What happened in February 1958?
The top front-page story of each day in February 1958, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Feb 1🚀 Satellite Launch Success – U.S. satellite successfully launched, completing a 114-minute orbit at speeds of 18,000 mph, surpassing Soviet heights.
- Feb 2🚀 Explorer Satellite Launched – The U.S. successfully launched the Explorer satellite, marking a significant achievement in space exploration.
- Feb 3🚀 U.S. Rocket Plane Design – The X-15 rocket plane, designed to exceed 4,000 mph, is set to fly next year, showcasing advancements in aerospace technology.
- Feb 4🏛️ Ancient Church Discovered – Excavations in Israel reveal colorful mosaics of a 330 A.D. church, one of the earliest Christian edifices.
- Feb 5🔬 Atomic Roulette Enriches Science – Experts use a game of chance to learn more about the structure of matter, enhancing scientific understanding.
- Feb 6🚀 Satellite Height Data – U.S. satellite's peak height is now reported at 1,587 miles, with a lowest point of 219 miles, marking significant progress in space exploration.
- Feb 7🚀 Rocket Failure Investigated – Navy reports a wiring defect caused a Vanguard rocket engine to fail, impacting future space missions.
- Feb 8🛩️ Canada Ends Air Monopoly – Trans-Canada Lines will face competition in cross-continent service, marking a significant change in the aviation industry.
- Feb 9🚀 Rocket Flight to Moon – Experts predict a rocket flight to the Moon could occur within ten years, with elliptical orbits theoretically reaching 240,000 miles.
- Feb 10🐶 Dog Show Opens Today – The prestigious dog show kicks off today, with discussions on shifting the date for pre-Westminster specialties.
- Feb 11🔬 Muscle Device for Polio – A new device developed by an atomic scientist helps polio victims move their fingers using gas pressure.
- Feb 12⛪ Lourdes Rites Ceremony – 50,000 people participate in religious ceremonies marking the 100th anniversary of the famous French shrine at Lourdes.
- Feb 13🌍 Mexico's Farm Paradise – Electric power has transformed a once desert area in northwest Mexico into a thriving agricultural region.
- Feb 14🔬 IBM Device Unveiled – IBM showcases a groundbreaking machine that responds to queries in less than a second at a major fair.
- Feb 15🚀 Balloon Rockets Explore – Balloon-launched rockets investigate electrical currents above the equator, revealing significant findings about atmospheric phenomena.
- Feb 16🏊 Rose Sets Swim Record – Australian swimmer sets unofficial world record of 4:21.5 in the 440-yard event at Yale's pool.
- Feb 17🏆 Goncharenko Wins Gold – Victor Goncharenko captures world speed-skating title in 1,500 meters, leading a Russian one-two finish.
- Feb 18📺 Pope Proclaims St. Clare – Pope Pius declares St. Clare as the Patron Saint of Television, honoring her as a benefactress for stations worldwide.
- Feb 19🌊 World Records Fall – Six world records were set in swimming at an Australian event, with Jon Konrads achieving remarkable times.
- Feb 20🌍 Moscow Accepts Atom Plan – Soviet Union supports proposals for a nuclear-free zone in Central Europe, signaling potential diplomatic progress.
- Feb 21🏫 Little Rock Integration Delay – Little Rock School Board seeks delay in integration until U.S. courts clarify 'deliberate speed'.
- Feb 22🌍 Egypt-Syria Union Approved – Egypt and Syria vote to merge into a new United Arab Republic, with Nasser as the leader of the unified state.
- Feb 23🌍 Antarctic Ice Study – Experts aim to map Antarctica's ice thickness in 1958, enhancing understanding of climate change impacts.
- Feb 24🌍 Antarctic Land Ice-Free – Geologists discover nearly ice-free land in Antarctica, potentially yielding clues to Earth's past.
- Feb 25🌍 80 Nations Open Parley – Eighty nations convene in Geneva to discuss international sea law, with debates on the exclusion of Red China beginning.
- Feb 26🔬 New Heart Drug Lauded – Physicians praise a new anticoagulant, previously used by President, now recognized for its effectiveness.
- Feb 27🔬 Plutonium Research Center – A $10 million research center is planned to control and study plutonium, a dangerous element in nuclear science.
- Feb 28🚜 Soviet Tractor Reform – The Soviet Party approves Khrushchev's plan to sell machinery to collective farms, marking a significant agricultural reform.
Happy Birthday! 1958 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1958 in real headlines. See the 1958 book →