THIS DAY IN SPACE

NASA’s Van Allen Probes Launched
On February 13, 2012, NASA launched the Van Allen Probes aboard an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral to study Earth’s radiation belts—two donut-shaped zones of charged particles surrounding our planet. Formerly known as the Radiation Belt Storm Probes, the twin spacecraft were named in honor of James Van Allen, who first discovered the belts in 1958. The mission aimed to better understand how solar activity affects these belts, which in turn impacts satellite operations, GPS systems, and even astronaut safety. The probes were equipped with state-of-the-art instruments to measure electric and magnetic fields, plasma waves, and high-energy particles. By flying directly through the belts, they provided unprecedented data, revealing the dynamic nature of radiation zones that swell and contract during solar storms. One of the major findings was the discovery of a temporary third radiation belt. The Van Allen Probes operated successfully for over seven years, providing a wealth of knowledge crucial to space weather forecasting. They were intentionally decommissioned in 2019, marking the end of one of NASA’s most productive Earth science missions.

Galileo Faces Inquisition for Heliocentrism
On February 13, 1633, Galileo Galilei was summoned to Rome by the Roman Catholic Inquisition to face charges of heresy for advocating the Copernican model of the solar system, which posited that the Earth revolved around the Sun. This was in direct contradiction to the Church’s geocentric doctrine, which placed Earth at the center of the universe. Galileo's support for heliocentrism, especially after publishing *Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems* in 1632, enraged religious authorities who believed it undermined scripture and ecclesiastical authority. Galileo's trial marked a pivotal moment in the clash between science and religious dogma. Though he presented scientific arguments and empirical evidence, such as his telescopic observations of Jupiter’s moons and Venus’s phases, the Inquisition found him “vehemently suspect of heresy.” Under threat of torture, Galileo recanted his views and spent the remainder of his life under house arrest. Despite this, his trial symbolized the birth of modern science and the enduring struggle for intellectual freedom. Today, Galileo is celebrated as a martyr for reason and a father of modern observational astronomy.