This Day In History : September 26

1996 United States

Space Shuttle STS 79 (Atlantis 17), lands

On September 26, 1996, Space Shuttle Atlantis, mission STS-79, successfully landed. This mission was notable for being the first shuttle mission to dock with the Russian space station Mir, highlighting international cooperation in space exploration.

Also on This Day in History September 26

Discover what happened on September 26 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, September 26
  • 1917 Harrison Brown

    Harrison (Scott) Brown was an American geochemist known for his role in isolating plutonium for its use in the first atomic bombs and for his studies regarding meteorites and the Earth's origin.

  • 1641 Nehemiah Grew

    English botanist, physician, and microscopist, who was one of the founders of the science of plant anatomy.

  • 1854 Edward Bausch

    American inventor who developed microscopes and optical instruments.

  • 1887 Barnes Wallis

    He was an English aircraft designer and military engineer whose famous 9000-lb bouncing “dambuster” bombs of WW II destroyed the German Möhne and Eder dams on 17 May 1943.

  • 1849 Ivan Pavlov

    Ivan Petrovich Pavlov was a Russian and Soviet experimental neurologist and physiologist known for his discovery of classical conditioning through his experiments with dogs.

Deaths on This Day, September 26
  • 2011 Ron Toomer

    Ronald Valentine Toomer was an American engineer who was a legendary creator of steel roller coasters.

  • 1982 Paul Kollsman

    German-American engineer who invented the world's first accurate barometric altimeter (1928) that became vital to aviation safety.

  • 1978 Manne Siegbahn

    Karl Manne Georg was a Swedish physicist who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1924 for his discoveries and investigations in X-ray spectroscopy.

  • 1902 Levi Strauss

    German-American inventor and manufacturer of jeans, Levi Strauss was one of the best-known beneficiaries of California's gold rush economic boom.

  • 1868 August Möbius

    August Ferdinand Möbius was a German astronomer, mathematician and author, died in Leipzig.

1914

Federal Trade Commission Act Establishes the United States Federal Trade Commission

On September 26, 1914, the Federal Trade Commission Act was signed into law, establishing the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This pivotal legislation aimed to promote fair competition and protect consumers by preventing unfair business practices and enforcing antitrust laws.
1991

Biosphere 2 Experiment Begins

On September 26, 1991, four men and four women entered Biosphere 2, an airtight, self-contained structure in Oracle, Arizona. This ambitious experiment aimed to explore the feasibility of sustainable living in a closed ecological system, providing valuable insights into environmental science, space colonization, and human sustainability.
1783

Fayette County, Pennsylvania created

On September 26, 1783, Fayette County was created in Pennsylvania. Named after the Marquis de Lafayette, a French hero of the American Revolutionary War, the establishment of Fayette County marked an important development in the state's administrative history.
1810

Swedish Act of Succession passed

On September 26, 1810, the Swedish Act of Succession was passed. This crucial piece of legislation established the rules governing the succession to the Swedish throne, ensuring a clear line of succession and contributing to the stability of the Swedish monarchy.
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