October 27

On October 27, 1961, NASA launched the first Saturn I rocket as part of the Saturn-Apollo program, designated Mission Saturn-Apollo 1 (SA-1). Standing over 50 meters tall, Saturn I was the first rocket designed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center to use clustered engines and external propellant tanks. The test flight validated the rocket’s structural integrity and propulsion systems without a payload. SA-1 reached an altitude of approximately 136 kilometers and demonstrated stable flight performance. The successful launch laid the groundwork for subsequent Saturn missions, which would ultimately propel astronauts to the Moon. This event marked a significant step forward in U.S. space exploration during the early years of the Space Race.

On October 27, 1994, scientists announced the definitive identification of Gliese 229B, a companion to the red dwarf star Gliese 229. The object exhibited spectral signatures indicative of methane, distinguishing it from low-mass stars and classifying it as a brown dwarf. This landmark discovery was made using infrared observations at the European Southern Observatory in Chile. Gliese 229B's confirmation provided the first clear evidence for substellar objects, bridging the gap between stars and giant planets. The find expanded astronomers' understanding of stellar formation and the diversity of objects in the galaxy. It also spurred further searches for brown dwarfs and exoplanets using similar techniques. Today, Gliese 229B is a cornerstone in the study of substellar and planetary atmospheres.