OTD…July 12 and STS-104

American and Soviet crews were launched today in 1975 for the first handshakes in space between the two superpowers as part of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.

Scott Carpenter launched atop an Atlas rocket to become the second American to orbit the Earth today in 1962, flying for 4 hours and 39 minutes aboard Aurora 7 while making three revolutions of the globe.

#OTD in 2012…Endeavour’s coast-to-coast ferryflight into retirement arrives at Edwards Air Force Base