1966 in spaceflight

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Orbital launches
Gemini 8 about to dock with its Agena target vehicle, the first time two spacecraft dock in orbit.
First	7 January
Last	29 December
Total	131
Successes	111
Failures	13
Partial failures	7
Catalogued	118
Manned flights
Orbital	5
Total travellers	10
v t e

The year 1966 saw the peak and the end of the Gemini program. The program proved that docking in space and human EVA's can be done safely. It saw the first launch of the Saturn IB rocket an important step in the Apollo program. Also launched in 1966 is Luna 9, the first spacecraft to make a soft landing on any planetary object other than Earth (the Moon).

Date and time (UTC)	Rocket		Launch site		LSP
	Payload	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
	Remarks
January
7 January 04:48:23	Thor-Burner 1		Vandenberg LC-75-2-6		USAF
	OPS 2394 (DMSP 4A-F5)	USAF	Planned: Low Earth	Meteorology	7 January	Failure

Second stage failed to ignite
7 January 08:24	Vostok-2		Baikonur LC-31/6
	Kosmos 104 (Zenit-2)		Low Earth	Optical reconnaissance	15 January	Partial Failure

Third stage failed to put spacecraft in correct orbit
19 January 20:10	Atlas-SLV3 Agena-D		Vandenberg PALC-2-4		USAF
	OPS 7253 (KH-7 Gambit 4024)	NRO	Low Earth	Optical Reconnaissance	25 January	Successful
	OPS 3179 (Agena Pickaback)		Low Earth	Technology	In orbit	Successful
22 January 08:38	Vostok-2		Baikonur LC-31/6
22 January 08:38	Kosmos 105 (Zenit-2)		Low Earth	Optical reconnaissance	30 January	Successful
25 January 12:28	Kosmos-2I		Kapustin Yar LC-86/1
25 January 12:28	Kosmos 106 (DS-P1-I)		Low Earth	Radar calibration	In orbit	Successful
28 January 17:06:00	Scout-A		Vandenberg PALC-D
28 January 17:06:00	OPS 1593 (Transit-O 7)		Low Earth	Navigation	In orbit	Successful
31 January 11:41:37	Molniya-M		Baikonur LC-31/6
	Luna 9		Lunar transfer	Lunar lander	3 February 18:45	Successful

First spacecraft to soft land on the surface of the Moon and of any planetary object.
February
2 February 21:32:13	Thor-SLV2A Agena-D		Vandenberg PALC-1-1
2 February 21:32:13	OPS 7291 (KH-4A Corona 1029)	NRO	Low Earth	Optical Reconnaissance	27 February	Successful
3 February 07:41:23	Delta C		Cape Canaveral LC-17A
3 February 07:41:23	ESSA-1 (Tiros)	ESSA	Low Earth	Meteorology	In orbit	Successful
9 February 19:45:01	Thor-SLV2A Agena-D		Vandenberg LC-75-1-2
9 February 19:45:01	OPS 1439 ("Heavy Ferret")	NRO	Low Earth	ELINT	In orbit	Successful
10 February 08:52	Vostok-2		Baikonur LC-31/6
10 February 08:52	Kosmos 107 (Zenit-2)		Low Earth	Optical reconnaissance	18 February	Successful
11 February 18:00	Kosmos-1		Kapustin Yar LC-86/1
11 February 18:00	Kosmos 108 (DS-U1-G)		Low Earth	Atmospheric research	In orbit	Successful
15 February 20:32	Atlas-SLV3 Agena-D		Vandenberg PALC-2-4
	OPS 1184 (KH-7 Gambit 4025)	NRO	Low Earth	Optical Reconnaissance	22 February	Successful
	OPS 3011 (Bluebell 2 cylinder)		Low Earth	Radar calibration	In orbit	Successful
	OPS 3031 (Bluebell 2 sphere)		Low Earth	Radar calibration	In orbit	Successful
17 February 08:33:36	Diamant A		Hammaguira Brigitte		Armée de Terre
17 February 08:33:36	Dipason (D-1A)	Armée de Terre	Low Earth	Geodetic science	In orbit	Successful
19 February 08:52	Voskhod		Baikonur LC-31/6
19 February 08:52	Kosmos 109 (Zenit-4)		Low Earth	Optical reconnaissance	27 February	Successful
21 February	Kosmos-1		Kapustin Yar LC-86/1
	DS-K-40 No.2		Planned: Low Earth	ELINT	21 February	Failure

