This Day In History : February 11

1997 United States

Space Shuttle Discovery Launches to Service Hubble Space Telescope

On February 11, 1997, Space Shuttle Discovery was launched on a mission (STS-82) to service the Hubble Space Telescope. This mission, the second dedicated to maintaining and upgrading Hubble, involved the installation of new instruments and repairs to enhance the telescope's capabilities.

Also on This Day in History February 11

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

Births on This Day, February 11
  • 1847 Thomas Alva Edison

    American inventor who invented lightbulb, phonograph, motion picture camera

  • 1915 Richard Hamming

    American Mathematician and Computer Scientist who devised Hamming code

  • 1898 Leo Szilard

    Hungarian-German-American nuclear physicist who designed the first nuclear reactor

  • 1839 Josiah Willard Gibbs

    American mathematical physicist and chemist who created statistical mechanics

  • 1800 Henry Fox Talbot

    English mathematician, chemist, physicist, philologist, inventor who invented the negative-positive photographic process

Deaths on This Day, February 11
  • 2009 Willem J. Kolff

    Dutch-American Physician and Biomedical Engineer who pioneered artificial kidney, hemodialysis

  • 1813 Anders Gustav Ekeberg

    Swedish chemist who discovered the element tantalum

  • 1868 Jean-Bernard-Léon Foucault

    French physicist whose pendulum proved that the Earth rotates

  • 1958 Ernest Jones

    Welsh psychoanalyst who introduced psychoanalysis into USA and UK

  • 1994 Vincent Wigglesworth

    English entomologist who pioneered in the study of insect physiology and researched Metamorphosis hormones

1990

Nelson Mandela Freed After 27 Years as a Political Prisoner

On February 11, 1990, Nelson Mandela was released from Victor Verster Prison, marking the end of his 27-year imprisonment. His release was a pivotal moment in South African history, symbolizing the beginning of the end of apartheid and the move towards a democratic society. Mandela's freedom was celebrated worldwide and paved the way for his leadership in the anti-apartheid movement.
1975

Margaret Thatcher Becomes First Female Leader of British Conservative Party

On February 11, 1975, Margaret Thatcher was elected as the leader of the British Conservative Party, making her the first woman to hold the position. Thatcher's leadership marked the beginning of a new era in British politics, eventually leading to her becoming the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1979. Her tenure was characterized by significant economic and social changes.
1752

Pennsylvania Hospital, America's First, Opens

On February 11, 1752, Pennsylvania Hospital, the first hospital in the United States, was opened by Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond. Located in Philadelphia, this pioneering institution was established to provide medical care to the poor and mentally ill, marking a significant milestone in American healthcare history.
1970

First Japanese satellite

Ōsumi also known as Ohsumi, is the name of the first Japanese artificial satellite which was put into orbit. It was named after Ōsumi Province in the area of Kagoshima Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū. The launch was a project of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science of the University of Tokyo. The satellite was sent into orbit on February 11, 1970.
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