1968 in spaceflight

none August 2021 May 2020 1968 NASA-Apollo8-Dec24-Earthrise.jpg The crew of Apollo 8 were the first humans to witness Earthrise, photographed by William Anders on 24 December 1968 7 January 26 December 128 119 9 3 Delta MDelta N Delta JKosmos-3 3 Timeline of spaceflight 1967 1969 some yes yes right on The United States National Space Science Data Center catalogued 157 spacecraft placed into orbit by launches, which occurred in 1968.Spacecraft Query Results http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftSearch.do?launchDate=1968&discipline=All https://web.archive.org/web/20120302233853/http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftSearch.do?launchDate=1968&discipline=All dead 2 March 2012 Master Catalog Search NASA NSSDC 30 May 2010 It was the year in which Earth lifeforms first left low Earth orbit, during the successful Soviet Zond 5 mission around the Moon and the Zond 6 lunar mission which crashed upon return. It was also the year that humans first left low Earth orbit, during the successful Apollo 8 mission to the Moon. 2 Deep space lunar missions Date (UTC)SpacecraftEventRemarks 10 January Surveyor 7 Lunar landing in the debris from Tycho crater 31 January Lunar Orbiter 5 Lunar impact 10 April Luna 14 Lunar orbit insertion 18 September Zond 5 Lunar flyby; first return to Earth after deep-space flight; first Earth life forms to travel around the Moon (two Russian tortoises) Closest approach: 1950 km 14 November Zond 6 Lunar flyby with turtles, flies, and bacteria Closest approach: 2420 km 24 December Apollo 8 Lunar orbit insertion; first humans to orbit the Moon 25 December Apollo 8 Leaves lunar orbit Completed 10 orbits Orbital launches 1968 Key USA 1912 USSR 1936 January yes 15em January launches 7 January 06:30 USA Atlas-SLV3 Centaur-D AC-15 USACape Canaveral SLC-36A USASurveyor 7 NASA Selenocentric Lunar lander 10 January (on Moon) Successful 11 January 16:16 USA Delta E1 D-56 USAVandenberg SLC-2E USAExplorer 36 (GEOS-B) NASA Low Earth Research Successful 16 January 12:00 USSRVoskhod USSRPlesetsk Site 41/1 USSRKosmos 199 (Zenit-2 #58) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 17 January 10:12 USA Thor SLV-2A Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-2W USAOPS 1965 Multigroup 3&Setter 1B-2 USAF Low Earth ELINT Successful 18 January 19:04 USA Titan IIIB Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-4W USAOPS 5028 KH-8 4311 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance Successful 19 January 22:00 USSRKosmos-3M USSRPlesetsk Site 132/2 USSRKosmos 200 (Tselina O #2) Low Earth Orbit SIGINT Successful 22 January 22:48:09 USASaturn IB (C-1B) USACape Canaveral LC-37B USANASA Minor malfunction of LM descent stage engine, otherwise successful Apollo 5 NASA LEO Test Lunar Module 12 February 1968 09:59 Successful 2 24 January 22:26 USA Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-1E USAOPS 5028 KH-4A 1045 CIA Low Earth Reconnaissance Successful USATivoli 1 USAF Low Earth ELINT Successful |} February yes 15em February launches 6 February 08:00 USSRVoskhod USSRBaikonur Site 31/6 USSRKosmos 201 (Zenit-4 #38) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 7 February 10:43 USSRMolniya-M / Blok L USSRBaikonur Site 1/5 USSR (Ye-6LS No 112) Selenocentric Lunar Orbiter 7 February Failure 20 February 10:03 USSRKosmos-2 USSRKapustin Yar Site 86/1 USSRKosmos 202 (DS-U2-V #4) Low Earth Orbit Ionospheric research 24 March Successful 20 February 16:00 USSRKosmos-3M USSRPlesetsk Site 