1966 in spaceflight

1966 in spaceflight
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

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

Launches

Date and time (UTC)	Rocket		Launch site		LSP
	Payload	Operator	Orbit	Function	Decay (UTC)	Outcome
	Remarks

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.

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

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Launches 2

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

Deep Space Rendezvous

Date (UTC)	Spacecraft	Event	Remarks
3 February	Luna 9	First Lunar landing	in Oceanus Procellarum; first soft landing on a celestial body and first images from Lunar surface
27 February	Venera 2	Flyby of Venus	Communication lost en route
1 March	Venera 3	First Venus impact	Communication lost en route
3 April	Luna 10	Selenocentric orbit insertion	first orbiter of the Moon
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

EVAs

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]

References

Krebs, Gunter. "Chronology of Space Launches".
Kyle, Ed. "Space Launch Report".
McDowell, Jonathan. "Jonathan's Space Report".
Pietrobon, Steven. "Steven Pietrobon's Space Archive".
Wade, Mark. "Encyclopedia Astronautica".
Webb, Brian. "Southwest Space Archive".
"NASASpaceFlight.com".
"Spaceflight Now".
"Space Information Center". JAXA.
"Space Calendar". NASA JPL.
"ISS Calendar". Spaceflight 101.
"Launch Forecast". Space.com.
Clark, Stephen. "Launch Schedule". Spaceflight Now.
"U.S. Space Objects Registry".
"Хроника освоения космоса" [Chronicle of space exploration]. Cosmoworld.ru (in Russian).

Generic references:

Footnotes

↑ Jim Dumoulin (2000-08-25). "NASA Project Gemini IX-A (9)". NASA Historical Archive for Manned Missions. NASA. Archived from the original on 19 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
↑ Cernan "The Last Man on the Moon", p. 129-144.
↑ Mathews, Charles W.; Low, George M. (August 1966). "Gemini Program Mission Report: Gemini X" (PDF). National Aeronautics and Space Administration. pp. 7‑5, 7‑31. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
↑ Mathews Gemini Program Mission Report: Gemini X, p. 7-32
↑ "Gemini 11". National Space Science Data Center. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-03.
↑ Chaikin, Andrew (1998). A Man on the Moon. New York: Penguin Books. p. 243. ISBN 0-670-81446-6.
↑ Mathews, Charles W.; Low, George M. (January 1967). "Gemini XII Program Mission Report" (PDF). National Aeronautics and Space Administration. pp. 7–27. Retrieved 2008-01-05.
↑ Mathews, Gemini XII Program Mission Report, p. 7-28, 7-29, 7-43
↑ Mathews, Gemini XII Program Mission Report, p. 7-30

Timeline of spaceflight
1940s					1944	1945	1946	1947	1948	1949
1950s	1950	1951	1952	1953	1954	1955	1956	1957	1958	1959
1960s	1960	1961	1962	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969
1970s	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979
1980s	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989
1990s	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999
2000s	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
2010s	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019

← 1965 · Orbital launches in 1966 · 1967 →

Kosmos 104 \| OPS 2394 \| OPS 7253 · OPS 3179 \| Kosmos 105 \| Kosmos 106 \| OPS 1593 \| Luna 9 \| OPS 7291 \| ESSA-1 \| OPS 1439 \| Kosmos 107 \| Kosmos 108 \| OPS 1184 · OPS 3011 · OPS 3031 \| Dipason \| Kosmos 109 \| DS-K-40 No.2 \| Kosmos 110 \| ESSA-2 \| Kosmos 111 \| OPS 3488 \| GATV-5003 \| Gemini VIII \| Kosmos 112 \| OPS 0879 · OPS 0974 \| Kosmos 113 \| N-4 No.3 \| OPS 1117 \| Molniya-1 No.5 \| OV1-4 · OV1-5 \| OPS 0340 \| Luna 10 \| Kosmos 114 \| OPS 1612 \| Surveyor SD-3 \| OAO-1 \| OPS 0910 \| Kosmos 115 \| OV3-1 \| Molniya 1-03 \| Kosmos 116 \| OPS 1508 \| Kosmos 117 \| Kosmos 118 \| OPS 1950 · OPS 6785 \| Nimbus 2 \| Zenit-4 \| GATV-5004 \| OPS 0082 \| OPS 1788 \| Kosmos 119 \| Explorer 32 \| Surveyor 1 \| ATDA \| Gemini IX-A \| OPS 1577 · OPS 1856 \| OGO-3 \| Kosmos 120 \| OV3-4 \| FTV-1351 · Secor 6 · ERS-16 \| OPS 9311 · OPS 9312 · OPS 9313 · OPS 9314 · OPS 9315 · OPS 9316 · OPS 9317 · GGTS \| Kosmos 121 \| OPS 1599 \| PAGEOS \| Kosmos 122 \| Explorer 33 \| AS-203 \| Proton 3 \| Kosmos 123 \| OPS 1850 \| OV1-7 · PasComSat \| Kosmos 124 \| GATV-5005 \| Gemini X \| Kosmos 125 \| Kosmos 126 \| OPS 3014 \| OV3-3 \| Kosmos 127 \| OPS 1545 \| Lunar Orbiter 1 \| OPS 1832 · OPS 6810 \| Pioneer 7 \| OPS 2366 \| FTV-1352 · Secor 7 · ERS-15 \| Luna 11 \| IDCSP · IDCSP · IDCSP · IDCSP · IDCSP · IDCSP · IDCSP · IDCSP · GGTS-2 \| Kosmos 128 \| GATV-5006 \| Gemini XI \| OPS 6026 \| OPS 1686 · OPS 6874 \| Zenit-2 No.40 \| OPS 6026 \| OPS 1686 · OPS 6874 \| OGCh No.05L \| Surveyor 2 \| OPS 1703 \| Ōsumi 1 \| OPS 4096 \| ESSA-3 \| FTV-1583 · Secor 8 \| OPS 2055 · OPS 5345 \| Kosmos 129 \| Molniya 1-04 \| Kosmos 130 \| Luna 12 \| Surveyor SM-3 \| Intelsat II F-1 \| OV3-2 \| OGCh No.06L \| OPS 2070 · OPS 5424 \| OPS 0855 · OV4-1R · OV4-1T · OV1-6 \| Lunar Orbiter 2 \| OPS 1866 \| GATV-5001A \| Gemini XII \| Kosmos 131 \| Strela-2 No.1 \| Kosmos 132 \| Kosmos 133 \| Kosmos 134 \| OPS 1890 \| ATS-1 \| OV1-9 · OV1-10 \| Kosmos 135 \| Soyuz 7K-OK No.1 \| OPS 8968 \| Biosat 1 \| Kosmos 136 \| Ōsumi 2 \| Kosmos 137 \| Luna 13 \| OPS 1584

Payloads are separated by bullets ( · ), launches by pipes ( \| ). Manned flights are indicated in bold text. Uncatalogued launch failures are listed in italics. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are denoted in brackets.

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