THIS DAY IN SPACE

Launch of STS-45—First Mission of ATLAS
On March 24, 1992, NASA launched Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-45, the first flight of the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science (ATLAS-1). The 9-day mission was part of the Spacelab program and focused on studying the Earth’s atmosphere, solar radiation, and space weather. The ATLAS-1 payload included 12 experiments from multiple international partners, including NASA, ESA, and Germany’s DLR. It marked the first time that comprehensive data on the Sun’s influence on Earth’s climate was gathered in real-time from orbit. The mission also studied the ozone layer, auroras, and atmospheric chemistry in unprecedented detail. Onboard were seven astronauts, including Kathryn Sullivan, the first American woman to walk in space. STS-45 was a model of international scientific cooperation and remains one of the most data-rich atmospheric research missions ever flown. The mission’s findings helped improve models of Earth’s radiation budget and advanced our understanding of human impacts on the atmosphere. The success of STS-45 laid the groundwork for future Earth-observing missions and helped refine satellite-based monitoring of climate and atmospheric change.

Soviet Cosmonaut Aleksei Leonov’s Post-Mission Recovery
Though Aleksei Leonov made his historic spacewalk on March 18, 1965, it was on March 24 that the cosmonauts of Voskhod 2, including Leonov and commander Pavel Belyayev, were finally rescued after a harrowing landing in the Ural Mountains. After their spacecraft veered off course during reentry, they were forced to spend two nights in the snow-covered Siberian forest surrounded by wolves and bears, wearing their bulky suits and waiting for a recovery team. Eventually, a rescue helicopter spotted them, and a ski-equipped team reached the site. The two cosmonauts had to ski several kilometers to a more accessible clearing before being airlifted. The survival ordeal highlighted the unpredictable dangers of early spaceflight and influenced future spacecraft landing protocols and cosmonaut survival training. The Soviet Union kept much of this struggle secret at the time, but it later became one of the most remarkable tales of post-mission survival in space history. Leonov’s bravery both in space and during this ordeal contributed significantly to the mythos of the early space age and his status as a legendary figure in astronautics.