February 04

Launched from Cape Canaveral’s Launch Complex 13 on February 4, 1967, Lunar Orbiter 3 was the third in NASA’s series of spacecraft designed to map the lunar surface. Its mission was to capture high-resolution images of potential landing areas for the Surveyor robotic landers and the manned Apollo missions. Over a one-month period, the probe took hundreds of photographs covering both near and far sides of the Moon. Images were transmitted back to Earth as analog signals and converted to film aboard the spacecraft before re-entry of the film canister. Lunar Orbiter 3 provided critical data on lunar topography, surface texture, and lighting conditions. Its success paved the way for the safe landing of Apollo astronauts on the Moon’s Sea of Tranquility.

On February 4, 2000, President Jacques Chirac and UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura signed the Charter of Paris Against Cancer. This landmark agreement emerged from the World Summit Against Cancer for the New Millennium. The charter called for global cooperation in cancer research, prevention, and care. It also aimed to inform the public and reduce stigma around cancer diagnoses. World Cancer Day was inaugurated to commemorate the signing and to raise awareness annually. Since then, February 4 has become a rallying point for campaigns, screenings, and educational events worldwide. The initiative has united governments, NGOs, and medical communities in the fight against cancer.

On February 4, 2004, Harvard University students Mark Zuckerberg and Eduardo Saverin launched Thefacebook.com, a new online social network. Originally limited to Harvard undergraduates, it rapidly expanded to other universities before opening to the general public. The platform revolutionized how people connect and share information online. In its early years, Facebook introduced features like the News Feed and photo sharing, driving user engagement. By the end of its first year, the site had millions of users nationwide. Over subsequent years, Facebook attracted significant venture capital funding and grew into a global company. It played a pivotal role in shaping social media and digital communication. Today, Facebook is one of the world's largest social networking services with billions of active users.