captured the world's imagination. The record run boosted the reputation of British motor engineering and inspired a series of further land speed challenges. Campbell's achievements laid the foundation for the modern pursuit of speed records.
Malcolm Campbell
Pendine Sands
Sunbeam 350HP
Sunbeam
1959day.year
NS Savannah, the first nuclear-powered cargo-passenger ship, is launched as a showcase for Dwight D. Eisenhower's "Atoms for Peace" initiative.
NS Savannah, the first nuclear-powered cargo-passenger ship, is launched to demonstrate the peaceful use of atomic energy.
On July 21, 1959, the NS Savannah slid into the waters of the James River in Virginia as the world's first nuclear-powered merchant vessel. Conceived under President Eisenhower's Atoms for Peace program, Savannah aimed to showcase the potential of nuclear energy for civilian purposes. The ship featured a compact pressurized-water reactor driving steam turbines for propulsion. Its luxurious interiors and modern design attracted public attention on its maiden voyage. Savannah traveled thousands of nautical miles, proving the feasibility of nuclear marine propulsion. However, high costs and regulatory hurdles limited wider adoption of such technology in commercial shipping. Today, the Savannah is preserved as a museum ship, symbolizing a pioneering moment in naval and energy history.
1959
NS Savannah
nuclear-powered
launched
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Atoms for Peace
1961day.year
Mercury program: Mercury-Redstone 4 Mission: Gus Grissom piloting Liberty Bell 7 becomes the second American to go into space (in a suborbital mission).
Astronaut Gus Grissom pilots the Liberty Bell 7 on a suborbital flight, becoming the second American in space.
On July 21, 1961, NASA astronaut Virgil 'Gus' Grissom commanded the Mercury-Redstone 4 mission aboard the spacecraft Liberty Bell 7. Following Alan Shepard's flight, Grissom's suborbital mission lasted just over 15 minutes and reached altitudes of 118 miles. After splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean, the capsule's hatch prematurely blew, causing it to flood and sink. Grissom narrowly escaped and was recovered by helicopter alongside the floating hatch. The incident raised concerns about hatch design and safety protocols in the Mercury program. Despite the mishap, Liberty Bell 7's successful launch and reentry contributed valuable data for future manned spaceflights. The mission reinforced NASA's early strides toward achieving President Kennedy's goal of landing on the Moon.
1961
Mercury program
Mercury-Redstone 4
Gus Grissom
Liberty Bell 7
1969day.year
Apollo program: At 02:56 UTC, astronaut Neil Armstrong becomes the first person to walk on the Moon, followed 19 minutes later by Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin.
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin make history as the first humans to walk on the Moon during the Apollo 11 mission.
On July 21, 1969, at 02:56 UTC, NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong descended from the lunar module Eagle and became the first person to set foot on the Moon, uttering the famous words 'That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.' Nineteen minutes later, Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin joined him on the lunar surface. The Apollo 11 mission marked the culmination of a decade-long space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. Armstrong and Aldrin collected samples, took photographs, and deployed scientific instruments during their two-and-a-half-hour EVA. Michael Collins remained in lunar orbit aboard the command module Columbia. The successful mission fulfilled President John F. Kennedy's 1961 goal and represented a triumph of engineering, determination, and international prestige. The Moon landing continues to inspire space exploration and human ambition.
1969
Apollo program
Neil Armstrong
first person to walk on the Moon
Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin
2011day.year
NASA's Space Shuttle program ends with the landing of Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-135 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
NASA's Space Shuttle program concludes on July 21, 2011, with Atlantis landing on mission STS-135 at Kennedy Space Center.
Space Shuttle Atlantis touched down at Kennedy Space Center on July 21, 2011, marking the end of NASA's three-decade shuttle era.
The STS-135 mission delivered supplies and experiments to the International Space Station, supporting ongoing scientific research.
First launched in 1981, the shuttle fleet completed 135 missions, including satellite deployments and space station construction.
The program faced tragedies with the Challenger and Columbia disasters, prompting significant safety overhauls.
Shuttle technology revolutionized human access to space but was retired to free resources for new deep-space exploration initiatives.
Atlantis' final touchdown symbolized both a farewell to an iconic era and the dawn of future spaceflight programs.
2011
NASA
Space Shuttle program
Space Shuttle Atlantis
STS-135
NASA
Kennedy Space Center