This Day In History : July 30

2020 United States

NASA launched their Mars 2020 mission from an Atlas V Rocket at Cape Canaveral Dir Force Station in Florida

NASA launched their Mars 2020 mission on July 30, 2020, from an Atlas V rocket at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The mission's primary component is the Perseverance rover, which aims to explore the Martian surface, search for signs of past microbial life, collect and cache rock and soil samples, and test new technology to benefit future human and robotic exploration of Mars.

Also on This Day in History July 30

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

Births on This Day, July 30
  • 1863 Henry Ford

    American engineer and businessman who founded the Ford Motor Company

  • 1922 Henry W. Bloch

    American banker and businessman who co-founded H&R Block

  • 1887 Felix Andries Vening Meinesz

    Dutch geophysicist (gravity)

  • 1641 Reinier de Graaf

    Dutch physician and anatomist who discovered the follicles of the ovary (known as Graafian follicles)

  • 1962 Vladimir Dezhurov

    Russian cosmonaut (Soyuz TM-21)

Deaths on This Day, July 30
  • 1941 Edward Bausch

    American inventor who developed microscopes and optical instruments

  • 1916 Albert Neisser

    German physician who discovered the bacteria that cause gonorrhea and leprosy

  • 1849 Jacob Perkins

    American inventor (father of the refrigerator)

  • 1978 Umberto Nobile

    Italian aviator and polar explorer (designed and flew 1st airship across the polar air cap)

  • 1992 Joe Shuster

    Canadian-American cartoonist (co-creator, with Jerry Siegel, of "Superman")

2024

Baghdad, Iraq is founded

Baghdad, the capital city of Iraq, was founded on July 30, 762 AD by the Abbasid caliph Al-Mansur. The city quickly became a significant cultural, commercial, and intellectual center during the Islamic Golden Age.
1729

Baltimore, Maryland is founded

Baltimore, Maryland, was founded on July 30, 1729. Named after Lord Baltimore, the founding proprietor of the Maryland Colony, the city rapidly grew due to its strategic location as a port and its role in the tobacco trade.
1928

George Eastman shows first amateur color motion pictures to guests at his New York house including Thomas Edison

On July 30, 1928, George Eastman, the founder of the Eastman Kodak Company, showcased the first amateur color motion pictures at his home in Rochester, New York. This event was significant in the history of photography and film. Among the distinguished guests was the famed inventor Thomas Edison.
1942

FDR signs bill creating women's Navy auxiliary agency (WAVES)

On July 30, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the bill creating the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES), establishing a women's branch of the United States Naval Reserve during World War II. The creation of WAVES was a significant milestone in the history of women's participation in the U.S. military.
Holiday
Special day
Discover invention