This Day In History : February 7

1984 United States

First Untethered Spacewalk by NASA Astronauts

On February 7, 1984, NASA astronauts Bruce McCandless II and Robert L. Stewart performed the first untethered spacewalk. Using the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU), they floated freely in space, showcasing new possibilities for future space missions.

Also on This Day in History February 7

Discover what happened on February 7 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, February 7
  • 1918 Ruth Sager

    American cellular geneticist whose research (1950's - 60's) altered the prevailing view about where genetic material was within the cell.

  • 1814 Gardner Quincy Colton

    American lecturer who was the first to administer nitrous oxide as an anaesthetic.

  • 1877 G. H. Hardy

    English mathematician known for his work in number theory and mathematical analysis.

  • 1905 Ulf von Euler

    Swedish physiologist who shared the 1970 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine (with Sir Bernard Katz and Julius Axelrod) for their independent study of transmitter mechanisms of nerve cells.

  • 1905 Eric Temple Bell

    Scottish-American mathematician and writer who contributed to analytic number theory (in which he found several inportant theorems), Diophantine analysis and numerical functions.

Deaths on This Day, February 7
  • 1953 Wilder Dwight Bancroft

    American physical chemist who introduced a number of thermodynamic and colloid-chemical concepts into American physicochemistry.

  • 1871 Henry Engelhard Steinway

    German-born American inventor of the overstrung iron-frame grand piano (1859).

  • 1897 Galileo Ferraris

    Italian physicist who studied optics, acoustics and several fields of electrotechnics, but his most important discovery was the rotating magnetic field.

  • 1938 Harvey S. Firestone

    Harvey S(amuel) Firestone was an American industrialist who developed straight-side pneumatic tyres used on the Model T Fords.

  • 2007 Alan G. MacDiarmid

    He was a New Zealand-American chemist who shared the 2000 Nobel Prize in Chemistry (with Alan Heeger and Hideki Shirakawa) “for the discovery and development of conductive polymers.”

1812

Third day of New Madrid earthquakes

In 1812, the third day of powerful earthquakes struck, this one with an epicenter near New Madrid, Missouri, part of a three-month series in the central Mississippi River valley, known as the New Madrid earthquakes that began on 16 Dec 1811.
2024

The European Union Established with Maastricht Treaty

On February 7, 1992, the Maastricht Treaty was signed, leading to the establishment of the European Union. This treaty marked the beginning of a new era of political and economic integration among its member states.
2013

Azerbaijan Launches First Satellite, Azerspace-1

On February 7, 2013, Azerbaijan successfully launched its first satellite, Azerspace-1, into orbit. This event marked a significant advancement in the country's technological and communication capabilities.
2005

Ellen MacArthur Sets Solo Sailing Speed Record

On February 7, 2005, Ellen MacArthur broke the speed record for sailing solo around the world. She completed the journey in 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes, and 33 seconds. This remarkable achievement highlighted her endurance and sailing prowess.
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