Today in history: The first US satellite is launched into orbit
Take a look back in time and see the events -- both big and small -- that happened on January 31st throughout the years. Here are some of the highlights:
Jackie Robinson was born in 1919
In 1944 U.S. forces invaded the Japanese-held Marshall Islands during World War II
An Alaska Airlines jet plunged into the ocean off Southern California on a flight from Mexico to San Francisco, killing all 88 people on board in 2000
In 1961 Ham the chimpanzee was the first hominid in space
