This Day in Geek History: June 29
512
A solar eclipse is recorded by a monastic historian in Ireland.
1613
The original Globe Theatre in London, England burns down accidentally when a cannon discharged during a performance of William Shakespeare’s Henry VIII sets fire to the building’s thatched roof.
1888
Edison’s foreign sales agent, Colonel George Gouraud, makes a wax cylinder recording in the Crystal Palace, London of a four thousand person choir performing Handel’s Israel in Egypt at a distance of more than one hundred yards from the phonograph. It is the first “field” recording outside of a studio, as well as the first known recording of classical music.
1929
Construction of the first high-speed jet wind tunnel is completed at Langley Field, California, the field laboratory of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. Preliminary design work began November 14, 1928. The tunnel is capable of producing wind speeds of about 600mph, permitting the testing of aerofoils. Read more about the history of wind tunnels at the U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission and NASA websites.
1936
NBC station W2XBS broadcasts the first “high-definition” television signal from the Empire State Building using a 343-line system.
1948
Bell System installs the thirty millionth telephone in the U.S.
1952
The BBC begins to research the size of television audiences for the first time in history.
1954
By a vote of four to one, the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission decides not to reinstate access to classified information to Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer, the “father of the atomic bomb.” The Atomic Energy Act of 1946 required consideration of “the character, associations, and loyalty” of the individuals engaged in the work of the Commission. Substantial defects of character along with imprudent and dangerous associations, particularly with known subversives who place the interests of foreign powers above those of the United States, are considered reasons for disqualification. The Commission thought that his associations with known Communists lasted too long to be justified as merely the intermittent and accidental revival of earlier friendships.
1961
The first U.S. rocket to release three satellites is launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Thor-Able-Star rocket Omicron 1 carries three payloads. The previous year, a similar rocket launched a payload of two satellites on June 22, 1960. A launch of eight satellites from one rocket will occur on March 9, 1965.
1979
United Artists releases Moonraker, directed by Lewis Gilbert and starring Roger Moore as James Bond, Michael Lonsdale, Lois Chiles, Richard Kiel, and Corinne Clery, to 788 U.S. theaters. It is the eleventh film in the James Bond franchise and the fourth to star Roger Moore. This installment takes Bond into space, where, in the climax of the film, a platoon of marines battle a cult whose mission is to wipe out all human life on Earth in a Star Wars-style laser fight. Produced on a budget of US$34 million, the film will gross US$7,108,344 domestically in its opening weekend. IMDB listing (MPAA Rating: PG) Running Time: 2 hrs 6 mins
1984
Warner Communications begins talking with Jack Tramiel about the possible sale of part of Atari.
1989
CompuServe, the first major commercial online service in the United States, buys The Source, one of the earliest online services available in the United States for an undisclosed sum. CompuServe will shut it down for good on August 1st.
The Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “The Emissary” first airs. (No. 246) In it, Worf’s ex-girlfriend comes to the Enterprise to help the crew intercept a 75-year-old Klingon exploration ship which believes the Federation and the Klingons are still enemies. Memory Alpha entry
