Event:
NASA successfully tests its unmanned Orion spaceship for potential human flight over 3,500 miles from Earth; several years and more tests will be needed before the vessel is ready for human travel, potentially paving the way for manned trips to Mars
More Notable Events on December 5:
1993 Astronauts begin repair of Hubble telescope in space
1989 France TGV train reaches world record speed of 482.4 kph
1985 Dow Jones Industrial Average rose above 1,500 level for 1st time
1974 Monty Python's final episode airs on BBC
1946 President Truman creates Committee on Civil Rights by Executive Order 9808
