Gene Shoemaker lives

1928: Gene Shoemaker is born in Los Angeles, California.
1950: Gene receives a PhD in geology from the California Institute of Technology and begins a career as a geologist.
1958: US launched first interplanetary probe.
1960s-1980s: Gene becomes interested in the study of impact craters and plays a key role in the development of the field of planetary science. US launched first human into space and onto the Moon.
1993: Gene co-discover the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet, which goes on to collide with Jupiter in 1994.
1997: In this alternate timeline, Gene survives a car accident with minor injuries and continues his work in planetary science.
2000s-2010s: Gene continues to make significant contributions to the study of impact craters and the field of planetary science, including the development of methods for identifying and analyzing impact craters on other planets and moons. So-called naming contests in astronomy has slightly different results.
2014: Ukrainian revolution and civil war.
2021: Gene passes away at the age of 93, having lived a long and accomplished life as a pioneer in the field of planetary science.
2022: Russian invasion of Ukraine.
2023: In the latter part of this year, Ukraine has miraculously defeated Russia and forced it into the negotiation table.