Written By SCOTT TAYLOR

1958 - NASA launches the lunar probe Pioneer 1, which burns up and falls back to earth.

1968 - But, 10 years later they're getting much better at this. NASA launches Apollo 7, the first successful manned Apollo mission.

1984 - A lot of stuff happened in this space on this day, as it turns out. Aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger, astronaut Katherine Sullivan becomes the first woman to perform a space walk.

2000 - We are not making this up, NASA launches the 100th Space Shuttle mission using Space Shuttle Discovery. Oct. 11 must be a very good day to shoot things into the sky.

2001 - The Polaroid Company files for bankruptcy protection. In hindsight, it was the perfect example of a company unwilling, or unable, to change with the times. They dismissed digital cameras as a fad for the rich and only began R&D on them after it was too late.

Born on This Day

1492 - Charles Orlando, Dauphin of France. He was known for his lavish pool parties because everyone wanted to swim with the Dauphins.

1909 - Fred Trump, real estate entrepreneur, father of Donald J.

1946 - Daryl Hall, musician, singer, friend of Oates.

1961 - Steve Young, football player, broadcaster, who had the unenviable job of taking over from Joe Montana in San Francisco.

1962 - Joan Cusack, actress, brother of John, been in a lot of things, none of which we can recall right now.

1966 - Luke Perry, actor, lived in the 90210 zip code. We doubt he does these days.

1992 - Cardi B., American rapper who seems to like trouble now and then.

This Day in Music

1955 - Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash kick off a tour of the southern United States. That must have been a fun show to see.

1962 - The Beatles make their first appearance on the U.S. music charts with Love Me Do, which would peak at No. 4. They'd be back.

1967 - The Doors appeared at Danbury High School in Connecticut. A beauty pageant was the opening act, so to speak. Hard to imagine they were once this unknown.

1986 - Madonna is No. 1 in the U.K. with True Blue, which was a favourite saying of then-husband Sean Penn. The song was written for him. They divorced three years later.

1990 - Drummer Dave Grohl played his first gig with Nirvana. Good career move, Dave. He's now in some band called Foo Fighters.

1997 - Elton John tops the charts with Candle in the Wind ‘97, which was written following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. It would become the best-selling single of all time.

2010 - George Michael is released from prison after serving four weeks for driving while under the influence of drugs. He would be dead six years later.

This Day in Film and TV

1919 - Jean Vander Pyl is born. You might know her better as the original cartoon voice of Wilma Flintstone.

1975 - Saturday Night Live premieres with George Carlin as its first host.