October 03

1900 – The Wright brothers begin their first manned glider experimental flights at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina and failed for the first few attempts.
1942 – The first successful launch of a V-2 /A4-rocket from Test Stand VII at Peenemünde, Germany. It is the first human-made object to reach space.
1967 – The X-15 rocket plane achieved a world record speed of Mach 6.7 (4,520 mph / over 1 mile per second), with U.S. Air Force pilot Pete Knight.
1985 – The Space Shuttle Atlantis makes its maiden flight. (Mission STS-51-J)