SPACE CALENDAR – DECEMBER

	Russia	December 11	1877	Born N.Rynin, scientific in the field of aeronautics, aviation and cosmonautics.
	USSR	December 11	1961	R-7 LV carrying the first military reconnaissance satellite, Zenit-2, was launched.
	USSR	December 11	1975	Intercosmos-14 was launched.
	Russia	December 11	1993	Approved a Decision of Government of the Russian Federation “About state support and maintenance of space works in the Russian Federation”.
	Russia	December 11	1998	The first visiting (“official opening”) of Alfa international space station, S.Krikalev.
	USSR	December 12	1918	Born Gazenko Oleg Georgievich, Medical Lieutenant General, Director of IMBP (1969-1988), one of the founders of Russian and international space biology and medicine, President of the Russian Physiology Society, Dr.Sc.(Biology), Professor, winner of the State Prize and the Russian Government Prize.
	USSR	December 12	1925	Born Belyayev Vladimir Sergeevich, head of a group of preparation of space facilities at Baikonur, participated in the launches of satellites, probes and spacecraft.
	Arabia	December 12	1948	Born Abdul Mohsen Hamad Al-Bassam, astronaut of the Arabia, backup of Al-Saud (mission in 1985).
	USA	December 12	1951	Born Steven Alan Hawley, astronaut of the US. Made 4 space missions in 1984, 1986, 1990 and 1997.
	USA	December 12	1959	Born Scott Vangen, astronaut of the US, team of 1993 of training for flight, he left the team in January, 1994.
	USSR	December 12	1959	Angara the first launcher was placed on alert, Plesetsk cosmodrome.
	USA	December 12	1961	U.S. Oscar-1 amateur radio satellite was launched.
	USA	December 12	1972	The crew of Apollo-17 spacecraft made the sixth Moon landing.
	USSR	December 12	1985	A glider of Buran the first orbit spacecraft was delivered to Baikonur cosmodrome.
	USSR	December 12	1987	Cosmos-1900 satellite with a nuclear powerplant was launched.
	Russia	December 13	1909	Born Korzhenevsky Eduard Ivanovich, leading specialist in rocketry and spacecraft, Head jf the LV and Spacecraft Structure Department at RKK Energia, Cand. Sc. (Technology), Lenin Prize winner.
	USA	December 13	1962	U.S. Relay-1 spacecraft was launched to check U.S. communications with Europe and Japan.
	USSR	December 13	1974	Cosmos-697 satellite, the first space craft of the new Yantar-2 type, was launched for military reconnaissance purposes.
	USA	December 13	1975	Satcom-1 communication satellite - the first satellite of Domsat system of RCA company was launched.
	Russia	December 13	1997	Launched Resurs F1M satellite for multispectral non-uniformly scaled photographing of the Earth surface.
	USA	December 14	1936	Born Robert Allan Ridley Parker - astronaut of the US. Made 2 space missions in 1983 and 1990.
	Canada	December 14	1954	Born Steven Glenwood MacLean - astronaut of the Canada . Made the space mission in 1992.
	USA	December 14	1960	Born Catherine Grace “Cady” Coleman - astronaut of the USA. Made the space mission in 1996.
	USA	December 14	1966	Bios-1 recoverable satellite was launched to study effects of zero gravity and ionizing radiation on biological objects.
	USSR	December 14	1966	The second attempt of launch of 7K-OK # 1 (Soyuz) technological spacecraft. Explosion of booster on start in 40 min after attempt of launch.
	USA	December 14	1972	Started of Apollo-17 lunar module from the Moon - the last start from the Moon under Apollo the program.
	USSR	December 14	1983	Launched Bion (Cosmos-1514) the 6th satellite with Abrek and Bion monkeys, Plesetsk cosmodrome.
	USSR	December 15	1959	Two R-7 ISBM were placed on alert in Tyuratam town and Plesetsk.
	USA - Italy	December 15	1964	Launched San Marco-1 the first Italian satellite from floating platform near Kenya.
	USA	December 15	1965	Gemini-6 spacecraft manned by Walter Schirra and Thomas Stafford was launched.
	USSR	December 15	1970	Venera-7 probe made soft landing on Venus.
	USSR	December 15	1972	Draft of Soyuz-M (7K-TM) spacecraft was finished in NPO Energia.
	USSR	December 15	1976	Cosmos-883 the first apparatus of Tsiklon navigation system, Plesetsk.
	USSR	December 15	1976	Conducted the first test launch of TKS (Cosmos-881, -882) flight balance article of V.Chelomey KB. Successful landing was realized after the first circuit.
	USSR	December 15	1981	The creation of Soyuz-Salyut training complex was finished in OKTB Orbita for Gagarin TsPK.
	USSR	December 15	1984	Vega-1 probe was launched (Venus - Halley’s Comet project) to explore the planets of the solar system.
	USSR	December 15	1987	The first automatic landing of flying laboratory with Buran orbital spacecraft realized by brigade of LII (A.Stankyavichus, A.Shukin), Baikonur aerodrome.
	Russia - USA	December 15	1993	Chernomyrdin and Gor were signed “Protocol for Agreement for realization of program of joint manned flights”.
	Russia	December 15	1994	Conducted the first launch of Topol-M intercontinental ballistic missile.
	Russia	December 15	1997	Rocket and Space parts were combined into the First State test cosmodrome of Department of Defense of the Russian Federation.
