STS-131 launch & landing (4-5-10)

STS-131 crew

Seated (L-R): James Dutton, Alan Poindexter

Standing (L-R): Richard Mastracchio, Stephanie Wilson, Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, Naoko Yamazaki, Clayton Anderson

STS-131 mission patch

Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-131), launched April 5, 2010, was the longest mission for Discovery and the last 7-man crew flight.  Its crew consisted of Commander Alan Poindexter, Pilot James Dutton, Richard Mastracchio, Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, Stephanie Wilson, Naoko Yamazaki (JAXA), and Clayton Anderson.

The primary payload was the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo.  Discovery carried food and science supplies to the International Space Station, as well as the Muscle Atrophy Resistive Exercise (MARES) rack.

The crew returned to Earth April 20, after over 15 days in space. 

"Ben-Hur" wins record 11 Oscars 1960

Ben-Hur, the epic religious-based film, won a record 11 Academy Awards at the 32nd annual ceremony, held April 4, 1960.  It won Best Motion Picture for producer Sam Zimbalist, who passed away suddenly during the filming of Ben-Hur in 1958.  He is the only person to ever posthumously receive a Best Picture Award.  His wife, Mary, accepted the award and made a speech in honor of her late husband.

William Wyler won Best Director.  Charlton Heston won Best Actor for his portrayal as Judah Ben-Hur.  Hugh Griffith won Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Sheik Ildermin.  The film won Best Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture for Miklos Rozsa and Best Sound for Frank Milton.

William A. Horning was awarded Best Art Direction, Color with Edward Carfagno and Hugh Hunt.  Like Zimbalist, Horning died during the filming of Ben-Hur and was awarded the Oscar posthumously.  

Robert Surtees won Best Cinemtaography, Color.  Elizabeth Haffenden won Best Costume Design, Color.  Ralph E. Winters and John D. Dunning were awarded Best Film Editing.  Ben-Hur won Best Special Effects for Arnold Gillesie, Robert MacDonald and Milo Lory. 

The only category for which Ben-Hur received a nomination but did not win was Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium.  That award went to Room at the Top.

Luna 4 launched 1963

Luna 4, launched April 2, 1963, was the Soviet Union's first attempt at a soft landing on the moon.  Due to a malfunctioning navigation system, the spacecraft failed to perform a midcourse correction, which would have sent it toward the moon.  As a result, it missed the moon by over 5000 miles and is now in a heliocentric orbit between Earth and Mars.