First stage failure at T+83 seconds
22 February 20:09:36	Voskhod		Baikonur LC-31/6
22 February 20:09:36	Kosmos 110 (Voskhod)		Low Earth	Unmanned spacecraft	16 March	Successful
26 February 16:12:01	Saturn IB		Cape Canaveral LC-34		NASA
	Apollo AS-201	NASA	Sub-orbital	Test spacecraft	26 February 16:49:21	Successful

First flight of the Apollo Spacecraft and launch vehicle
28 February 13:58:00	Delta E		Cape Canaveral LC-17B
28 February 13:58:00	ESSA-2 (Tiros)	ESSA	Low Earth	Meteorology	In orbit	Successful
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Launch Date/Time	Rocket	Launch Site	Launch Contractor	Payload	Operator	Orbit	Mission/ Function	Re-Entry/ Destruction	Outcome	Remarks
March 16 15:00 GMT	Atlas D	LC-14, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	GATV 5003	NASA	LEO	Gemini docking target.	September 15, 1967	Successful	Used by Gemini 8 and Gemini 10
March 16 16:41 GMT	Titan II	LC-19, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	Gemini 8, 2 Astronauts	NASA	LEO	Manned Orbital Flight	March 17, 1966	Partial Failure	First docking in space. (with GATV). OAMS malfunction caused loss of control. Spacecraft became low on fuel after recovering. Terminated early.
May 17 15:12 GMT	Atlas D	LC-14, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	GATV 5004	NASA	LEO	Gemini docking target.	May 17, 1966	Failure	Failed to reach orbit. Intended for use by Gemini 9
June 1 15:00 GMT	Atlas SLV-3	LC-14, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	ATDA 02186	NASA	LEO	Gemini docking target.	June 11, 1966	Failure	Fairing failed to separate Intended for use by Gemini 9A
June 3 16:41 GMT	Titan II	LC-19, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	Gemini 9A, 2 Astronauts	NASA	LEO	Manned Orbital Flight	June 6, 1966	Partial Failure	Unable to complete primary objective - Docking with ATDA - due to ATDA payload fairing malfunction
July 5 14:53 GMT	Saturn IB (C-1B)	LC-37B, Cape Canaveral	NASA	(none)	N/A	N/A	Test launch vehicle	N/A	Successful
July 18 20:39 GMT	Atlas D	LC-14, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	GATV 5005	NASA	LEO	Gemini docking target.	December 29, 1966	Successful	Used by Gemini 10
July 18 22:20 GMT	Titan II	LC-19, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	Gemini 10, 2 Astronauts	NASA	LEO	Manned Orbital Flight	July 21, 1966	Successful
August 25 17:15 GMT	Saturn IB (C-1B)	LC-34, Cape Canaveral	NASA	Apollo Spacecraft (AS-202)	NASA	Sub-orbital	Test Apollo Spacecraft and Launch Vehicle	August 25, 1966 18:48 GMT	Successful
September 12 13:05 GMT	Atlas D	LC-14, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	GATV 5006	NASA	LEO	Gemini docking target.	December 30, 1966	Successful	Used by Gemini 11
September 12 14:42 GMT	Titan II	LC-19, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	Gemini 11, 2 Astronauts	NASA	LEO	Manned Orbital Flight	September 15, 1966	Successful	Altitude record for manned Earth-Orbit flight
November 11 20:46 GMT	Atlas D	LC-14, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	GATV 5001A	NASA	LEO	Gemini docking target.	December 23, 1966	Failure	Failed to ignite. Used by Gemini 12
November 11 20:46 GMT	Titan II	LC-19, Cape Canaveral	US Air Force	Gemini 12, 2 Astronauts	NASA	LEO	Manned Orbital Flight	15 November 1966	Successful	Final Gemini flight

