This Day In History : April 11

1970 United States

Apollo 13 Launched for Moon Mission, Returns After Critical Failure

On April 11, 1970, Apollo 13 is launched towards the Moon. Due to a critical failure, the mission is unable to land on the lunar surface. The spacecraft returns safely to Earth after six days in space, showcasing the crew's resilience and the mission control team's problem-solving skills.

Also on This Day in History April 11

Discover what happened on April 11 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, April 11
  • 1908 Masaru Ibuka

    Japanese electronics industrialist (Sony Corp)

  • 1925 Pierre Péladeau

    Canadian businessman and founder of Quebecor

  • 1923 Theodore Isaac Rubin

    American psychiatrist and author who popularized psychotherapy

  • 1955 Piers Sellers

    English astronaut and climate scientist

  • 1953 Andrew Wiles

    British mathematician who proved Fermat's last theorem

Deaths on This Day, April 11
  • 2005 Maurice R. Hilleman

    American microbiologist who developed over 36 vaccines including measles, mumps,, chickenpox, meningitis, pneumonia, hepatitis A, hepatitis B

  • 2020 Francis Tombs, Baron Tombs

    British engineer and businessman and CEO of Rolls Royce

  • 1926 Luther Burbank

    American horticulturist who developed more than 800 strains and varieties of plants

  • 1875 Samuel Heinrich Schwabe

    German astronomer who discovered the 10-year sunspot activity cycle

  • 2003 Cecil Howard Green

    British geophysicist and businessman

2019

Israel's privately-funded Beresheet spacecraft crashed on the moon

On April 11, 2019, Israel's Beresheet spacecraft, the first privately-funded mission to the Moon, crashes during its descent. Despite the setback, the mission represents a significant milestone in private space exploration efforts.
2019

India's general elections, the largest-ever with 900 million voters

On April 11, 2019, the first day of voting begins in India’s general elections, marking the start of the world’s largest democratic exercise. With 900 million eligible voters, this extensive election process continues until May 23, 2019.
2016

Updated "Tree of Life" Published in Nature Microbiology

On April 11, 2016, scientists from Berkeley University in California publish an updated "Tree of Life" in Nature Microbiology. This comprehensive revision offers new insights into the evolutionary relationships among microorganisms, enhancing our understanding of microbial diversity.
1957

Ryan X-13 Vertijet Achieves First Vertical Jet Takeoff and Landing

On April 11, 1957, the Ryan X-13 Vertijet makes history as the first jet aircraft to perform vertical takeoff and landing. This pioneering achievement in aviation technology demonstrates the potential for vertical flight and future advancements in jet aircraft design.
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