1928day.year
Juan de la Cierva makes the first Autogyro crossing of the English Channel.
In 1928, Juan de la Cierva piloted the first Autogyro across the English Channel, demonstrating the promise of rotary-wing aviation.
Juan de la Cierva’s Autogyro, a novel rotorcraft combining elements of airplane and helicopter, achieved its first major overwater flight on September 18, 1928. He flew from France to England, showcasing the machine’s enhanced stability and safety at low speeds. This pioneering crossing validated de la Cierva’s innovations in lift rotor design and influenced the development of future vertical flight technologies. The success of this flight attracted global attention and spurred research into gyroplane and helicopter advancements. De la Cierva’s achievement marked a key milestone in the evolution of aviation during the interwar period.
1928
Juan de la Cierva
Autogyro
1977day.year
Voyager I takes the first distant photograph of the Earth and the Moon together.
Voyager I captures the first image of Earth and the Moon together from deep space in 1977.
On September 18, 1977, NASA's Voyager I spacecraft turned its camera back toward our home planet, capturing the first distant photograph showing Earth and its moon together.
From a distance of approximately 7.25 million miles, the image revealed two tiny dots suspended against the vastness of space.
This novel perspective provided a humbling visual of our planet's fragility and the moon's intimate relationship with Earth.
The photograph became an early example of the 'pale blue dot' concept, later popularized by Voyager I's greater distance shot in 1990.
Scientists and the public alike were inspired by the realization of Earth's small place in the cosmos.
The mission underscored Voyager's pioneering role in exploring the outer solar system and its legacy in space photography.
1977
Voyager I
1980day.year
Soyuz 38 carries two cosmonauts (including one Cuban) to the Salyut 6 space station.
Soyuz 38 carries two cosmonauts, including Cuba’s Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez, to the Salyut 6 space station in 1980.
On September 18, 1980, the Soviet spacecraft Soyuz 38 launched carrying cosmonauts Yuri Romanenko and Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez, the first Cuban and first Latin American in space.
They docked with the Salyut 6 space station, where they conducted joint Soviet-Cuban scientific experiments.
The mission emphasized international cooperation in space research during the Cold War era.
Tamayo Méndez’s participation marked a milestone for Cuba’s space ambitions and inspired scientific collaboration among allied nations.
Experiments onboard focused on materials science, biology, and medical studies in microgravity conditions.
Soyuz 38 returned safely to Earth after eight days, contributing valuable data and strengthening Soviet-led Intercosmos partnerships.
1980
Soyuz 38
Salyut 6