The Year 1993 From The People History

Space Shuttle Mission STS-55

NASA’s STS-55 Space Shuttle mission comes to an end during May when the crew returned safely to Earth. During the mission, the Space Shuttle Columbia carried a crew of seven into space to conduct several experiments during orbit. The crew’s commander was Steven R. Nagel and the pilot was Terence T. Henricks. The mission carried the German Spacelab module and the crew performed about 88 experiments while in orbit. The mission was considered an overall success despite a few minor issues leading up the the launch and while in space.

Canada - First Female Prime Minister

1. Kim Campbell becomes the first female Prime Minister of Canada on June 25th.

2. Campbell made her bid for leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party following the announcement of former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney's retirement in February of 1993.

3. She faced her first federal election on October 25 News Events, where the Progressive Conservative Party was defeated in a landslide election in favor of the Liberal Party with Jean Chretien as the leader.

4. While Campbell was considered popular during her short time as the Prime Minister, her predecessor’s unpopularity and her own frankness about the economy worked against her.

5. She left office on November 4th, 1993.

World -- South African Leaders Get Nobel Prize

Nelson Mandela and F.W. de Klerk were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize during October of 1993. The two leaders were recognized for their successful efforts to end apartheid in South Africa and usher in a new era of fully representative democracy in the country. F.W. de Klerk was the President of South Africa from 1989 to 1994 and oversaw the dismantling of apartheid. Nelson Mandela was the President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, the leader of the African National Congress party, and an advocate for racial equality and reconciliation in the nation.

United States --- Space Shuttle Endeavour

Space Shuttle Endeavour mission to repair an optical flaw in the Hubble Space Telescope.

More Information and Timeline for the Hubble Telescope Repair.

The Space Shuttle Endeavour launches on December 2nd of 1993 to complete its fifth mission. Its mission objective was to install COSTAR (Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement) on the Hubble Space Telescope to correct a flaw on a Mirror that had been causing some images to be out of focus. There were seven crew members and they conducted a record of five space walks to repair the telescope. The mission lasted until December 12th of 1993 and the crew was successful in installing COSTAR and adding some new instruments to the Hubble Space Telescope. Hubble had been originally placed into space on April 24th of 1990 and remains in operation.

United States --- STS-57 Space Mission

NASA's STS-57 Space Mission is successfully completed during June and July.

More Information and Timeline for STS-57.

NASA’s STS-57 space mission successfully returned to Earth in July of 1993 after spending 9 days, 23 hours, 44 minutes, 54 seconds in space. The mission carried the six crew members Ronald Grabe, Brian Duffy, G. David Low, Nancy Sherlock, Peter Wisoff, and Janice Voss aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. The mission was important in that it marked the first flight of pressurized lab, SPACEHAB, a commercially created laboratory, they also carried and conducted 22 experiments. The crew also captured the over 9,000 pound European Retrievable Carrier, an experiment carrying satellite that had been in space for about a year. Overall, the mission was successful in completing its objectives and returned home safely.

Other Major Events From 1993

U.S. Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton President of the United States

U.S. Brady bill

Brady bill requiring background checks of prospective buyers is signed into law

World Trade Center Bombing

Islamic Fundamentalists bomb World Trade Center

Haiti Ferry sinks

Ferry in Haiti sinks - over 1000 die

India bombing

Several bombs explode in Bombay, India killing about 300

U.S. Severe Blizzard

Severe Blizzard strikes the eastern U.S., bringing record snowfall and other severe weather all the way from Cuba to Québec

Japan Earthquake

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake off Hokkaido, Japan launches a devastating tsunami, killing 202 on the small island of Okushiri, Hokkaido

India Earthquake

Earthquake centered on Killari, Maharashtra, India kills nearly 10,000 people.

Scotland / Shetland Islands MV Braer

The Oil tanker MV Braer carrying 85,000 tonnes of crude oil runs aground on January 5th in hurricane force winds off the Shetland Islands and large amounts of crude oil spill into the North Sea causing an ecological disaster in the area.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Fighting occurs between Muslims and Croats in Bosnia

Bosnia and Herzegovina

The United Nations sets up safe haven for Muslim Refugees in Srebrenica in Bosnia

Maastricht Treaty

The Maastricht Treaty signed on February 7th takes effect, formally establishing the European Union.

European Union Farmers protest

EU Farmers protest the reduction in agricultural subsidies due to Maastricht Treaty

James Bulger

In the United Kingdom, 11-year-olds Robert Thompson and Jon Venables are convicted of the child murder of 2-year-old James Bulger of Liverpool

Indonesia Earthquake

Earthquake hits Flores, Indonesia - 2200 dead

Malaysia

Apartment building collapses in Malaysia killing 48

European Union

A report states 2.5 million people in Europe are homeless

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace opens its doors to the public

Bishopsgate Bombing

The IRA explodes a massive bomb in a parked Van in Bishopsgate in the heart of the City of London

anti-abortion activist

An anti-abortion activist murders a doctor outside an abortion clinic

Tomask 7

Russian Nuclear Accident at Tomask 7

Ben Johnson

Ben Johnson, is banned from athletics for life

Start II

The US and Soviet Union sign Start II reducing nuclear warheads by 3,500 each

NAFTA

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is signed into law by US President Bill Clinton

Yitzhak Rabin ( Israel ) and Yasser Arafat ( PLO )

Yitzhak Rabin ( Israel ) and Yasser Arafat ( PLO ) sign peace agreement on September 13th on White House lawn.

Harley Davidson

Harley Davidson Motorcycles are 90 years old

Monica Seles

The tennis player Monica Seles is stabbed by a spectator during a quarter final tennis match in Hamburg by Günter Parche, an obsessed fan of Steffi Graf

Beanie Babies

Ty Warner USA launches the first Beanie Babies

Australia Brush Fires

Worst Brush Fires in Australian History destroy the world's second largest national park Royal National Park

Slovakia

Slovakia Gains Independence when Czechoslovakia divides into the Czech Republic and Slovakia

Rodney King

Two former police officers are convicted of violating the civil rights of beaten motorist Rodney King.