Day: July 31, 1969

Mariner 6 at Mars

Mariner 6The unmanned NASA/JPL space probe Mariner 6 makes its closest flyby of planet Mars, coming as close as just over 2100 miles from the Martian surface. While measuring the composition of the Martian atmosphere and trying to analyze its surface from space, Mariner 6 passes over densely cratered terrain, not spotting the huge canyons and volcanoes that will later become synonymous with Mars. Mariner 6’s identical twin, Mariner 7, is just days behind it, and ground controllers rewrite Mariner 7’s flight plan to get closer looks at surface features first spotted by Mariner 6.

STS-46

STS-46Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched on an eight-day mission to deploy two experiment packages developed jointly with the European and Italian space agencies. (The mission is extended by a day to accomodate more experiments.) Aboard Atlantis for her 12th flight are Commander Loren Shriver, Pilot Andrew Allen, mission specialists Jeffrey Hoffman, Franklin Chang-Diaz, Claude Nicollier and Marsha Ivins, and payload specialist Franco Malerba.

Doctor Who: Excelis Decays

Doctor Who: ExcelisBig Finish Productions releases the third Doctor Who: Excelis audio drama, a limited series of interconnected stories spanning several of the Doctor’s regenerations. Sylvester McCoy and Anthony Stewart Head (Buffy: The Vampire Slayer) star. Read more

Babylon 5: The Lost Tales

Babylon 5Warner Bros. Home Video releases the direct-to-DVD movie Babylon 5: The Lost Tales, a continuation of Babylon 5 written and directed by J. Michael Straczynski. Featuring original series stars Bruce Boxleitner and Tracy Scoggings, the movie is divided into two tangentially-related stories. Though initially promoted as the first of a series of direct-to-DVD Babylon 5 sequels, this proves to be the only volume of The Lost Tales when Straczynski decides to rest the Babylon 5 universe unless Warner greenlights a big-budget adaptation. This remains the final Babylon 5 project for over a decade. Read more