On this day in history - October 15

What Happened On This Day – October 15

• 2003 Shenzhou 5, China's first human space flight mission launched

  Launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the middle of the Gobi desert in northern China, this launch brought the Chinese into the exclusive club of countries who have achieved manned space flight. The other countries are the USA and the Soviet Union/Russia.

• 1990 Mikhail Gorbachev is Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize

  The then President of the Soviet Union received the prestigious award given out by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, for his role in lessening tensions during the Cold War.

• 1987 Thomas Sankara killed

  Thomas Sankara, the President of Burkina Faso, was killed during a coup led by Blaise Compaoré.

• 1951 I Love Lucy Airs for the First Time

  The American sitcom aired on CBS and featured real-life couple Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. The popular show lasted for 6 years and it had several spin-offs after it went off air.

• 1783 World’s First Manned Balloon Flight

  Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier, a teacher from France, spent about 4 minutes in the air in a balloon made by flight pioneers Joseph-Michael and Jacques-Ètienne Montgolfier. The Montgolfier brothers were responsible for the world’s first balloon flight and for sending the first living being – a duck – on a balloon.