February 06

Richard Lemon Lander was an English explorer born in 1804. He and his brother John were the first Europeans to trace the lower Niger River to its mouth. Their expeditions in 1830–1831 provided valuable geographic and ethnographic information. Lander's journeys helped advance European understanding of West African interior routes. He returned to Nigeria in 1834 but died during his second expedition. He is commemorated for his contributions to African exploration.

Born in 1956 in South Bend, Indiana, Janice E. Voss earned degrees in engineering from MIT. Selected as a NASA astronaut in 1987, she flew on five Space Shuttle missions, including flights on Atlantis and Endeavour. Voss conducted numerous experiments in microgravity, contributing to advancements in materials science and human physiology. At the time of her retirement, she held the record for the most spaceflights by a woman. After leaving NASA, Voss worked on spacecraft design and championed science education and outreach. Her pioneering career inspired a generation of women in STEM fields. Voss's dedication to exploration and innovation exemplified the spirit of spaceflight.