Date (UTC)	Spacecraft	Event	Remarks
3 February	Luna 9	Lunar landing	in Oceanus Procellarum
27 February	Venera 2	Flyby of Venus	Communication lost en route
1 March	Venera 3	Venus impact	Communication lost en route
3 April	Luna 10	Selenocentric orbit insertion
2 June	Surveyor 1	Lunar landing	in Oceanus Procellarum
14 August	Lunar Orbiter 1	Selenocentric orbit insertion	Returned 211 images
27 August	Luna 11	Selenocentric orbit insertion
23 September	Surveyor 2	Lunar impact	Failed lander, impacted Sinus Medii
25 October	Luna 12	Selenocentric orbit insertion
29 October	Lunar Orbiter 1	Lunar impact
10 November	Lunar Orbiter 2	Selenocentric orbit injection	Returned 184 images
24 December	Luna 13	Lunar landing	in Oceanus Procellarum

Start Date/Time	Duration	End Time	Spacecraft	Crew	Remarks
5 June 15:02	2 hours 7 minutes	17:09	Gemini IX-A	Eugene Cernan	A complex EVA was planned.^[1] Cernan expended four to five times the expected effort, raising his pulse as high as 180 beats per minute. Excess heat and respiration completely fogged visor, causing the EVA to be cut short. Cernan also had difficulty returning to spacecraft and closing the hatch.^[2]
19 July 21:44	49 Minutes	22:33	Gemini X	Michael Collins	Collins performed a stand-up EVA. Instead of climbing completely out of the spacecraft, Collins extended his torso outside the spacecraft to take photos before and after capsule sunrise. Color photography after sunrise was only partly completed due to severe eye irritation of both Collins and Command Pilot Young. Handling the camera proved difficult due to stiffness of spacesuit gloves.^[3]
20 July 23:01	39 minutes	23:40	Gemini X	Michael Collins	Umbilical EVA; with more difficulty than expected, Collins collected the micrometeorite collection package from the outside of Gemini. Then, using the Hand Held Maneuvering Unit, he pushed to the nearby Agena-8 to collect its micrometeorite collection package. Collins then pulled on the umbilical cord to return and re-enter the spacecraft.^[4]
13 September 14:44	33 minutes	15:17	Gemini XI	Richard F. Gordon, Jr.	Gordon attached a tether between Gemini and Agena 11 for later orbital mechanics testing. While making the attachment, his work load exceeded the spacesuit cooling system, and his vision became obscured by a fogged visor and sweat in his eyes. Planned activities were curtailed by Command Pilot Conrad and Gordon returned to the spacecraft.^[5]
14 September 12:49	2 hours 8 minutes	14:57	Gemini XI	Richard F. Gordon, Jr.	Gordon performed a stand-up EVA. He extended through the hatch to take astronomical photos. Conrad reported the spacewalk was so relaxing they both fell asleep for a moment after sunrise.^[6]
12 November 16:15	2 hours 29 minutes	18:44	Gemini XII	Buzz Aldrin	Aldrin performed a stand-up EVA. Aldrin stood, took UV still photos and 16 mm color movie pictures, collected external experimental samples, and conducted a light exercise routine.^[7]
13 November 15:34	2 hours 6 minutes	17:40	Gemini XII	Buzz Aldrin	First completely successful umbilical EVA, with all objectives achieved. Aldrin was able to control his movements and restrict his work load using techniques developed using underwater zero gravity simulations. He also benefited from experiences of the previous American EVAs and was able to move around the outside of the craft, deploy and recover various experimental packages, install and remove cameras, and practice work techniques using a ratchet-type wrench.^[8]
14 November 14:52	55 minutes	15:47	Gemini XII	Buzz Aldrin	Aldrin performed a second stand-up EVA. He again extended outside the hatch to take photographs and repeat the light exercise experiment. Exertion levels during exercise were comparable to preflight simulations. Equipment and waste food containers not needed for reentry were jettisoned from the spacecraft.^[9]

1966 in spaceflight

Launches

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Launches 2

Deep Space Rendezvous

EVAs

References

Footnotes