On this day: August 23

1976 Village Reports Multiple People Saw Same Creature

On August 23, 1976, residents of a rural village reported—independently and in groups—seeing a similar creature described in matching terms. Accounts circulated locally but official documentation is limited and some details remain disputed.

NASA loses contact with Mars Climate Orbiter after orbital insertion attempt

On August 23, 1999, NASA lost communication with the Mars Climate Orbiter during its planned transition to Mars orbit; subsequent analysis found the spacecraft was lost, later attributed to a metric-imperial units navigation error and inadequate end-to-end testing.

Supreme Court Upholds Draft Laws as Campus Protests Continue

On August 23, 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld federal draft registration and conscription statutes amid widespread campus demonstrations and legal challenges tied to the Vietnam War draft.

Global Sanctions Target South African Apartheid Regime

On August 23, 1986, international pressure culminated in coordinated economic and cultural sanctions against South Africa, deepening the global campaign to end apartheid and isolating Pretoria diplomatically and financially.