50 years ago

The American Air Force lunar probe attempt on October 11 failed to achieve the full objective of a circum-lunar orbit, but demonstrated that many of the technical problems of launching and accelerating a three-stage rocket to the necessary speed have been solved. Guidance of the rocket into the correct path and precise control of the final cut-off velocity appear to have been the chief problems not yet completely mastered ... In the instrument payload of some 40 lb. were included radiation detectors, which confirmed the earlier measurements on Explorer IV of the intense radiation belt surrounding the Earth. Preliminary analyses of the results have shown a significant decrease in intensity beyond several Earth radii, and seem to confirm the idea that the radiation is due to trapping of cosmic particles by the Earth's magnetic field ... No doubt there are some who will not regret the failure to penetrate the mystery of the Moon's unseen face, but it must be only a matter of time until this is done ...

From Nature 18 October 1958

100 years ago

On October 10, in the presence of the leading aëronautical experts of France, Mr. Wilbur Wright, with M. Painlevé as a passenger, accomplished a flight of 1h. 9m. 45.6s in duration, the distance covered being estimated at nearly seventy kilometres. This successful flight is the last demanded of Mr. Wright by the French syndicate which has acquired the local rights in his aëroplane by the payment of 10,000l. at once and 10,000l. in a month's time, after three men have been trained to work the machine ... [O]n November 1 the Société navale des Chantiers de France will begin at Dunkirk the construction of fifty Wright aëroplanes, which are to be sold at the price of 1000l. each.

From Nature 15 October 1908