Gemini 8

Also known as Gemini VIII

sixth crewed spaceflight in NASA's Gemini program

Key facts

Mission type: Space rendezvous Spacecraft docking Extravehicular activity (failed)
Operator: NASA
Cospar id: 1966-020A
Mission duration: 10 hours, 41 minutes, 26 seconds
Distance travelled: 293,206 kilometers (158,319 nautical miles)
Spacecraft: Gemini SC8
Manufacturer: McDonnell
Launch mass: 3,789 kilograms (8,353 lb)
Members: Neil A. Armstrong David R. Scott
Launch date: March 16, 1966, 16:41:02 ( 1966-03-16UTC16:41:02Z ) UTC
Rocket: Titan II GLV , s/n 62-12563
Launch site: Cape Kennedy LC-19
Recovered by: USS Leonard F. Mason
Landing date: March 17, 1966, 03:22:28 ( 1966-03-17UTC03:22:29Z ) UTC
Landing site: 25°14′N 136°0′E / 25.233°N 136.000°E / 25.233; 136.000
Reference system: Geocentric
Regime: Low Earth orbit
Perigee altitude: 261 kilometers (141 nmi)

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Duration: 38486
Mass: 3789
Orbital period: 89.81
Image: Portrait of the Gemini 8 prime crew.jpg

Show 7 more facts

Commons category: Gemini 8
orbits completed: 6
UTC date of spacecraft launch: 1966-03-16
UTC date of spacecraft landing: 1966-03-17
apoapsis: 270
periapsis: 261
orbital inclination: 28.9

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Article

Gemini 8 (officially Gemini VIII) was the sixth crewed spaceflight in NASA's Gemini program. It was launched on March 16, 1966, and was the 14th crewed American flight and the 22nd crewed spaceflight overall. The mission conducted the first U.S. docking of two spacecraft in orbit, but also suffered the first critical in-space system failure of a U.S. spacecraft. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and David Scott temporarily lost attitude control of their craft during the docking procedure, which threatened their lives and resulted in an immediate abort of the mission. The crew returned to Earth safely.

Background