What happened in August 1971?
The top front-page story of each day in August 1971, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Aug 1🌕 Lunar Exploration Advances – Apollo 15 astronauts began their first motorized excursion on the moon, exploring ancient lunar features and conducting scientific tasks.
- Aug 2🚀 Apollo 15 Explorers – Apollo 15 astronauts discovered a crystalline rock on the moon, believed to be a sample of the original lunar crust.
- Aug 3🌕 Astronauts Leave Moon – Apollo 15 astronauts successfully blasted off from the lunar surface, marking the first televised launch from another world.
- Aug 4💻 25th Computer Anniversary – The 25th anniversary of the electronic computer was celebrated with a black-tie banquet and discussions on its impact.
- Aug 5🏅 U.S. Women Win Gold – Roxanne Pierce of Maryland secured her third and fourth gold medals at the Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia, in gymnastics events.
- Aug 6🚀 Astronaut Works in Space – Apollo 15 astronaut Maj. Alfred M. Worden becomes the first man to take a spacewalk outside his craft, 196,000 miles from Earth.
- Aug 7🚀 Apollo 15 Splashdown – Apollo 15 astronauts are set for splashdown north of Hawaii, with ideal weather conditions forecasted.
- Aug 8🌕 Apollo 15 Splashdown – Apollo 15 astronauts safely returned to Earth after a successful 12-day mission, marking a significant achievement in lunar exploration.
- Aug 9🌕 Astronauts Return with Moon Rocks – Apollo 15 astronauts returned to Houston with valuable lunar samples, marking a significant achievement in space exploration.
- Aug 10🌌 Mars Nears Earth – Mars will make its closest approach to Earth of the century tomorrow night, a significant astronomical event.
- Aug 11🌍 Nixon's China Trip – President Nixon's planned trip to China is viewed skeptically by Senator Herman Talmadge, calling it a political fishing expedition.
- Aug 12🫀 Heart Transplant Success – A surgical team at Stanford Medical Center performed its 33rd heart transplant, with the recipient in fair condition.
- Aug 13🌌 Cosmos 434 Launched – The Soviet Union launched Cosmos 434, an unmanned satellite, to continue its secret space exploration program.
- Aug 14🌕 Moon Walk Health Issue – Apollo 15 astronauts Col. David R. Scott and Lt. Col. James B. Irwin experienced irregular heart rhythms during their moon mission, attributed to fatigue.
- Aug 15🌋 Hawaii Volcano Erupts – Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii erupts spectacularly, sending lava fountains 200 feet into the air for the first time in 17 years.
- Aug 16💵 Dollar-Gold Link Severed – President Nixon announced the U.S. will cease converting foreign-held dollars into gold, altering the international monetary system.
- Aug 17🌪️ Typhoon Hits Hong Kong – A typhoon with 130 mph winds struck Hong Kong, capsizing a ferryboat, leaving 12 dead and 70 missing.
- Aug 18🌪️ Typhoon Hits Hong Kong – A typhoon struck Hong Kong, killing over 90 people with winds of 130 mph and 12 inches of rain.
- Aug 19🎾 Riggs Faces Howe Today – Bobby Riggs meets Bob Howe in the first singles match as the U.S. senior tennis team challenges Australia for the Stevens Cup.
- Aug 20🦅 California Condor Sanctuary – A joint project by the Nature Conservancy and U.S. Forest Service aims to save the endangered California condor.
- Aug 21🌍 Environmental Standards Approved – The EPA approved regional air standards for sulphur oxide and particulate matter in 15 states for the first time.
- Aug 22🏑 U.S. Tops Fiji Islands – The U.S. women's field hockey team won 2-1 against Fiji in the international tournament in Auckland, New Zealand.
- Aug 23🏆 Cynthia Potter Wins – Cynthia Potter completed a diving sweep by winning the three-meter springboard title at the National Amateur Athletic Union championships.
- Aug 24🌍 Accord on Berlin Drafted – The U.S., Soviet Union, Britain, and France reached an accord on the draft text regarding the future of West Berlin.
- Aug 25🎨 Bridget Riley Retrospective – Bridget Riley's reputation as a leading op artist was affirmed with a retrospective, showcasing her notable works and international acclaim.
- Aug 26🌍 World Orchestra Planned – An orchestra with musicians from 60 countries will perform three concerts in October under Arthur Fiedler's direction.
- Aug 27👑 Queen Juliana Visits Indonesia – Queen Juliana of the Netherlands arrived in Indonesia, marking the first visit by a ruling sovereign from her house in 343 years.
- Aug 28🌍 Cosmos 435 Launched – The Soviet Union launched Cosmos 435, an unmanned satellite, completing its first orbit in 92.1 minutes.
- Aug 29✈️ Jet Crash in Copenhagen – A Hungarian airliner crashed near Copenhagen, resulting in at least 12 deaths among the 34 people on board.
- Aug 30🌪️ Typhoon Hits Kyushu – Typhoon Trix struck Japan's Kyushu island with 110 mph winds, injuring 16 and sinking five ships.
- Aug 31🔬 New Blood Cell Technique – A new economical process for reconstituting frozen red blood cells, free of transfusion hazards, was reported by an American Red Cross researcher.
Happy Birthday! 1971 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1971 in real headlines. See the 1971 book →
Born in August? Pick the day
Every birthday in August has its own On This Day in Headlines book: