This Day In History : January 30

1964 United States

Ranger 6 Launched

On January 30, 1964, Ranger 6 was launched towards the Moon, executing a flawless flight. However, despite the successful journey, the spacecraft's cameras failed to operate, preventing the intended imaging of the lunar surface. Ranger 6's mission contributed valuable lessons for future lunar exploration efforts.

Also on This Day in History January 30

Discover what happened on January 30 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, January 30
  • 1899 Max Theiler

    American microbiologist who won the 1951 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for his research on yellow fever.

  • 1925 Doug Engelbart

    Douglas Carl Engelbart was an American electrical engineer and inventor who invented the computer mouse, which he developed in the 1960s and patented 17 Nov 1970.

  • 1903 G. Evelyn Hutchinson

    George Evelyn Hutchinson was an English-born American zoologist known as the “father of modern limnology” for his ecological studies of freshwater lakes.

  • 1815 William Jenner

    William Jenner was an English physician who distinguished between typhus and typhoid.

  • 1882 Franklin D. Roosevelt

    He was an American politician who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945.

Deaths on This Day, January 30
  • 1958 Ernst Heinrich Heinkel

    German aircraft engineer who built the first rocket-powered aircraft.

  • 1948 Orville Wright

    American inventor and aviator, who with his brother, Wilbur, invented the first powered airplane, Flyer, capable of sustained, controlled flight (17 Dec 1903).

  • 1910 Granville T. Woods

    American inventor who held numerous patents in diverse fields. As the most prolific black inventor by career of the late 19th and early 20th century in the U.S., he has been called the Black Edison.

  • 1945 Gottlieb Haberlandt

    Austrian botanist, pioneer in the development of physiological plant anatomy, and the first person to study plant tissue culture (1921).

  • 1995 Gerald Malcolm Durrell

    British conservationist whose life work was the preservation of endangered animal species.

1790

Lifeboat

In 1790, the first lifeboat - built specially to rescue people from stormy sea, the Original, was first tested at sea by its English builder, Henry Greathead of South Shields.
1826

Menai Suspension Bridge Opens

On January 30, 1826, the Menai Suspension Bridge, considered the world's first modern suspension bridge, was opened. It connected the Isle of Anglesey to the north West coast of Wales, facilitating easier travel and trade in the region and setting a precedent for future bridge engineering.
1948

Mahatma Gandhi Assassinated by Nathuram Godse

On January 30, 1948, Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of India's independence movement, was assassinated by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist. Gandhi's assassination shocked the world and left a lasting impact on India's history and the philosophy of nonviolent resistance worldwide.
1933

Adolf Hitler Becomes Chancellor of Germany in 1933

On January 30, 1933, Adolf Hitler was appointed as Chancellor of Germany, marking a pivotal moment in history. This event paved the way for Nazi Germany's rise to power, leading to significant political, social, and economic changes in Germany and Europe, ultimately culminating in World War II.
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