Al-Qaeda
The 1st al-Qaeda prisoners arrive at Guantanamo Bay
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
2002 in United States of America
Explore 148 historical events and records for United States of America in 2002.
Historical records for United States of America in 2002
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 148 unique records.
148Unique records
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30Named events on this page
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12Places on this page
January
Arrest of George Walker Bush
The 1st al-Qaeda prisoners arrive at Guantanamo Bay
Final Galileo Io Flyby
Galileo completes its final Io flyby at an altitude of roughly 102 kilometres.
Axis of Evil
President George Bush, in his State of the Union address, describes Iran, Iraq and North Korea as an "axis of evil"
President George Bush, in his State of the Union address, describes Iran
President George Bush, in his State of the Union address, describes Iran, Iraq and North Korea as an "axis of evil"
February
Friedel Frustrates Tottenham at Cardiff
Friedel produces important saves against Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup final, enabling Blackburn to protect a 2–1 victory.
March
Hubble Servicing Mission 3B Launch
Altman commands Columbia as Servicing Mission 3B launches to replace Hubble solar arrays and install major new hardware.
Hubble Captured for Servicing Mission 3B
Currie uses Columbia's robotic arm to capture Hubble and secure it for the servicing crew.
Hubble Starboard Solar Array Replaced
Linnehan helps replace Hubble's starboard solar array with a more powerful third-generation array.
Hubble Reaction Wheel Assembly Replaced
Massimino helps replace a reaction wheel assembly used to control Hubble's orientation and stable pointing.
Hubble Solar Arrays Completed
Newman helps complete installation of Hubble's new solar arrays, increasing the observatory's available electrical power.
Hubble Power Control Unit Replaced
Grunsfeld helps install a new Power Control Unit after Hubble is completely powered down for the first time in orbit.
Advanced Camera for Surveys Installed
Newman helps install the Advanced Camera for Surveys, replacing Hubble's Faint Object Camera.
NICMOS Cooling System Installed
Linnehan helps install an experimental cooling system that returns Hubble's NICMOS infrared instrument to operation.
Hubble Released After Servicing Mission 3B
Currie uses Columbia's robotic arm to release the upgraded Hubble back into orbit.
Hubble Servicing Mission 3B Completed
Altman commands Columbia's landing after the successful Hubble Servicing Mission 3B.
April
Peace Mission
Travels to the region to press for a ceasefire after Operation Defensive Shield.
May
Al-Qaeda
US authorities announce the arrest of an American citizen they accuse of planning to build and detonate a bomb containing radioactive material, Jose Padilla, is detained Chicago airport after arriving from Pakistan
Moscow Treaty Signed
Signs the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty with Vladimir Putin to reduce deployed strategic nuclear warheads.
June
Ganymede and Callisto Subsurface Water Evidence
Galileo magnetic measurements strengthen evidence for conductive saltwater layers inside Ganymede and Callisto.
Heathen
Reunites with David Bowie for Heathen, their first full album together in many years.
Pluto Moons
Hubble images of the Pluto system provide an earlier comparison epoch later used in searches for faint satellites.
Two State Solution
Joins Middle East policy work as the administration links Palestinian reform, Israeli security, and a two-state settlement.
Two State Solution
Works on Middle East diplomacy as the administration develops a two-state framework after the June speech.
Two State Solution
Calls for two states and Palestinian institutional reform as the basis for renewed Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts.
Two State Solution
Links American support for Palestinian statehood to democratic leadership, security reform, and peaceful coexistence with Israel.
Two State Solution
States that the United States will support a Palestinian state if Palestinian institutions are reformed and terrorism ends.
Two State Solution
Supports interagency policy work translating the President's two-state statement into diplomatic planning.
Two State Solution
Represents US policy in Israel as Washington promotes the President's two-state formula and Palestinian institutional reform.
Two State Solution
Supports the President's speech and frames the two-state goal through diplomacy with Israel, Palestinians, and Arab governments.
Two State Solution
Helps shape the administration's policy linking a Palestinian state to accountable government and security reform.
Two State Solution
Represents US policy toward Palestinians as the administration states support for a reformed Palestinian state beside Israel.
Two State Speech
Calls for two states and Palestinian institutional reform.
Two-State Vision Speech
Bush publicly calls for two states and urges Palestinian institutional reform while backing renewed efforts to end the cycle of violence.
July
Sarbanes-Oxley Act
The Act strengthens corporate financial reporting, auditing and executive accountability.
The Rising
Releases The Rising, responding to the September 11 attacks with the reunited E Street Band.
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
CIA assessments on Iraqi weapons influence the case for war.
Invasion of Iraq
CIA assessments on Iraqi weapons influence the case for war.
August
LIGO S1 Science Run
Initial LIGO begins its first scientific observing run, operating multiple interferometers together and establishing procedures for coordinated gravitational-wave searches and data analysis.
September
Bush begins formally making his case to the international community for an
Bush begins formally making his case to the international community for an invasion of Iraq in his September 12, 2002 address to the United Nations Security Council
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.