This Day In History : October 24

1957 United States

The USAF starts the X-20 Dyna-Soar program

The X-20 Dyna-Soar manned space program was launched by the United States Air Force on October 24, 1963. This program aimed to develop a spaceplane that could perform a variety of missions, including reconnaissance, bombing, space rescue, satellite maintenance, and as a space interceptor. However, the program was eventually canceled before any manned flights were conducted.

Also on This Day in History October 24

Discover what happened on October 24 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, October 24
  • 1911 Nathaniel Wyeth

    American chemist and inventor (created PET plastic beverage bottle)

  • 1873 Edmund Taylor Whittaker

    British mathematician (applied mathematics and the theory of special functions), physicist and historian of science

  • 1817 Hippolyte Mège Mouriés

    French chemist and inventor of margarine

  • 1632 Antonie van Leeuwenhoek

    Dutch microbiologist, microscopist who was the first to observe bacteria and protozoa and naturalist (Philosophical Transactions)

  • 1896 Marjorie Stewart Joyner

    American hair and beauty entrepreneur (invented permanent wave machine) and activist

Deaths on This Day, October 24
  • 1601 Tycho Brahe

    Danish astronomer (set new standards for astronomical observations)

  • 1940 Pierre Weiss

    French physicist (theory of ferromagnetism)

  • 1667 Godefroy Wendelin

    Flemish astronomer, the crater Vendelinus on the Moon is named after him

  • 1922 George Cadbury

    British chocolate and cocoa manufacturer (Cadbury)

  • 1998 Mary Calderone

    American physician and founder (planned parenthood)

1929

Black Thursday

Black Thursday, also known as the Great Crash on the New York Stock Exchange, occurred on October 24, 1929. It marked the beginning of the stock market crash that led to the Great Depression.
1946

The first photograph of earth from outer space is taken from a camera on board the V-2 No. 13 rocker

The first photograph of Earth from outer space was taken on October 24, 1946, from a camera on board the V-2 No. 13 rocket launched by the United States. The rocket was launched from the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico and reached an altitude of 65 miles (105 kilometers), capturing the historic image.
1964

Northern Rhodesia gains their independence from the United Kingdom and becomes Zambia

Northern Rhodesia gained its independence from the United Kingdom and became Zambia on October 24, 1964. This transition marked the end of British colonial rule and the establishment of Zambia as a sovereign nation. The first President of Zambia was Kenneth Kaunda, who played a significant role in the country's independence movement.
1945

United Nations founded

The United Nations was founded on October 24, 1945. This international organization was established to promote peace, security, and cooperation among countries following the devastation of World War II. The founding members signed the United Nations Charter in San Francisco, California, during the United Nations Conference on International Organization.
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