October 20

Events - Science & Technology

1961day.year

The Soviet Navy performs the first armed test of a submarine-launched ballistic missile, launching an R-13 from a Golf-class submarine.

On October 20, 1961, the Soviet Navy conducted the first armed test of a submarine-launched ballistic missile. An R-13 missile was fired from a Golf-class submarine, showcasing Soviet naval nuclear capability.
Amid the heights of the Cold War arms race, the Soviet Navy launched its first submarine-launched ballistic missile on October 20, 1961. The R-13 missile was fired from a Golf-class diesel-electric submarine in a covert test in the Barents Sea. This historic event demonstrated the USSR's evolving second-strike nuclear strategy at sea. Submarine-launched ballistic missiles offered a stealthy and survivable platform for nuclear deterrence. Western intelligence agencies monitored the test closely, fearing a shift in naval power. The success of the R-13 trial paved the way for future generations of Soviet and Russian sea-based ballistic missiles.
1961 Soviet Navy submarine-launched ballistic missile R-13 Golf-class submarine
1995day.year

Space Shuttle Columbia launches on STS-73.

Space Shuttle Columbia launched on mission STS-73, carrying a suite of microgravity experiments into orbit.
On October 20, 1995, NASA launched Space Shuttle Columbia on mission STS-73 from Kennedy Space Center. As the second United States Microgravity Laboratory mission, STS-73 carried sophisticated scientific experiments into low Earth orbit. The crew conducted research on fluid physics, combustion science, and protein crystal growth. Over 16 days, Columbia orbited the Earth 271 times, providing valuable data for materials science and biotechnology. STS-73 advanced our understanding of science in microgravity and paved the way for future space research initiatives.
1995 Space Shuttle Columbia STS-73
2003day.year

The Sloan Great Wall, once the largest cosmic structures known to humanity, is discovered by students at Princeton University.

Princeton University researchers discovered the Sloan Great Wall, one of the largest known cosmic structures, in 2003.
On October 20, 2003, a team of students and researchers at Princeton University announced the discovery of the Sloan Great Wall. Spanning over 1.37 billion light-years across, it was the largest known cosmic structure at the time. The giant filament of galaxies was mapped using data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Its finding challenged previous models of cosmic homogeneity and large-scale structure formation. The Sloan Great Wall provided new insights into the distribution of matter in the universe.
2003 Sloan Great Wall largest cosmic structures known to humanity Princeton University