Space Shuttle Discovery

Historical eventDecember 21992

Space Shuttle Discovery

Space Shuttle Discovery is launched on STS-53 for the United States Department of Defense.

In context

When
Wednesday, December 2 199234 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
20th century · 1990s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

At a glance

Dates: From 1992.

What happened

Space Shuttle Discovery is launched on STS-53 for the United States Department of Defense.

December 2 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 1991Ukraine
  2. 1992Space Shuttle Discovery
  3. 1993Colombia
  4. 1993Space Shuttle program
  5. 1999Northern Ireland
  6. 2001Enron
  7. 2001Enron scandal
  8. 20152015 San Bernardino attack
  9. 2015San Bernardino, California
  10. 2016Ghost Ship warehouse fire
  11. 2020Cannabis (drug)

Also in 1992

  • September 11Hurricane InikiHurricane Iniki, the most powerful hurricane on record to strike the Hawaiian Islands, passed directly over the island of Kauai, killing…
  • September 12Space Shuttle EndeavourAboard Space Shuttle Endeavour, American Mae Jemison became the first Black woman to travel to space.
  • September 12NASANASA launches Space Shuttle Endeavour on STS-47, which marks the 50th shuttle mission. On board are Mae Carol Jemison, the first African-…
  • September 12Abimael GuzmánAbimael Guzmán, leader of the Shining Path, is captured by Peruvian special forces; shortly thereafter the rest of Shining Path's leaders…
  • September 14Croatian Republic of Herzeg-BosniaThe Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina declared the breakaway Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia to be unconstitutional.
  • September 14Bosnia and HerzegovinaThe Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina declares the breakaway Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia to be illegal.
  • September 16Pound sterlingThe British pound (coin pictured) was forced out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism on Black Wednesday and suffered a major devaluat…
  • September 16Manuel NoriegaThe trial of the deposed Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega ends in the United States with a 40-year sentence for drug trafficking and mo…

Everything we record for 1992 →

Sources

Cite this page

“Space Shuttle Discovery”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/space-shuttle-discovery-1992-december-2, accessed October 28, 2026.

Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.

Questions about this entry

When did Space Shuttle Discovery happen?

December 2 1992 — 34 years ago, on a Wednesday.

Where does this text come from?

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

How do I cite this page?

Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.

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