2001 Mars Odyssey launched 2001

2001 Mars Odyssey

Mission patch

2001 Mars Odyssey, launched April 7, 2001, is a spacecraft orbiting Mars.  It reached Mars orbit on October 24, 2001.

In May 2002, NASA reported that Odyssey had detected large amounts of hydrogen, which could mean ice just under the planet's surface.  

By October 2008, Odyssey had mapped the distribution of water below the surface of Mars.

In December 2010, it broke the record for the longest serving spacecraft at Mars and currently holds the record for the longest-surviving continually active spacecraft in orbit around a planet other than Earth.  Its mission has been extended until 2025.

In 2013 the Siding Spring Comet passed very closely to Mars, but Odyssey, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and MAVEN were unaffected.

"Knighty Knight Bugs" wins Academy Award 1959

The animated short Knighty Knight Bugs won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film at the 31st ceremony held April 6, 1959.  The short was directed by Friz Freleng and voiced by Mel Blanc. 

Billy Joel reaches Top 40 for the first time with "Piano Man" 1974

My man Billy Joel reached the Billboard Hot 100 when Piano Man entered the charts at #33.  It would peak at #25  two weeks later.  

In 2005, it was selected by the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry for preservation. 

"Humorous phases of funny faces" first animated cartoon 1906

Historians agree that Humorous Phases of Funny Faces is the first animated cartoon, which first aired April 6, 1906.  It was directed by James Stuart Blackton and filmed in 1904 but was released in 1906.

Soyuz 18 launched 1975

Soyuz 18a crew: Vasily Lazarev, Oleg Makarov

Soyuz 18a, launched and landed April 5, 1975 to Salyut 4, lasted only 21 minutes.  Its crew consisted of Commander Vasily Lazarev and Oleg Makarov.   The spacecraft exceeded an altitude of 100 km, which is the threshold for a sub-orbital flight.

About 90 miles up, when the second and third stages of the booster separate, only three of the six locks released.  The third stage ignited with the second stage still attached.  The thrust broke the remaining locks but caused the spacecraft deviating from its proper trajectory.  An automatic abort program activated.  Because the capsule was already pointed downward, the cosmonauts experienced a significant acceleration, beyond what was expected.  They experienced up to 21.3 g.  Fortunately, the parachutes opened properly and slowed their descent to a safe landing, 21 minutes after lift-off.

Styx's "Paradise Theatre" reaches #1 1981

Paradise Theatre, the tenth studio album from awesome band Styx, reached #1 on the Billboard 200. April 4, 1981.  It stayed at the top for three non-consecutive weeks.  It was the fourth album to be certified triple-platinum.  It spawned four singles, two of which reached the top 10 singles

Soyuz TM-30 launched 2000

Soyuz TM-30 crew (L-R): Sergei Zalyotin, Aleksandr Kaleri

Mission patch

Soyuz TM-30, launched April 4, 2000, was the last mission to the Mir space station. Its crew consisted of Commander Sergei Zalyotin and Aleksandr Kaleri.  It was the first privately funded mission to a space station.  MirCorp sent the crew to reactivate, repair, and resupply the station.  They also boosted the station's orbit since it was nearing the end of its operational life.  Plans had been developed to restore the station with commercially-funded mission but they never materialized.

Zalyotin and Kaleri performed one EVA during the mission.  returned to Earth after almost 73 days on June 16.