On this day in history.

[J. A.]

Right date this time:
October 8, 1913: Robert R. Gilruth, American aviator and engineer, is born.

Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_R._Gilruth

Also:
1904: Edmonton, Alberta is incorporated as a city.
1904: Prince Albert, Saskatchewan is incorporated as a city.

 

[zstairlessone]

I believe, on this day, the first FET (field effect transistor) may have been created in 1925. This was so far ahead of anyone - it would be almost 25 years before Bell Labs (AT&T) would invent and attempt to patent what became known as the bi-polar junction transistor. These became the cornerstone of our modern life - bringing such items as the 'transistor' radio and computer processors.

As a note, Julius Lilienfeld already had the patent for the FET (he's the guy that invented it), so AT&T settled with him but I have no idea what the settlement was. I like to think it was a lot of money because they made literally tons of it from these little devices.

 

[J. A.]

October 9, 1986: The musical The Phantom of the Opera has its first performance at Her Majesty's Theatre in London.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phantom_of_the_Opera_(1986_musical)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Her_Majesty's_Theatre

 

[J. A.]

October 10, 1846: Triton, the largest moon of the planet Neptune, is discovered by English astronomer William Lassell.




Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triton_(moon)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Lassell

 

[J. A.]

October 11, 1968: Apollo program: NASA launches Apollo 7, the first successful manned Apollo mission, with astronauts Wally Schirra, Donn F. Eisele and Walter Cunningham aboard.




Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_7

 

[abababababab]

October 18, 1852 : University of Sydney, Australia's oldest university got inaugrated

 

[zstairlessone]

October 11, 1968: Apollo program: NASA launches Apollo 7, the first successful manned Apollo mission, with astronauts Wally Schirra, Donn F. Eisele and Walter Cunningham aboard.

<img src="http://www.ipadforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=49043"/>

Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_7

That was the redesigned Block II Command/Service module. This successful flight allowed the lunar orbital flight that followed it (Apollo 8). I think they finally got their DSM (Distinguished Service Medal) in 2007/2008 after two of the crew had already passed away. Up to that point they had the distinction of being the only crew not to earn this award.

Edit: Hah! I should have read your link before posting Johanna, now I can see why they did not get the DSM for so long - squabbling with admission Control.

Edit II: that's Mission Control. I can't type either it seems. And that isn't a cool guy but an 8

Edit III: on this day I learned how to make a sunglasses cool dude in a message. 8)

 

[J. A.]

Edit III: on this day I learned how to make a sunglasses cool dude in a message. 8)

You didn't know that before? 8)

 

[zstairlessone]

You didn't know that before? 8)

No, it was an accident that had a good ending

 

[J. A.]

October, 12:

1492: Christopher Columbus's expedition makes landfall in the Caribbean, specifically in The Bahamas. The explorer believes he has reached India.
1792: First celebration of Columbus Day in the USA held in New York City.

 

[J. A.]

October 13, 1884: Greenwich, in London, England, is established as Universal Time meridian of longitude.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Time

 

[J. A.]

October 14, 2012: Felix Baumgartner jumps from the stratosphere, trying to break the record of the highest freefall jump, at an altitude of 39,068 meters (128,018 ft)

 

[rjkgr]

Steve Bartman catches ball, 2003

 

[J. A.]

October 15, 1997: The Cassini probe launches from Cape Canaveral on its way to Saturn.




Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassini-Huygens_Mission

 

[J. A.]

October 17, 1604: German astronomer Johannes Kepler observes a supernova in the constellation Ophiuchus.

Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SN_1604