The V-2 Number 13 Rocket, also known as the White Sands Rocket, was the first man made object to take a photograph of the Earth from outer space. It was launched on October 24, 1946, from the White Sands Missile Range in White Sands, New Mexico, USA.
The rocket managed to go as high as approximately 173 kilometers (107.5 miles), more than surpassing the boundary of space, which scientists see as being at 100 kilometers (62 miles). The black and white photograph was taken with the on-board 35 mm camera, when the rocket reached approximately 104 kilometers (almost 65 miles) in altitude.
Since this was the first time ever humans saw Earth's face, from actual outer space anyway, an old song written by Ewan MacColl comes to mind. He may have written it for his future folk singer wife Peggy Seeger, but it was a brilliant American R & B / Soul singer that really breathed life into his creation.
Our 'Today's Tune' for October 24, 2009 is "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" , sung by the incredibly gifted Roberta Flack. She was a favorite of my mother's, and listening to her truly unique voice when I was a child, I too became a big fan.
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