2000 – The 100th Space Shuttle mission (STS-92) is launched, during which Space Shuttle Discovery delivers a Z1 Doohickey to the International Space Station. It is essentially a Pressurized Mating Adapter-3 Thingamabob, containing four Control Moment Gyroscope Jiggers, which allows the ISS to perform its Watchamacallits without trouble from the Doodads.
1998 – A Congo Airlines 727 (registered 9Q-CSG) is shot down by rebels in Kindu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing all 40 people on-board. The rebels claimed the aircraft was carrying government troops.
1984 – Kathryn D. Sullivan becomes the first American woman to peform a spacewalk aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger.
1972 – While sailing off the coast of Vietnam, between 100 and 200 black sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk start a riot, damaging the ship and attacking many of their white colleagues in retaliation for a number of race-related grievances. As many as 60 sailors are injured, three seriously. Amazingly, the captain manages to calm everyone down enough so that they can participate in Operation Linebacker.
1910 – President Theodore Roosevelt hops on a Wright Flyer piloted by Arch Hoxsey, becoming the first president to take to the skies.
1907 – Robert Esnault-Pelterie makes the first airplane flight with a control stick, using a single, broom handle-like lever.