Apollo program

Historical eventApril 171970

Apollo program

Apollo program: The damaged Apollo 13 spacecraft returns to Earth safely.

Everything on April 17Original source

In context

When
Friday, April 17 197056 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
20th century · 1970s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

At a glance

Dates: From 1970.

What happened

The Apollo program, also known as Project Apollo, was the United States human spaceflight program led by NASA, which landed the first humans on the Moon in 1969. Apollo was conceived in 1960 in the Dwight D. Eisenhower presidency during Project Mercury and executed after Project Gemini. Apollo was later dedicated to President John F. Kennedy's national goal, "before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth" in his address to the U.S. Congress on May 25, 1961.

April 17 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 1970Apollo program
  2. 1986Three Hundred and Thirty Five Years' War
  3. 1992Katina P
  4. 1998Space Shuttle Columbia
  5. 2003Anneli Jäätteenmäki
  6. 2006Palestinians
  7. 2006Palestinian suicide attacks
  8. 2013West Fertilizer Company explosion
  9. 2013Death and funeral of Margaret Thatcher
  10. 2014NASA
  11. 2021Death and funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Also in 1970

  • May 11Lubbock, TexasLubbock, Texas, was struck by a tornado that left 26 people dead.
  • September 9Popular Front for the Liberation of PalestineA British airliner is hijacked by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and flown to Dawson's Field in Jordan.
  • September 17AmmanThe Jordanian army entered Amman as part of operations to oust Palestinian fedayeen from the country in events later known as Black Septe…
  • September 51970 Italian Grand PrixDuring the practice session of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza Circuit, Jochen Rindt was killed and subsequently became motor racing's on…
  • September 5Vietnam WarVietnam War: Operation Jefferson Glenn begins: The United States 101st Airborne Division and the South Vietnamese 1st Infantry Division i…
  • November 17Vietnam WarVietnam War: Lieutenant William Calley goes on trial for the My Lai Massacre.
  • November 17Luna programmeLuna programme: The Soviet Union lands Lunokhod 1 on Mare Imbrium (Sea of Rains) on the Moon. This is the first roving remote-controlled…
  • November 5Military Assistance Command, VietnamThe Military Assistance Command, Vietnam reports the lowest weekly American soldier death toll in five years (24).

Everything we record for 1970 →

Sources

Cite this page

“Apollo program”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/apollo-program-1970-april-17, accessed October 24, 2026.

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Questions about this entry

When did Apollo program happen?

April 17 1970 — 56 years ago, on a Friday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.

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