"Fright Night" and "Back to the Future" win 3 Saturn Awards 1986

Back to the Future and Fright Night each won three Saturn Awards at the annual ceremony held by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films on May 28, 1986.  Ladyhawke won two awards.

Back to the Future won Best Science Fiction Film, Best Actor for Michael J. Fox for his performance as Marty McFly, and Best Special Effects for Kevin Pike.  

Fright Night won Best Horror Film, Best Supporting Actor for Roddy McDowall for his performance as Peter Vincent, and Best Writing for Tom Holland (not of Spider-man fame).

Ladyhawke won Best Fantasy Film and Best Costumes for Nana Cecchi.  

Anne Ramsey won Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Mama Fratelli in The Goonies.

Back to the Future won an Oscar for Special Effects and nominated for three more, but since this was a Steven Spielberg movie, it had more of a wider appeal to audiences than the others at the Saturn Awards. None of the science fiction, fantasy, and horror films that year were nominated for any acting Oscars.  Of the ones that did receive nominations, they were only nominated for the technical awards. 

Janet Jackson releases album "Control" 1986

Janet Jackson released her third solo album Control, February 4, 1986, a collaboration with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. It was her first album to top the Billboard 200 charts and generated seven singles, five of which peaked within the top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100 singles.

Control won a Grammy for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical for Jam and Lewis in 1987. It was nominated for Album of the Year, as well.  Jackson was nominated for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.  What Have you Done for Me Lately was nominated for Best R&B Song.

Control received twelve nominations from the American Music Awards, a record-breaking, and won four of them.  She won three Soul Train Music Awards and six Billboard Music Awards.

The Recording Industry Association of America certified Control as gold in April 1986. In June, it was certified platinum.  In 1989, it was certified 5x platinum in October.  It has sol over 10M copies world wide.

Billy Joel releases "A Matter of Trust" 1986

Billy Joel released the second single, A Matter of Trust, from his The Bridge album, July 9, 1986.  It became a top ten hit in the US and was used in the Soviet Union as part of a state-sponsored promotion for his 1987 USSR tour.

It reached #10 on the Billboard Hot 100. The video is the only one to feature Billy Joel on a guitar, rather than a piano.

Lyrics:

Some love is just a lie of the heart
The cold remains of what began with a passionate start
And they may not want it to end
But it will, it’s just a question of when
I’ve lived long enough to have learned
The closer you get to the fire the more you get burned
But that won’t happen to us
Because it’s always been a matter of trust

I know you’re an emotional girl
It took a lot for you to not lose your faith in this world
I can’t offer you proof
But you’re gonna face a moment of truth
It’s hard when you’re always afraid
You just recover when another belief is betrayed
So break my heart if you must
It’s a matter of trust

You can’t go the distance
With too much resistance
I know you have doubts
But for God’s sake don’t shut me out

This time you’ve got nothing to lose
You can take it, you can leave it
Whatever you choose
I won’t hold back anything
And I’ll walk away a fool or a king
Some love is just a lie of the mind
It’s make believe until it’s only a matter of time
And some might have learned to adjust
But then it never was a matter of trust

I’m sure you’re aware love
We’ve both had our share of
Believing too long
When the whole situation was wrong

Some love is just a lie of the soul
A constant battle for the ultimate state of control
After you’ve heard lie upon lie
There can hardly be a question of why
Some love is just a lie of the heart
The cold remains of what began with a passionate start
But that can’t happen to us
Because it’s always been a matter of trust

The Pointer Sisters win 3rd American Music Award 1986

My girls, Ruth, Anita, and June, won their third American Music Award at the annual ceremony January 27, 1986.  They took home the award for Favorite Soul/R&B Band/Duo Group Video Artist.

The same evening Pat Benatar won the Favorite Pop/Rock Female Video Artist, her third AMA as well.

Alabama won their fourth and fifth AMAs that night for Favorite Country Band/Duo/Group and for Favorite Country Album for 40-Hour Week.

Janet Jackson releases "Control" 1986

Janet Jackson released Control, the fourth single from her third album Control.   It won the Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video in 1988.  It reached #1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Dance Club Play charts.

It is listed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's list of 500 songs that shaped rock and roll.

Pet Shop Boys' "West End Girls" reaches #1 1986

Released in April 1984, the Pet Shop Boys single West End Girls reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 May 10, 1986.  It stayed there for only one week, but it was the first of many singles for the Pet Shop Boys.   It won Best Single at the Brit Awards.  It was awarded Song of the Decade between years 1985 and 1994 by the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters.

Soyuz TM-1 launched 1986

Soyuz TM-1, launched May 21, 1986, was an unmanned test flight of the new Soyuz TM spacecraft.  It docked with Mir on May 23 and undocked May 29.  It returned to Earth May 30.

