1944day.year
IBM dedicates the first program-controlled calculator, the Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator (known best as the Harvard Mark I).
In 1944, IBM unveiled the Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator, better known as the Harvard Mark I, the world's first program-controlled calculator.
On August 7, 1944, IBM dedicated the Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator at Harvard University.
Developed by IBM and Harvard engineers, the machine could perform long computations automatically using punched paper tape.
Stretching over 50 feet, the Mark I integrated mechanical and electrical components for the first time.
It executed complex sequences of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division without manual intervention.
The Mark I paved the way for modern electronic computers and demonstrated the potential of programmable machines.
Its success influenced future designs and inspired a generation of computer scientists.
1944
IBM
calculator
Harvard Mark I
1947day.year
Thor Heyerdahl's balsa wood raft, the Kon-Tiki, smashes into the reef at Raroia in the Tuamotu Islands after a 101-day, 7,000 kilometres (4,300 mi) journey across the Pacific Ocean in an attempt to prove that pre-historic peoples could have traveled from South America.
In 1947, Thor Heyerdahl's balsa-wood raft Kon-Tiki reached the reef at Raroia after a 101-day Pacific crossing, proving that ancient seafarers could have journeyed from South America.
On August 7, 1947, the Kon-Tiki expedition concluded as Thor Heyerdahl's primitive raft smashed into a reef at Raroia in the Tuamotu Islands.
Crafted from balsa logs and native materials, the raft drifted 4,300 miles across the Pacific Ocean in 101 days.
Heyerdahl sought to demonstrate that pre-historic peoples could have voyaged from the coast of Peru to Polynesia.
The successful crossing captured the public imagination and challenged mainstream theories of human migration.
His voyage was documented in a bestselling book and award-winning documentary film.
Kon-Tiki remains one of the most famous feats of experimental archaeology and seafaring adventure.
1947
Thor Heyerdahl
balsa wood
Kon-Tiki
reef
Raroia
Tuamotu Islands
1959day.year
Explorer program: Explorer 6 launches from the Atlantic Missile Range in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
In 1959, Explorer 6 launched from Cape Canaveral as one of the early U.S. satellites to relay images and data from space.
On August 7, 1959, NASA's Explorer 6 satellite lifted off from the Atlantic Missile Range in Cape Canaveral.
Weighing 30 kilograms, the spacecraft carried scientific instruments to study Earth's magnetosphere and cosmic rays.
Explorer 6 transmitted the first crude pictures of Earth from orbit, capturing a grainy image of cloud cover.
The mission validated technologies for telemetry, power systems, and satellite communication.
Its success contributed to the U.S. space program's momentum during the early Cold War space race.
Explorer 6's achievements paved the way for weather satellites and advanced Earth observation platforms.
1959
Explorer program
Explorer 6
Atlantic Missile Range
Cape Canaveral, Florida
1962day.year
Canadian-born American pharmacologist Frances Oldham Kelsey is awarded the U.S. President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service for her refusal to authorize thalidomide.
In 1962, Frances Oldham Kelsey received the U.S. President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service for preventing a thalidomide tragedy.
On August 7, 1962, pharmacologist Frances Oldham Kelsey was honored with the President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service.
As an FDA reviewer, she refused to approve the drug thalidomide without sufficient safety data.
Her cautious stance prevented widespread birth defects that plagued other countries in the early 1960s.
Kelsey's dedication to scientific rigor and public health set new standards for drug regulation.
Her actions led to stronger FDA oversight and the passage of the 1962 Kefauver-Harris amendments.
Frances Kelsey's legacy endures in modern pharmaceutical safety practices and regulatory science.
1962
Frances Oldham Kelsey
thalidomide
1976day.year
Viking program: Viking 2 enters orbit around Mars.
NASA's Viking 2 spacecraft entered orbit around Mars as part of the first successful mission to the Red Planet.
On August 7, 1976, NASA's Viking 2 spacecraft achieved orbit around Mars after a seven-month interplanetary cruise. Part of the Viking program, the mission aimed to study Martian weather, surface conditions, and the planet's potential for life. Viking 2 carried both an orbiter and a lander, which later touched down on the Martian surface. The orbiter transmitted detailed images and atmospheric data back to Earth. Its findings helped shape our understanding of Mars's geology and climate. The success of Viking 2 marked a milestone in planetary exploration.
1976
Viking program
Viking 2
Mars
1985day.year
Takao Doi, Mamoru Mohri and Chiaki Mukai are chosen to be Japan's first astronauts.
Japan selected Takao Doi, Mamoru Mohri, and Chiaki Mukai as its first astronaut candidates.
On August 7, 1985, the National Space Development Agency of Japan announced its first astronaut candidates: Takao Doi, Mamoru Mohri, and Chiaki Mukai. Chosen from a competitive pool, they marked Japan's entry into manned spaceflight. Chiaki Mukai would later become the first Japanese woman in space on a Space Shuttle mission in 1994. Doi and Mohri also flew aboard NASA missions, conducting satellite deployments and scientific experiments. Their selection laid the foundation for Japan's contributions to the International Space Station. These pioneering astronauts inspired a new generation of space enthusiasts in Japan.
1985
Takao Doi
Mamoru Mohri
Chiaki Mukai
astronauts
1997day.year
Space Shuttle Program: The Space Shuttle Discovery launches on STS-85 from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off on mission STS-85 from Kennedy Space Center, embarking on an 11-day scientific research flight.
On August 7, 1997, Space Shuttle Discovery lifted off from Kennedy Space Center on mission STS-85. The crew conducted experiments to study Earth’s middle atmosphere and test new reentry technologies using the CRISTA-SPAS satellite. Over its 11-day mission, Discovery orbited Earth 183 times and performed a successful rendezvous and retrieval of the free-flying payload. The flight contributed valuable data on atmospheric composition and shuttle thermal protection. It demonstrated the shuttle’s versatile platform for scientific research and paved the way for future scientific missions.
1997
Space Shuttle Program
Space Shuttle
Discovery
STS-85
Kennedy Space Center