This Day In History : April 6

1965 United States

Intelsat 1 ("Early Bird") Launched as First Commercial Geosynchronous Satellite

On April 6, 1965, the Intelsat 1 satellite, also called "Early Bird," is launched. It becomes the first commercial geosynchronous communications satellite, revolutionizing global communications. This launch facilitates international broadcasting and telecommunication services.

Also on This Day in History April 6

Discover what happened on April 6 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, April 6
  • 1890 Anthony Herman Gerard Fokker

    Dutch-American airman and pioneer aircraft manufacturer who, having seen an airplane flight at age 16, was inspired to build his first airplane by age 20.

  • 1892 Donald Douglas

    Donald Wills Douglas was an American aircraft designer whose Douglas Aircraft Company produced military and civil aircraft.

  • 1890 André-Louis Danjon

    French astronomer who devised a now standard five-point scale for rating the darkness and colour of a total lunar eclipse, which is known as the Danjon Luminosity Scale.

  • 1911 Feodor Lynen

    German biochemist who shared (with Konrad Bloch) the 1964 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for his research “concerning the mechanism and regulation of the cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism.”

  • 1949 Horst L. Störmer

    German-American physicist who shared (with Daniel C. Tsui and Robert B. Laughlin) the 1998 Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery “of a new form of quantum fluid with fractionally charged excitations.”

Deaths on This Day, April 6
  • 1829 Niels Henrik Abel

    Norwegian mathematician who developed several branches of modern mathematics.

  • 2000 Dennis Cambell

    Rear-Admiral Dennis Cambell was an English naval aviator, test pilot and inventor of the angled flight deck, with axis rotated ten degrees to port from the centre-line of an aircraft carrier. 

  • 1961 Jules Bordet

    Belgian bacteriologist and immunologist who discovered (1895) the complement, a complex of proteins in the blood that causes the destruction of foreign cells in an immune response.

  • 1939 William H. Park

    American physician and bacteriologist who pioneered in the application of bacteriology to the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of the common infectious diseases.

  • 1942 Bradley Allen Fiske

    U.S. naval officer and inventor whose new instruments greatly improved the efficiency and effectiveness of late 19th-century warships.

1886

The City of Vancouver Incorporated

On April 6, 1886, the City of Vancouver, located in British Columbia, is officially incorporated. This event marks the establishment of Vancouver as a city, setting the foundation for its development into a major urban center.
1909

Robert Peary Allegedly Reaches the North Pole

On April 6, 1909, Robert Peary and his team announce they have reached the North Pole, highlighting a key moment in polar exploration. The claim is celebrated widely, though later investigations question the accuracy of their position.
1912

Electric Starters Used in Cars for the First Time

On April 6, 1912, electric starters are introduced in automobiles for the first time, revolutionizing car ignition systems. This innovation simplifies the starting process and enhances the convenience of driving.
1973

America Launches Pioneer 11 to Explore Jupiter and Saturn

On April 6, 1973, the United States launches Pioneer 11 (Pioneer G), a spacecraft designed to study Jupiter and Saturn. This mission represents a key step in planetary exploration and expands our understanding of the outer planets.
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