Keep Moving Forward

thats-the-way-it-was:

May 21, 1927: Charles Lindbergh lands in Paris

Pilot Charles A. Lindbergh lands at Le Bourget Field in Paris, successfully completing the first solo, nonstop transatlantic flight and the first ever nonstop flight between New York to Paris. His single-engine monoplane, The Spirit of St. Louis, had lifted off from Roosevelt Field in New York 33 1/2 hours before.  (history.com)

Photo: The plane SPIRIT OF SAINT LOUIS, piloted by the American aviator Charles Lindbergh lands at the airport of Le Bourget. (Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone)

(via senior-crown)

indypendenthistory:

Charles Lindbergh in Paris

(via senior-crown)

asteroidproject:

100 years ago today, May 21st 1913: the front page of The Daily Mirror, showing the cairn that the rescue party built over the collapsed tent containing the bodies of Scott, Wilson and Bowers.

“The most wonderful monument in the world: Captain Scott’s sepulchre erected amid Antarctic wastes.”

(via twirlytumblfluff)

todaysdocument:

The siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi by Union forces under Major General Ulysses S. Grant began 150 years ago on May 18, 1863.  Confederates forces would surrender the fortress city after 40 days, effectively yielding control of the Mississippi River to the Union.

Map of the Siege of Vicksburg, Miss., By the U. S. Forces Under the Command of Maj. Genl. U. S. Grant, U. S. Vls., Maj. F. E. Prime, Chief Engr. Surveyed and constructed under direction of Capt. C. B. Comstock, U.S. Engrs., and Lt. Col. J. H. Wilson, A. I. Genl. 1st Lt., Engrs….Drawn by Chs. Spangenberg, Asst. Engr., 08/20/1863

lightthiscandle:

Swarmed by photographers, President Kennedy calls astronaut Gordon Cooper to congratulate him minutes after Cooper returned to Earth from his Faith 7 flight.

lightthiscandle:

5/15/63: “Center of Attention: Technician fastens boots to complete astronaut Gordon Cooper’s space outfit as other technicians in background check on operation of the space suit today as Cooper prepared for second attempt at scheduled 22-orbit mission. Left background (wearing white smock) is Dr. Howard Minners.”

nwkarchivist:

50 Years Ago: Gordon Cooper Becomes The First American To Spend More Than A Day In Space

“Once more, the ancient drama of the solitary individual against the elements was re-enacted.”

(via lightthiscandle)

lightthiscandle:

I just piloted a dead spacecraft back to Earth and landed right on target, no big deal

todaysdocument:

The first aircraft to fly the Atlantic (with stops!)

There were three of these NC-4’s which started across the Atlantic in May 1919 for Europe but only the NC-4 piloted by LCDR. A. C. Read completed the crossing. The flight began at Trepassey, New Foundland on May 16, 1919 and after 17 hours the NC-4 arrived at Horta, Azores. Ten days later it completed the flight arriving at Plymouth, England on May 26, 1919.

These fellows don’t get the recognition they should. 

lightthiscandle:

Remember the time when Gordo Cooper piloted a dead spacecraft back to Earth, using only the constellations and his mind? And remember when he not only made it back alive, but achieved the most pinpoint landing to date, despite having no automatic controls?

Well, this week (May 15-16) marks the 50th anniversary of that flight!  Faith 7, or MA-9, launched in 1963 and flew for twenty-two orbits and thirty-four hours, breaking the American long-duration record. Expect to see some heavy Gordo spam for the next few days.