October 2007 in science

Events in science and technology

October 30, 2007

• During the deployment of a solar array at the International Space Station, that was relocated the day before, a small area of its solar cells is damaged. (Reuters)

October 28, 2007

• Astronauts looking at a rotary joint holding a large solar array of the International Space Station find degraded metal pieces and small "shavings". The cause for these problems is under investigation and yet unknown. (Reuters)

October 25, 2007

• The STS-120 crew in Space Shuttle Discovery dock with the International Space Station for a ten days stay. (SpaceRef.com)
• Comet 17P/Holmes dramatically and unexpectedly brightens and becomes visible to the naked eye. (SpaceRef.com)
• The Airbus A380 large passenger plane services its first commercial flight between Singapore and Sydney, Australia. (BBCNews)

October 24, 2007

• China launches its first lunar orbiter, Chang'e 1, on an exploration mission to the moon. (BBCNews) (Reuters)
• The European Commission allows the import of crops from certain genetically modified plants (maize and sugar beet) into the common market. (Reuters)

October 23, 2007

• Space Shuttle Discovery launches on its STS-120 mission to the International Space Station. (BBCNews)

October 21, 2007

• The Soyuz capsule carrying three cosmonauts, including Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, lands safely. It misses the intended landing spot by about 200 km (125 mi) due to a computer glitch causing a steeper than usual reentry. (Reuters)

October 17, 2007

• Fossilized animal track marks are found in New Brunswick, indicating that the first reptiles on land existed as early as 315 million years ago. (BBCNews)
• After internal discussions, whether heat shield tiles at the leading edge of Space Shuttle Discovery's wings should be replaced, NASA clears the vehicle for launch on October 23. (Reuters)

October 12, 2007

• Expedition 16 members and Malaysian astronaut Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor dock with the International Space Station. (BBCNews)

October 10, 2007

• The Nobel Prize in Chemistry goes to Gerhard Ertl for his research on reactions on the surface of catalysts. (BBCNews) (Reuters)

October 9, 2007

• The Nobel Prize in Physics goes to Albert Fert and Peter Grünberg for the discovery of the Giant Magnetoresistance phenomenon. (BBCNews) (Reuters)

October 8, 2007

• The Nobel Prize for Medicine goes to Mario Capecchi, Oliver Smithies and Martin Evans for their work on gene targeting in animals. (BBCNews) (Reuters)

October 4, 2007

• Russia celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of the launch of Sputnik 1, which marked the start of the Space Race. (BBCNews)

References