	USSR	December 16	1947	Special Design Office (SKB-385) was established (now the State rocket center “V.Makeev KB”).
	USSR	December 16	1979	Soyuz-T unmanned spacecraft was launched to conduct comprehensive testing of new onboard systems and to dock with the Salyut-6 orbital station. After a 100-day flight, the spacecraft was returned to the Earth.
	Russia	December 16	1992	Approved a Decree # 2349-r of Government of the Russian Federation about creation of complex Rokot booster (on the basis of RS-18).
	USSR	December 17	1926	Born Abramov Isaak Pavlovich, Deputy General Designer of NPP Zvezda, developer of life-support systems for manned spacecraft, beginning with Vostok, member of the International Academy of Astronautics and Aeronautics, winner of the Russian Government Prize.
	USA	December 17	1946	Record distance of A-4 missile (185 km) was reached during the launch from Wait Send range.
	USA	December 17	1949	Born Daryl James Joseph, astronaut of the US, team of air forces of 1982.
	USSR	December 17	1956	Approved a Decision of Soviet of Ministers of the USSR “About creation of R-16 (8K64) intercontinental ballistic missile”.
	USSR	December 17	1957	Created the Missile Forces of Strategical Destination. M.Nedelin was a commander-in-chief.
	USSR	December 17	1959	Approved a Decision of Central Committee of Communist Party and Soviet of Ministers of the USSR about confirmation a post of commander-in-chief of the Missile Forces of Armed forces of USSR.
	USSR	December 17	1960	Born G.Mitinsky, Director of MNTP Khrunichev GKNPTs.
	ESA	December 17	1993	Launched DBS-1 the first satellite of direct telecasting by Arian booster, Kuru.
	USA	December 17	1996	Apollo/Saturn-V Center was opened at the Kennedy Space Center.
	Russia	December 17	1997	Progress M-36 cargo spacecraft undocked from the Mir orbital station and launched the Inspector small satellite carrying a TV camera to study the damages Spektr module. The mission was not fulfilled due to an outage of the star tracker.
	Russia	December 17	1998	Passed the federal law # 190-FZ “About enactment of a Protocol about corrective action in Agreement about creation of Intersputnik international system and organization of space connection.
	USSR	December 18	1934	Born Volynov Boris Valentinovich, flier-cosmonaut of the USSR, commander of the cosmonauts’ group at the Cosmonauts’ Training Center, Cand.Sc.(Technology), Twice Hero of the Soviet Union. Made 2 flights in 1969 and 1976.
	USA	December 18	1951	Born Andrew Sydney Withiel Thomas, astronaut of the US. Made two space missions in 1996 and 1998.
	Germany	December 18	1956	Born Reinhold Ewald, German astronaut, made a flight on Soyuz TM-25 together with V.Tsibliyev and A.Lazutkin in 1997.
	USA	December 18	1958	Spor satellite was launched to establish a space communications line.
	USSR	December 18	1968	RT-2 solid-fuel missile was put into service.
	USSR	December 18	1973	Soyuz-13 spacecraft manned by P.Klimuk and V.Lebedev was launched. The crew conducted astrophysical studies and made spectral photos of the Earth’s surface.
		December 18	1979	An agreement was signed at the U.N. headquarters on the activities of states on the Moon and other celestial bodies.
	Russia	December 18	1995	Progress M-30 cargo spacecraft was launched.
	Russia	December 19	1906	Born Brezhnev Leonid Ilich, General Secretary of Central Committee of Communist Party since 1964 until 1983.
	USA	December 19	1935	Born Laurence Retman Young, astronaut of the US, team of 1991 of training for flight.
	USA	December 19	1951	Born Fred W.Leslie, astronaut of the US. Made the space mission in 1995.
	USA	December 19	1963	U.S. Explorer-19 satellite was launched to measure the density of the upper layers of the Earth’s atmosphere.
	USSR	December 19	1977	Orlan-D space-suit was tested in outer space on Salyut-6.
	USSR	December 19	1978	Conducted the first launch of Gorizont communication satellite.
	USSR	December 19	1979	Conducted automatic docking of Soyuz-T with Salyut-6 space station.
	USSR	December 19	1984	Cosmos-1614 satellite (the fourth winged space shuttle Bor) was lauched. After the fulfillment of the program, the spacecraft made a controllable descent in the atmosphere and landed on water in the Black Sea.
	Russia	December 20	1915	Born B.Raushenbakh, specialist in systems of stabilization and orientation of satellite, academician.
	USSR	December 20	1968	Conducted the first launch of Cosmos-261 satellite from Plesetsk cosmodrome.
	USSR	December 20	1979	Simulator of approach and docking of Soyuz spacecraft was put in commission, Baikonur cosmodrome.
	USSR	December 20	1989	Progress M-2 cargo spacecraft was launched.
	USSR	December 20	1991	Conducted the second launch of Rokot booster, Baikonur.
	Russia	December 20	1994	Conducted the first test launch of Topol-M missile.
	Russia - Kazakhstan	December 20	1994	Signed an Agreement about Baikonur cosmodrome lease between Russia and Kazakhstan.
	Russia	December 20	1995	Launched Cosmos-2326 satellite.
	Russia	December 20	1996	Passed a federal law # 144-FZ “About corrective action to law currently in force “About space activity”.
	Russia	December 20	1997	Progress M-37 cargo spacecraft was launched.