Vega 2 encounters Halley's Comet 1986

Vega 2, launched in December 1984, made its closest approach to Halley's Comet March 9, 1986.  It first released a descent module onto the surface of Venus in June 1985.  After the Venus encounter, the Soviet spacecraft used the planet's gravity to intercept the comet.  It began its enounter on March 7, 1986 and made its closest approach March 9.  It took 700 images of Halley's Comet.

Contact with Vega 2 was lost March 24, 1987.

Columbia (STS-61-C) launched 1986

STS-61-C crew

Front row (L-R): Robert Cenker, Charles Bolden, Robert Gibson, Franklin Chang Diaz

Back row (L-R): Bill Nelson, Steven Hawley, George Nelson

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-61-C), launched January 12, 1986, was the last space shuttle flight before the Challenger disaster. Its crew consisted of Commander Robert Gibson, Pilot Charles Bolden, George Nelson, Steven Hawley, Franklin Chang-Diaz, William Nelson and Robert Cenker.

It was the first flight for Franklin Chang Diaz, the first Latin-American immigrant to go into space.  It was the second mission to have an African-American pilot - Charles Bolden.  Bolden would go onto become NASA Administrator.  It was the second mission to have a sitting politician on board - Bill Nelson (D-Florida).  It was Robert Cenker's only space flight. It might be the first time two astronauts with the same last name were on board.

They returned to Earth January 18.

Challenger (STS-51-L) explodes 73 seconds after launch 1986

STS-51-L crew 

Back row (L-R): Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Gregory Jarvis, Judith Resnik. 

Front row (L-R): Michael J. Smith, Francis "Dick" Scobee, Ronald McNair.

STS-51-L Mission patch

Space Shuttle Challenger (STS-51-L), launched January 28, 1986, exploded 73 seconds after launch.  The cause of the disaster was determined to have been a failure of an O-ring seal on the starboard Solid Rocket Booster.  The disaster grounded the space shuttle program for 32 months.  Its crew consisted of Commander Francis Scobee, Pilot Michael Smith, Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnick, Ronald McNair, Gregory Jarvis and Christa McAuliffe.  All crew perished in the disaster.

Giotto spacecraft flies by Halley's Comet 1986

Launched July 2, 1985 by the European Space Agency, the spacecraft Giotto made its closest approach to Halley's Comet, March 14, 1986.  Giotto passed less than 600 km from the comet's nucleus and sent back stunning pictures.  It survived several impacts from small objects and one even knocked it off its axis so its antenna did not point toward Earth and its on-board instruments were not protected by its dust shield.

Thirty-two minutes later it re-oriented itself and continued sending back data.  The Halley Multicolor Camera was destroyed by an impact but not before Giotto made its closest approach.

The following day, ESA turned off its instruments until July 2, 1990 when Giotto was reactivated so it could make a flyby of Comet Grigg-Skjellerup in July 1992, making it the first probe to visit two comets.

Giotto was part of a "Halley Armada" which was composed of several probes from different space agencies.  The Soviets sent Vega 1 and Vega 2.  Vega 1 made its closes approach, just under 9000 km, on March 6 and Vega 2 followed on March 9. 

The Japanese also sent two, Sagigake (March 11) and Suisei (March 8), but their closest approaches were about 1M km.

Soyuz T-15 launched 1986

Soyuz T-15 crew: Leonid Kizim, Vladimir Solovyov

Soyuz T-15, launched March 13, 1986, was the first mission that visited and docked with two space stations during the same mission.  Commander Leonid Kizim and Flight Engineer Vladimir Solovyov arrived at Mir, the first craft to visit the new space station on March 15.  During their 55 day stay (Mir EO-1), they unloaded two Progress spacecraft (supplies and scientific equipment) since Mir was launched with little science equipment. 

On May 5, Kizim and Solovyov boarded Soyuz T-15 and undocked from Mir.  Salyut 7 was 4000 km ahead of Mir and in a lower orbit, so Mir was lowered 13 km to help expedite the journey.  Twenty-nine hours later, Soyuz T-15 docked with Salyut 7.

The previous crew EO-4 had been assigned to conduct EVAs but since Vladimir Vasyutin became ill and had to return early to Earth, they had not been able to perform the EVAs.  As EO-5, Kizim and Solovyov completed the EVAs

On June 25, they undocked from Salyut 7, the last expedition to the space station, and headed back to Mir, reaching it on June 26.

On July 3, Kizim passed Valeri Ryumin's record for time spent in space, becoming the first person to have spent a full year in space.  They returned to Earth July 16.  Soyuz T-15 was the last mission to use the Soyuz -T spacecraft since it was replaced by the Soyuz-TM.

