UPCOMING IMPORTANT CALENDAR DATES
Attention Docents, Teachers, Educators: As you know, I keep track of the anniversary dates for milestone events in aviation and Space exploration, along with dates for notable events and people, to help engage learner interest with familiar connections. It can be worthwhile to look ahead to see keys dates in 2025 that you may wish to use, or avoid, when planning educational programs, class activities, or other outreach interactions. Having info you don’t need is better than needing info you don’t have!
2026 ANNIVERSARY-RELATED PROGRAMMING OPPORTUNITIES! Round-number anniversaries/birthdays, etc. for 2026 can be found in the Archive: Other Stuff section of the website. Such dates likely attract media and other attention, and can be used in aviation, astronomy, and Space exploration programming to engage audiences.
Upcoming Round-Number Calendar Anniversaries
July 1 is the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (see story in the Of Special Interest section).
July 12 is the 55th anniversary of Benjamin Davis Benjamin Davis, the leader of the famed Tuskegee Airmen during WWII, being named the first African-American Air Force General.
July 16 is also the 55th anniversary of Jeanne M. Holm becoming the first female General in the U.S. Air Force.
July 17 is the 165th anniversary of balloon expert Thaddeus Lowe demonstrating the military value of balloons to President Lincoln at a site very close to where the National Air and Space Museum's National Mall Building now stands. Just ask Jim Green!
July 18 is the 60th anniversary of the launch of Gemini 10 on a mission involving the rendezvous and docking with Gemini-Agena Target Vehicle #10, then using the GATV engine and maneuvering system to rendezvous with GATV #8, left over from the shortened Gemini 8 mission.
July 18 is also the 105th birthday of famed astronaut John Glenn!
July 20 is the 50th anniversary of the landing of the Viking 1 spacecraft on Mars. It was originally slated to land on the Nation’s Bicentennial, but the landing site’s safety could not be assured by that time, so the anniversary date of the Apollo 11 landing on the Moon was selected. Prior to landing, a signal from the Viking 1 orbiter actuated a replica of the Viking sampler arm, which in turn cut the ribbon on the dedication of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (as related in the Of Special Interest section above).
July 21 is the 85th anniversary of Gus Grissom’s Mercury flight.
July 22 is the 125th birthday of the famed aviator and barnstormer Florence "Pancho" Barnes, proprietress of the "Happy Bottom Riding Club" pilot hangout in the early days of Edwards AFB). She was also the granddaughter of Thaddeus Lowe, balloon pioneer who convinced President Lincoln of the military value of hot air balloons 40 years before Pancho was born.
July 26 is the 55th anniversary of the launch of the Apollo 15 spacecraft to the Moon. Its lunar module, Falcon, landed safely at Hadley Rille four days later.
August 5 is the 45th anniversary of the fly-by of Saturn by Voyager 2, the third spacecraft to do so, and also the 25th of the launch of the Juno spacecraft to Jupiter; both spacecraft are still in operation!
August 10 is the 180th anniversary of the founding of the Smithsonian Institution.