132/2 USSRKosmos 203 (Sfera #1) Low Earth Orbit Geodesy Successful |} March yes 15em March launches 2 March 03:55 USA Scout-A USAVandenberg SLC-5 USAOPS 7034 Transit-O 18 USN Low Earth Navigation Successful 2 March 18:29 USSRProton K / Blok D USSRBaikonur Site 81/23 MOM USSRZond 4 (L1 6) MOM Lunar free-return Prototype Soyuz 7K-L1P/Zond 9 March Successful 4 March 13:06 USA Atlas-SLV3 Agena-D USACape Canaveral LC-13 USAOGO 5 (EGO 3) NASA Low Earth Research Successful 5 March 11:20 USSRKosmos-2 USSRPlesetsk Site 133/1 USSRKosmos 204 (DS-P1-I #3) Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration 2 March 1969 Successful 5 March 12:30 USSRVoskhod USSRPlesetsk Site 41/1 USSRKosmos 205 (Zenit-2 #59) Low Earth Orbit GRU Reconnaissance Successful 5 March 18:28 USA Scout-B USAWallops LA-3 USAExplorer 37 (Solrad 9) NASA Low Earth Research 16 November 1990 Successful 6 March 11:02 USSRKosmos-2 USSRKapustin Yar Site 86/1 USSR(DS-U1-Ya #1) Low Earth Orbit Magnetosphere research 6 March Failure 13 March 19:51 USA Titan IIIB Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-4W USAOPS 5057 KH-8 4312 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance Successful 14 March 09:34 USSRVostok-2M USSRPlesetsk Site 41/1 USSRKosmos 206 (Meteor-1 #9) Low Earth Orbit Meteorology 22 April 1989 Successful 2 14 March 22:00 USA Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-1E USAOPS 4849 KH-4A 1046 CIA Low Earth Reconnaissance Successful USAOPS 7076 Lampan 1 / Sampan 2 USAF Low Earth ELINT Successful 16 March 12:30 USSRVoskhod USSRPlesetsk Site 41/1 USSRKosmos 207 (Zenit-4 #39) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 21 March 09:50 USSRVoskhod USSRBaikonur Site 1/5 USSRKosmos 208 (Zenit-2M #1, Gektor #1) & Nauka-1KS 1L GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 22 March 09:30 USSRTsyklon-2A USSRBaikonur Site 90/19 USSRKosmos 209 (US-AO #4) Low Earth Orbit US-A prototype Successful |} April yes 15em April launches 3 April 11:00 USSRVoskhod USSRPlesetsk Site 41/1 USSRKosmos 210 (Zenit-2 #60) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 4 April 12:00:02 USASaturn V (C-5) USALC-39A, Kennedy USANASA Experienced Pogo oscillation during S-IC first stage ascent. S-IVB failed restart test. USAApollo 6 NASA Low Earth (achieved)TLI to direct return abort (planned) Test CSM heat shield at Lunar return speeds. Test S-IVB re-ignition in LEO. 4 April 1968 21:57:26 Partial failure 2 6 April 09:59 USA Atlas F OV1 USAVandenberg LC-576A2 USAOV1 13 USAF Low Earth Radiation belt research Successful USAOV1 14 USAF Low Earth Radiation belt research Successful 7 April 10:09 USSRMolniya-M / Blok L USSRBaikonur Site 1/5 USSRLuna 14 Selenocentric Lunar Orbiter Successful 9 April 11:26 USSRKosmos-2 USSRPlesetsk Site 133/1 USSRKosmos 211 (DS-P1-Yu #12) Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration Successful 14 April 10:00 USSRSoyuz USSRBaikonur Site 31/6 USSRKosmos 212 (Soyuz Test #5) Low Earth Orbit Test spacecraft Successful 15 April 09:34 USSRSoyuz USSRBaikonur Site 1/5 USSRKosmos 213 (Soyuz Test #6) Low Earth Orbit Test spacecraft Successful 17 April 17:00 USA Titan IIIB Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-4W USAOPS 5105 KH-8 4313 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance Successful 18 April 10:30 USSRVoskhod USSRPlesetsk Site 41/1 USSRKosmos 214 (Zenit-4 #40) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 18 April 22:29 USSRKosmos-2 USSRKapustin Yar Site 86/1 USSRKosmos 215 (DS-U1-A #1) Low Earth Orbit Aeronomy 