Mir Space Station launched 1986

Mir space station, as seen from Space Shuttle Endeavour during the STS-89 mission February 1998 

Mir insignia patch

Mir space station, launched February 19, 1986, was the next step in the Soviet space program following the Salyut project.  It was the first modular space station and it was assembled in orbit over the following ten years until 1996.  It became the first continuously inhabited long-term research station at 3,644 days, until the International Space Station surpassed its record in October 2010.

Over the course of its existence, it was visited by astronauts from France, UK, Austria, Germany and Slovakia.  The U.S. and the Russians cooperated in the Mir-Space Shuttle program in the 1990s.  Shannon Lucid recorded the longest stay for a woman on Mir.

During its lifetime, Mir hosted 28 expeditions and saw 80 EVAs.

It was decommissioned and re-entered Earth’s atmosphere March 21, 2001.

The Pointer Sisters release "Hot Together" 1986

My girls released their twelfth album Hot Together November 1986, pumping out more great music!  It was their eighth collaboration with producer Richard Perry.  Although it wasn't as successful as Break Out or Contact, it held its own. 

The title track was featured on the soundtracks to Spaceballs and Stakeout, and also part of the NBA's promotional campaign in the late 1980's.

Set Me Free was featured in the opening scene of "Jumpin' Jack Flash" starring Whoopi Goldberg.

Mannheim Steamroller releases "Fresh Aire VI" 1986

Mannheim Steamroller released their seventh studio album, Fresh Aire VI, September 15, 1986.  Like the Alan Parsons Projects, Mannheim Steamroller based their albums on different themes or concepts.  Fresh Aire VI is based on Greek mythology.

It reached #155 on the Billboard charts, their first album to appear on the chart.

Dr. Franklin Chang-Díaz, NASA's first Latin-American astronaut, launched 1986

Dr. Franklin Ramon Chang Diaz was the third Latin-American in space and NASA's first when he took off January 12, 1986 in the Space Shuttle Columbia.   He is of Chinese and Costa Rican ancestry, which has got to be a first somewhere.  I'm not sure the Chinese could come up with a mixture like that!

He is a veteran of 7 Space Shuttle flights which ties for the record.  His first mission landed 6 days after launch.  It was the last space shuttle mission for a long time, since the Challenger exploded just 10 days later.

He was inducted into the NASA's Astronaut Hall of Fame May 5, 2012.





https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Chang_D%C3%ADaz
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/chang.html
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/space/profile-chang-diaz.html

"Aliens" released 1986

One of the best movies of all times and one of my all-time favorites, "Aliens" was released July 18, 1986.  This is one of the few times the sequel surpassed the original movie.  Reading the trivia notes on imdb.com, it's amazing this movie got made at all.  The crew in London apparently didn't like James Cameron and was openly hostile.  It took quite a lot to get Sigourney Weaver to agree to make the film.  Various crew members were fired.  Wow!

However, the result is fantastic!  Just don't watch it on Blu-Ray, because it is so hi-def, it loses the other-worldly effect and looks like actors on a sound stage.  Stick with the plain ol' DVD version.

This time, it's war!

Space Shuttle Challenger explodes after launch 1986

We all remember where we were when we heard the news that the space shuttle Challenger had exploded shortly after lift-off, January 28, 1986.  I was attending North Texas State University (now University of North Texas), getting my Master's degree in Chemistry.  I was speaking with a co-worker, his wife and a potential lab partner when our major professor's wife came in with the news.

An O-ring on a solid rocket booster (SRB) failed, pressurized burning gas from within  to reach the  adjacent SRB aft field joint attachment hardware and external fuel tank, causing the explosion 73 seconds after launch. 

The disaster led to NASA halting the space shuttle program for almost 3 years.

Voyager 2 visits Uranus 30 years ago

Voyager 2 made its closest approach to Uranus, January 24, 1986, being the first and only time this planet has been visited, by us, at least.  The spacecraft made a number of surprising discoveries.  For example, Uranus is the coldest planet despite not being the farthest from the sun, because it has no internal heat source.  Neptune radiates over 2.5 more energy into space than Uranus does from the energy received from the sun.

It was already known that Uranus rotates on its side and the northern hemisphere is always in the sun, while the southern perpetually in the dark.

Voyager 2 discovered more moons and the count is 27 now. 

 

Ariel

 

 

Miranda

 

 

Oberon

 

 

Umbriel

"Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" released in 1986

One of the best movies with the cast from the original Star Trek series was released November 26, 1986.  It contained a powerful message about protecting our indigenous wildlife, and only man would be arrogant enough to believe he was the only intelligent life on earth.