November 03

Events - Science & Technology

1957day.year

Sputnik program: The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 2. On board is the first animal to enter orbit, a dog named Laika.

On November 3, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 2, carrying Laika the dog into orbit and marking the first time an animal orbited Earth.
The Soviet Sputnik program achieved another milestone with the launch of Sputnik 2 on November 3, 1957. Unlike its predecessor, Sputnik 2 carried a living passenger: a stray dog named Laika. Scientists prepared Laika with special life-support systems to study the biological effects of spaceflight. Although instruments transmitted data for days, engineers knew from the outset that there was no reentry plan for Sputnik 2. Laika became the first animal to orbit Earth, symbolizing both scientific progress and ethical debates over animal welfare. The spacecraft circled the planet 2,570 times before disintegrating in the atmosphere. Sputnik 2's mission provided valuable insights into life in microgravity, laying groundwork for human space exploration. Laika’s legacy endures as a poignant encounter between humanity and the cosmos.
1957 Sputnik program Soviet Union Sputnik 2 orbit dog Laika
1973day.year

Mariner program: NASA launches the Mariner 10 toward Mercury. On March 29, 1974, it becomes the first space probe to reach that planet.

NASA launches Mariner 10 on a pioneering mission to explore Mercury, marking the first spacecraft to visit the innermost planet.
On November 3, 1973, NASA initiated the Mariner 10 mission with a launch aboard an Atlas-Centaur rocket from Cape Canaveral. The probe was tasked with the first close-up exploration of Mercury, using Venus gravity assist to adjust its trajectory. Over the course of its mission, Mariner 10 conducted three flybys of Mercury, returning the first detailed images of its cratered surface. The spacecraft carried instruments to study the planet’s atmosphere, magnetic field, and surface composition. Mariner 10 provided humanity’s first glimpse of Mercury’s geology and solar environment interactions. Its success paved the way for later missions and deepened scientific understanding of the inner solar system.
1973 Mariner program NASA Mariner 10 Mercury space probe
1994day.year

Space Shuttle program: Atlantis launches on STS-66.

Space Shuttle Atlantis lifts off on mission STS-66 to study Earth's atmosphere and solar interactions.
On November 3, 1994, NASA's Space Shuttle Atlantis lifted off from Kennedy Space Center on mission STS-66 as part of the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science (ATLAS) program. The eight-person crew carried instruments to study Earth's middle atmosphere, ozone distribution, and solar radiation effects. The mission included deploying the CRISTA-SPAS free-flying platform to collect detailed infrared measurements. Scientists conducted experiments aimed at understanding ozone depletion and climatic processes. Atlantis completed the mission after 11 days in orbit, landing at Edwards Air Force Base on November 14. STS-66 provided critical data that advanced atmospheric science and solar physics research.
1994 Space Shuttle program Atlantis STS-66