On This Day, April 24: Hubble Space Telescope launched into space

On April 24, 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope was launched into space from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard the space shuttle Discovery. File Photo courtesy of NASA
On April 24, 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope was launched into space from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard the space shuttle Discovery. File Photo courtesy of NASA

April 24 (UPI) -- On this date in history:

In 1704, the Boston News-Letter became the first U.S. newspaper to be published on a regular basis.

In 1800, the U.S. Congress established the Library of Congress.

In 1913, the Woolworth Building, designed by architect Cass Gilbert, an early proponent of skyscrapers, opened to the public and its tenants.

In 1914, the Easter Rising began. Irish republicans armed themselves in rebellion against the British government. Nearly 500 people died --including more than 250 civilians -- during the six-day skirmish, and the British executed 16 rebels.

Pope Benedict XVI leads the beatification ceremony of Pope John Paul II in St. Peter's square in the Vatican on May 1, 2011. On April 24, 2005, Benedict XVI was officially installed in Rome as the 265th Roman Catholic pope. File Photo by Stefano Spaziani/UPI
Pope Benedict XVI leads the beatification ceremony of Pope John Paul II in St. Peter's square in the Vatican on May 1, 2011. On April 24, 2005, Benedict XVI was officially installed in Rome as the 265th Roman Catholic pope. File Photo by Stefano Spaziani/UPI

In 1957, the Suez Canal was reopened to shipping after being shut for more than five months following a conflict between Egypt, and the trio of Israel, Britain and France.

File Photo by Jim Hampshire/U.S. Navy
File Photo by Jim Hampshire/U.S. Navy
On April 24, 1800, the U.S. Congress established the Library of Congress. Pool photo by Olivier Douliery/UPI
On April 24, 1800, the U.S. Congress established the Library of Congress. Pool photo by Olivier Douliery/UPI

In 1980, Operation Eagle Claw, the attempt to rescue 52 embassy staff held captive in Tehran, ends with the death of eight servicemen when a helicopter crashed into a transport aircraft.

In 1983, German endurance racing driver Rolf Stommelen died during a crash at the Riverside International Raceway in California. He was 39.

Rodney "Rocky" Sickman, one of 66 taken hostage when Iranian students stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran November 4, 1979, returned to Missouri on January 28, 1981 to a hero's welcome. On April 24, 1980, Operation Eagle Claw, the attempt to rescue 52 embassy staff held captive in Tehran, ends with the death of eight servicemen when a helicopter crashed into a transport aircraft. UPI File Photo

In 1986, the duchess of Windsor, Wallis Warfield Simpson, for whom Britain's King Edward VIII gave up his throne, died in Paris at age 89.

File Photo courtesy Wikimedia
File Photo courtesy Wikimedia

In 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope was launched into space from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard the space shuttle Discovery.

In 1996, the Palestinian National Council voted to drop its official commitment to the destruction of Israel.

In 2005, Benedict XVI was installed in Rome as the 265th Roman Catholic pope.

In 2013, a building that housed clothing factories collapsed in Bangladesh, killing more than 1,000 people.

In 2023, Fox News announced that its top opinion show host, Tucker Carlson, agreed to leave the network in the wake of the network settling a defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems for $787.5 million.

File Photo by Peter Foley/UPI
File Photo by Peter Foley/UPI