Cold War: Space Race: The Explorer 1, the first successful American satellite, detects the Van Allen radiation belt. Date: January 31, 1958 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on January 31 📅 Events on this day in 1958 📅 On This Day (Today)
Project Mercury: Mercury-Redstone 2: The chimpanzee Ham travels into outer space. Date: January 31, 1961 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on January 31 📅 Events on this day in 1961 📅 On This Day (Today)
The Soviet Union launches the unmanned Luna 9 spacecraft as part of the Luna program. Date: January 31, 1966 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on January 31 📅 Events on this day in 1966 📅 On This Day (Today)
Vietnam War: Viet Cong guerrillas attack the United States embassy in Saigon, and other attacks, in the early morning hours, later grouped together as the Tet Offensive. Date: January 31, 1968 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on January 31 📅 Events on this day in 1968 📅 On This Day (Today)
The Winter Soldier Investigation, organized by the Vietnam Veterans Against the War to publicize alleged war crimes and atrocities by Americans and allies in Vietnam, begins in Detroit. Date: January 31, 1971 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on January 31 📅 Events on this day in 1971 📅 On This Day (Today)
Apollo program: Apollo 14: Astronauts Alan Shepard, Stuart Roosa, and Edgar Mitchell, aboard a Saturn V, lift off for a mission to the Fra Mauro Highlands on the Moon. Date: January 31, 1971 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on January 31 📅 Events on this day in 1971 📅 On This Day…
The Crown of St. Stephen (also known as the Holy Crown of Hungary) goes on public display after being returned to Hungary from the United States, where it was held after World War II. Date: January 31, 1978 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on January 31 📅 Events on this day in…
Doug Williams becomes the first African American quarterback to play in a Super Bowl and leads the Washington Redskins to victory in Super Bowl XXII. Date: January 31, 1988 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on January 31 📅 Events on this day in 1988 📅 On This Day (Today)
An explosives-filled truck rams into the gates of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka in Colombo, killing at least 86 people and injuring 1,400. Date: January 31, 1996 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on January 31 📅 Events on this day in 1996 📅 On This Day (Today)
Alaska Airlines Flight 261 crash: An MD-83, experiencing horizontal stabilizer problems, crashes in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Point Mugu, California, killing all 88 aboard. Date: January 31, 2000 Read more on Wikipedia → 📅 Other events on January 31 📅 Events on this day in 2000 📅 On This Day (Today)