July 22

Aviation pioneer Wiley Post landed his Lockheed Vega at Floyd Bennett Field on July 22, 1933, concluding the first solo circumnavigation of the globe. Equipped with innovative navigational and meteorological instruments, he covered over 15,000 miles with minimal refueling stops. Post's achievement showcased the capabilities of modern aircraft and advanced flight planning techniques. His successful journey inspired the aviation industry and contributed to improvements in air navigation. Each anniversary of his landing honors human daring and the technological strides that made such feats possible.

On July 22, 1951, the Soviet Union launched two stray dogs, Dezik and Tsygan, on a sub-orbital flight from the Kapustin Yar test site. The mission aimed to study the biological effects of space travel and pave the way for human cosmonauts. Dezik and Tsygan experienced weightlessness and survived temperatures exceeding 40 degrees above zero. After a flight lasting several minutes, the capsule safely parachuted back to Earth. Their successful return marked a milestone in space exploration and boosted Soviet prestige in the early space race. The flight provided valuable data that contributed to later missions involving animals and ultimately Yuri Gagarin's historic journey.

On July 22, 1962, the Mariner 1 spacecraft, part of NASA's Mariner program, was launched to fly by Venus. Shortly after liftoff, the rocket began unpredictable maneuvers due to a guidance software error. Ground controllers made the difficult decision to destroy the vehicle for safety reasons. Although the mission failed, the incident led to rigorous improvements in telemetry, guidance algorithms, and software testing protocols. Lessons learned from Mariner 1 helped ensure the success of subsequent interplanetary missions, including Mariner 2's historic flyby of Venus. This event underscores the challenges of early space exploration and the importance of robust engineering checks.

On July 22, 2019, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched Chandrayaan-2, India's second mission to the Moon, from Sriharikota's Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The spacecraft, propelled by a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark III M1, comprised an orbiter, the Vikram lander, and the Pragyan rover. Chandrayaan-2 aimed to map lunar topography, study exosphere and mineral composition, and search for water ice in the south polar region. The mission represented a major leap in India's space exploration capabilities and global standing in lunar science. After a 48-day voyage, the orbiter entered lunar orbit while attempting a soft landing near the Moon's south pole. Despite challenges during descent, the orbiter continues to relay valuable scientific data back to Earth.