1956 – Fortran, the first modern computer language was shared with the public for the first time. The IBM Mathematical Formula Translating System made John Backus a legend, kicked off modern programming, and is still developed by the Fortran Standards Technical Committee.
http://gcc.gnu.org/wiki/GFortranStandards
2003 – China launched the Shenzhou 5, its first manned space mission, becoming the third country in the world to have independent human spaceflight capability. Yang Liwei piloted the capsule showing the flags of the People’s Republic of China and the United Nations.
http://spaceflightnow.com/shenzhou/031015launch.html
Read Tom’s science fiction and other fiction books at Merritt’s Books site.