Day: February 20, 1953

Categories
Crewed Spaceflight Mercury

Mercury 6: first American in orbit

  • February 20, 1962

John GlennThe third manned Mercury flight, Friendship 7, puts John Glenn in orbit for nearly five hours, the first American astronaut to circle the Earth. The retro-rocket package on Glenn’s vehicle, Friendship 7, becomes an issue when a sensor indicates that the heat shield protecting the capsule’s interior from the intense heat of reentry has slipped. Intended to be cast off before reentry, the retro package is left on at the insistence of ground controllers, resulting in an unusually rough ride home after only three orbits.

Categories
Television

The Invaders: The Vise

  • February 20, 1968

The InvadersThe 39th episode of Larry Cohen’s science fiction series The Invaders, starring Roy Thinnes and produced by Quinn Martin’s QM Productions, is broadcast on ABC. Roscoe Lee Browne (Logan’s Run) and Louis Gossett Jr. (The Powers Of Matthew Star, Iron Eagle, Enemy Mine) guest star.

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Categories
Radio & Audio Television

The national emergency that wasn’t

  • February 20, 1971

Emergency Broadcast SystemsA simple accidental tape swap at the Emergency Broadcast System‘s point of origination at NORAD replaces a routine Saturday morning EBS test with an actual emergency message involving a national emergency and an imminent message from the White House. In accordance with FCC rules, numerous radio and television stations across the country interrupt their programming in anticipation of news of a national emergency that isn’t actually happening. The situation is corrected within an hour, though questions about the effectiveness of the EBS linger at the local and national levels.

Categories
Television

The Next Step Beyond: Drums At Midnight

  • February 20, 1978

The Next Step BeyondThe week-long syndication window opens for the eighth episode of The Next Step Beyond, a revival of the 1950s/60s supernatural anthology series One Step Beyond, hosted and directed by John Newland. Majel Barrett (Star Trek) guest stars.

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Categories
Movies Star Wars

Revenge Of The Jedi

  • February 20, 1981

Star WarsGeorge Lucas completes his handwritten first-draft screenplay for the third Star Wars film, titled Revenge Of The Jedi at this early stage. Revisions to the script will continue throughout 1981, with The Empire Strikes Back and Raiders Of The Lost Ark co-writer Lawrence Kasdan once again contributing to the story and dialogue; a revision to the movie’s title will also be made, though merchandising with the early title will already be in circulation by that time.

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Categories
Television

The Flash: Be My Baby

  • February 20, 1991

The FlashThe 14th episode of the superhero series The Flash, based on the DC Comics character, airs on CBS, starring John Wesley Shipp and Amanda Pays. Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) guest stars.

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Categories
Television

TekLords

  • February 20, 1994

TekWarThe TV movie TekLords, the second feature-length movie based on William Shatner’s cyberpunk novel series, premieres in syndication. The Canadian-made movie stars Greg Evigan (My Two Dads), William Shatner (Star Trek), and Torri Higginson (Stargate Atlantis), and features future Earth: Final Conflict cast members Von Flores, David Hemblen, and Richard Chevolleau. This movie is part of the Universal Action Pack syndication package (which will become better known for Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess).

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Categories
Crewed Spaceflight Mir Soyuz

Soyuz TM-29: last call for Mir

  • February 20, 1999

Soyuz TM-29Russia launches Soyuz TM-29 to the Mir space station, carrying an international crew. Cosmonaut Viktor Afanasyev, French spationaut Jean-Pierre Haigneré, and Slovakian cosmonaut Ivan Bella are aboard. Afanasyev and Haigneré take up residence aboard Mir for 188 days, while Bella returns to Earth with Mir’s previous crew aboard Soyuz TM-28 after one week. When Afanasyev and Haigneré return to Earth in August 1999, they bring home cosmonaut Sergei Avdeyev, who by that point has served a full year in orbit aboard Mir. This is the last flight to Mir sponsored by the Russian government, which is now throwing its weight behind the International Space Station, and Mir is left unmanned when Soyuz TM-29 returns to Earth.