1973 Space & Exploration Events — Verified Historical Highlights
1973 Space & Exploration Events — Verified Historical Highlights | TakeMeBack.to
- 20 Apr Canadian ANIK A2 Commercial Satellite Launch: On April 20, 1973, the Canadian communications satellite ANIK A2 was successfully launched into geostationary orbit from Cape Canaveral, Florida, aboard a Delta 1914 rocket. This satellite was designed to provide television and telephone services across Canada. source: nextspaceflight.com
- 21 Jul Soviet Union launches Mars 4 spacecraft: On July 21, 1973, the Soviet Union launched Mars 4, an orbiter mission intended to study Mars. The spacecraft flew by Mars on February 10, 1974, but failed to enter orbit due to a malfunction of its braking engine. It returned some images and data before continuing in a heliocentric orbit. source: en.wikipedia.org
- 05 Aug Soviet Union launches Mars 6 probe: On August 5, 1973, the Soviet Union launched the Mars 6 spacecraft, a flyby and lander mission to Mars. The mission aimed to study the Martian atmosphere and surface, with the lander scheduled to separate from the flyby bus and descend to the planet's surface in March 1974. However, the lander failed to transmit usable data due to a design flaw. source: en.wikipedia.org
- 28 Dec Comet Kohoutek at Perihelion: On December 28, 1973, Comet Kohoutek reached its perihelion, the closest point to the Sun in its orbit. This event generated significant public interest, as the comet was expected to be visible to the naked eye, though it did not meet the high expectations set by astronomers.
What happened in 1973?
Discover what the world looked like in 1973: