1948day.year
Paul Hermann Müller is awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of the insecticidal properties of DDT.
Swiss chemist Paul Hermann Müller received the 1948 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discovering DDT’s powerful insecticidal properties.
Paul Hermann Müller was awarded the Nobel Prize on October 28, 1948, for his groundbreaking research on DDT as an insecticide.
Müller’s experiments demonstrated that DDT was exceptionally effective against mosquitoes, bedbugs, and other vectors.
His discovery revolutionized the control of malaria and typhus, saving countless lives in tropical regions.
While celebrated for its benefits, DDT later drew scrutiny over environmental and health impacts, sparking modern conservation efforts.
Müller’s work remains a landmark in chemical and medical science, highlighting both the promise and responsibility of innovation.
1948
Paul Hermann Müller
1971day.year
Prospero becomes the only British satellite to be launched by a British rocket.
In 1971, Prospero became the only British satellite ever launched on a British-built rocket.
Prospero, also known as X-3, was launched on October 28, 1971, from Woomera, Australia, aboard the Black Arrow rocket. It was the culmination of Britain's independent space program and the nation's sole successful orbital launch using a domestic launcher. The satellite carried experiments to study cosmic radiation, micrometeoroid impacts, and communications technologies. Despite the program's cancellation shortly before, Prospero validated critical launch and satellite systems. Its achievement remains a milestone in the history of British space exploration.
1971
Prospero
2009day.year
NASA successfully launches the Ares I-X mission, the only rocket launch for its short-lived Constellation program.
NASA launched the Ares I-X test rocket on October 28, 2009, the sole flight of the Constellation program.
Ares I-X flew a suborbital path from Cape Canaveral to test the first stage and launch dynamics of the planned crew launch vehicle. The mission validated separation systems, structural integrity, and control mechanisms, providing crucial data for future human exploration architecture. Although the Constellation program aimed to return astronauts to the Moon by 2020, it was later cancelled in 2010. Despite its brevity, Ares I-X demonstrated NASA's capabilities in advanced rocket staging and informed the design of successor vehicles. The flight represented a significant step in the evolution of American crewed spaceflight aspirations.
NASA
Ares I-X
Constellation program
2014day.year
A rocket carrying NASA's Cygnus CRS Orb-3 resupply mission to the International Space Station explodes seconds after taking off from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Wallops Island, Virginia.
A NASA resupply rocket bound for the ISS explodes moments after liftoff from Wallops Island, Virginia.
On October 28, 2014, an Antares rocket carrying the Cygnus CRS Orb-3 resupply mission exploded seconds after liftoff from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia. The mission aimed to deliver vital supplies and experiments to the International Space Station under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services program. Debris from the explosion damaged the launch pad but caused no injuries. A subsequent investigation traced the failure to a turbomachinery fault in one of the rocket’s AJ-26 engines. The incident prompted NASA and Orbital Sciences to enhance safety protocols and diversify launch partnerships. Despite the setback, the program continued with improved risk management and future successes.
2014
Cygnus CRS Orb-3
International Space Station
Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport
Wallops Island, Virginia