NHAS - Today in Astronomy History

	1934	Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin born. He was the first human in space, and the first to orbit the earth.
	1961	USSR launches the fourth unmanned Vostok test carrying the dog Chernushka ("Blackie") and a dummy clad in a spacesuit. The spacecraft descends after one orbit and the dog is ejected and lands safely by parachute.
	1965	US launches a Thor-Agena rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California carrying eight separate satellites - a record at the time. One of them, Oscar 3, is the first satellite for use by amateur radio operators. More than 1,000 HAM operators from 22 nations transmit signals through the satellite during its 18-day operational life.
	1974	USSR Mars 7 spacecraft arrives at Mars. Identical to Mars 6, the probe flies by Mars and deploys a lander as it passes. The lander misses Mars by 1287 km (798 miles).
	1986	USSR spacecraft Vega 2 flies by Comet Halley.