Exploration

On July 20, 1976, Viking I became the first man-made object to land on Mars. As early as 1966, officials recommended that research objectives in the post-Apollo era focus on the unmanned exploration of Mars.  The Viking 1 mission – with a landing planned to coincide with the nation’s July 4, 1976, Bicentennial celebration – set off to accomplish that goal on August 20, 1975.

On July 3, 1848, Governor Peter von Scholten abolished slavery in the Virgin Islands. The Virgin Islands are part of the Lesser Antilles island chain and the Leeward Islands group in the Caribbean Sea, located just east of Puerto Rico.  They include more than 50 islands, but the largest are St. Thomas, St. John Island, and St. Croix.

On June 27, 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo departed New Spain (present-day Mexico) in search of a water route between the Atlantic and Pacific. He’s considered to be the first European to travel the California coast and many spots in that state are named in his honor.

On June 9, 1534, Jacques Cartier became the first European explorer to travel the St. Lawrence River.

Late in the evening of January 31, 1958, the US launched its first satellite, Explorer I.

Christopher Houston Carson was born December 24, 1809, in Richmond, Kentucky. Better known as Kit Carson, his contributions to the westward expansion of the United States rank him as one of the nation’s great folk heroes.

December 20, 1812, is generally believed to be the day that Sacagawea died in Kenel, South Dakota.

On December 3, 1989, the USPS issued its first postal item to be produced with a hologram – a 25¢ stamped envelope picturing a space shuttle docking at a space station.

Aviator and South Pole explorer Richard Evelyn Byrd was born on October 25, 1888, in Winchester, Virginia.