SANDY KOZEL

The Hubble Space Telescope was launched into low Earth orbit in
1990 and remains in operation. It was not the first space telescope,
but it is one of the largest and most versatile, renowned both as a
vital research tool and as a public relations boon for astronomy.

The Hubble telescope is named after astronomer Edwin Hubble
(below) and is one of NASA’s Great Observatories.

Edwin Powell Hubble
(November 20, 1889 – September 28, 1953)

Mercury Seven or Original Seven, they are (front row, left to right)
Walter M. “Wally” Schirra Jr., Donald K. “Deke” Slayton, John H.
Glenn Jr., M. Scott Carpenter, (back row) Alan B. Shepard Jr.,
Virgil I. “Gus” Grissom and L. Gordon Cooper, Jr.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
introduced America’s first astronauts to the press: The men
(above), all military test pilots, were carefully selected from
a group of 32 candidates to  take part in Project Mercury,
America’s first manned space program. NASA planned to
begin manned orbital flights in 1961. 

From Cape Canaveral, Florida, John Herschel Glenn Jr (above).
was successfully launched into space aboard the Friendship 7
spacecraft (above) on the first orbital flight by an American
astronaut. 

Glenn, a decorated lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps,
was among the seven men chosen by the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA) in 1959 to become the first
American astronauts.

MIKE GRACIA

On this day, Pvt. Eddie Slovik became the first American
soldier since the Civil War to be executed for desertion
and the only one who suffered such a fate during World
War II.

General George Washington at Valley Forge.