2018 Space & Exploration Events — Verified Historical Highlights
2018 Space & Exploration Events — Verified Historical Highlights | TakeMeBack.to
- 05 Jan NASA discovers ozone layer recovery: On January 5, 2018, NASA announced significant findings indicating the recovery of the ozone layer. The data suggested that the ozone layer was healing due to global efforts to reduce the use of ozone-depleting substances, marking a positive environmental milestone. source: dw.com
- 21 Jan Rocket Lab's Electron Launch: Rocket Lab successfully launched the test rocket Electron from Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand, marking a significant milestone in aerospace technology. This launch was notable for being the first to utilize an electric pump-fed engine, potentially revolutionizing rocket propulsion methods.
- 26 Jan Trump Nominates NASA Astronaut to Lead USGS: President Donald Trump appointed former NASA astronaut James F. Reilly as the leader of the U.S. Geological Survey, bringing scientific expertise into a key federal research position.
- 13 Feb NASA's Supersonic Transport Project Advances: NASA's Quiet Supersonic Transport (QueSST) project receives new funding, with plans to develop an aircraft that can fly from London to New York in just three hours. The project aims for a maiden flight in 2021, potentially revolutionizing long-distance travel.
- 06 Mar SpaceX Launches Hispasat Satellite: SpaceX successfully launched the Spanish communication satellite Hispasat 30W-6 into orbit using a Falcon 9 Full Thrust rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
- 11 May SpaceX Launches Bangabandhu-1 Satellite: SpaceX successfully launched the Bangabandhu-1 satellite from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, United States, contributing to global satellite communication infrastructure.
- 07 Jun NASA's Curiosity Rover discovers organic matter on Mars: NASA's Curiosity Rover detected organic molecules on Mars, providing further evidence that the planet may have supported microbial life in the past. source: nasa.gov
- 11 Jun NASA's Opportunity Rover Halted by Mars Dust Storm: NASA's Opportunity Rover was temporarily grounded due to an intense dust storm on Mars, disrupting its scientific exploration of the planet's surface.
- 03 Aug Space Needle's Innovative Glass Floor: The Space Needle in Seattle unveiled the world's first fully revolving glass floor, offering visitors an unprecedented and immersive viewing experience of the city's skyline.
- 10 Sep SpaceX Launches Telstar18V Satellite: SpaceX successfully launched the Canadian communication satellite Telstar18V from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, achieving geostationary transfer orbit within 32 minutes of rocket liftoff.
- 15 Sep NASA's ICESat-2 satellite launch: NASA successfully launched the ICESat-2 satellite, designed to measure the height of Earth's ice sheets and monitor changes in polar regions. This mission aims to provide critical data on climate change and its impact on ice dynamics. source: nasa.gov
- 16 Sep British NovaSAR Satellite Launch: The first in a series of British NovaSAR satellites was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in India. Developed by Surrey Satellite Technology, the satellite is designed to monitor suspicious maritime shipping activities.
- 11 Oct Soyuz MS-10 Emergency Space Mission Abort: On October 11, 2018, the Soyuz MS-10 mission was aborted after a booster separation failure during launch, leading to an emergency landing of the crew capsule. Both crew members, Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin and American astronaut Nick Hague, were unharmed. source: en.wikipedia.org
- 10 Dec NASA's Voyager 2 probe enters interstellar space: NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft has become the second human-made object to enter interstellar space, crossing the heliopause on November 5, 2018, and now over 11 billion miles from Earth. source: nasa.gov
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