NASA launched its Active Magnetospheric Particle Tracer Explorers mission (AMPTE) from the Cape Canaveral launch pad.
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Russia's Mir Space Station was deorbited over the South Pacific Ocean.
Space Shuttle Discovery completed its last-ever mission and made its final landing onto Kennedy's runway at 11:57 am EST.
The super-bright comet 'Hale-Bopp' reached its closest point to Earth at a distance of 1.215 AU, making it visible to the naked eye.
Europe's Planck spacecraft found evidence that our universe is 13.8 billion years old.
American Psychologist Timothy Leary and Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry were launched into orbit after being cremated.
