STS-8: Launching and landing at night, with an Indian connection
This article explores the history of NASA's STS-8 mission, which featured the first night-time launch and landing of a space shuttle. The timing was specifically adjusted to accommodate the deployment of India's INSAT-1B satellite.
Why it matters
It highlights the historical technical collaboration between India and the U.S. in the early stages of space exploration.
There’s nearly half a world between India and the U.S., geographically speaking. You knew that, didn’t you? That means that our time-zones are kind of yin-yang, with most Americans sleeping when we go about our daily duties, and vice versa. If you know folks who work along with American counterparts on a daily basis and see them scheduling their calls, or if you’ve ever tried to wish a friend or a relative residing in the U.S. on their birthday, you might have experienced this first hand.
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