1966 in spaceflight

1966 in spaceflight
Gemini 8 about to dock with its Agena target vehicle, the first time two spacecraft dock in orbit.
Orbital launches
First7 January
Last29 December
Total131
Successes111
Failures13
Partial failures7
Catalogued118
Crewed flights
Orbital5
Total travellers10

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).