30 June Successful 20 April 10:30 USSRVoskhod USSRBaikonur Site 31/6 USSRKosmos 216 (Zenit-2 #61) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 21 April 04:20 USSRMolniya-M / Blok ML USSRBaikonur Site 1/5 USSRMolniya-1 08 Molniya orbit Communications Successful 22 April 23:01 USSRProton K / Blok D USSRPad 81/23, Baikonur MOM USSRZond (L1 7) MOM Lunar Free-return 22 April Prototype Soyuz 7K-L1P/Zond Failure 24 April 16:00 USSRTsyklon-2A USSRBaikonur Site 90/19 The satellite did not separate from the upper stage and was placed into lower than planned orbit USSRKosmos 217 (I2M #1) Low Earth Orbit ASAT target 26 April Partial failure 25 April 00:45 USSRR-36-O USSRBaikonur Site 162/36 USSRKosmos 218 (OGCh #17) RVSN Low Earth Orbit FOBS test 25 April Successful 26 April 04:42 USSRKosmos-2 USSRKapustin Yar Site 86/1 USSRKosmos 219 (DS-U2-D #2) Low Earth Orbit Magnetosphere research 2 March 1969 Successful |} May yes 15em May launches 1 May 21:31 USA Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-3W USAOPS 1413 KH-4B 1103 CIA Low Earth Reconnaissance Successful 7 May 13:57 USSRKosmos 3M USSRPlesetsk Site 132/2 USSRKosmos 220 (Zaliv #2) Low Earth Orbit Navigation Successful 1 17 May 02:06 USAScout B USAVandenberg SLC-5 EU ESRO 2B (Iris 2) ESRO Low Earth Orbit Research Successful 2 18 May 08:23 USA Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-2E USANimbus B NASA/NOAA Low Earth Meteorology 18 May Failure USASECOR 10 US Army Low Earth Geodesy 18 May Failure 23 May 04:38 USA Thor LV-2F Burner 2 USAVandenberg SLC-10W USAOPS 7869 DMSP-4B F1 USAF Low Earth Meteorology Successful 24 May 07:04 USSRKosmos-2 USSRKapustin Yar Site 86/1 USSRKosmos 221 (DS-P1-Yu #13) Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration Successful 30 May 20:29 USSRKosmos-2 USSRPlesetsk Site 133/1 USSRKosmos 222 (DS-P1-Yu #14) Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration Successful |} June yes 15em June launches 1 June 10:50 USSRVoskhod USSRPlesetsk Site 41/1 USSRKosmos 223 (Zenit-2 #62) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 4 June 06:45 USSRVoskhod USSRBaikonur Site 31/6 USSRKosmos 224 (Zenit-4 #41) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 4 June 18:45 USSRKosmos-3M USSRPlesetsk Site 132/2 USSR Sfera #2 Low Earth Orbit Geodesy 4 June Failure 5 June 17:33 USA Titan IIIB Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-4W USAOPS 5138 KH-8 4314 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance Successful 11 June 21:29 USSRKosmos-2 USSRKapustin Yar Site 86/1 USSRKosmos 225 (DS-U1-Ya #2) Low Earth Orbit Magnetosphere research Successful 12 June 13:14 USSRVostok-2M USSRPlesetsk Site 41/1 USSRKosmos 226 (Meteor-1 #10) Low Earth Orbit Meteorology Successful 8 13 June 14:03:00 USATitan IIIC USACape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-41 USA USAF USAOPS 9341 IDCSP 20 USAF Sub-GSO Military communications Success USAOPS 9342 IDCSP 21 USAF Sub-GSO Military communications Success USAOPS 9343 IDCSP 22 USAF Sub-GSO Military communications Success USAOPS 9344 IDCSP 23 USAF Sub-GSO Military communications Success USAOPS 9345 IDCSP 24 USAF Sub-GSO Military communications Success USAOPS 9346 IDCSP 25 USAF Sub-GSO Military communications Success USAOPS 9347 IDCSP 26 USAF Sub-GSO Military communications Success USAOPS 9348 IDCSP 27 USAF Sub-GSO Military communications Success 15 June 12:25 USSRKosmos-3 USSRPlesetsk Site 41/15 USSR (Strela-2 #4) Low Earth Orbit Military communications 15 June Failure 18 June 06:15 USSRVoskhod USSRBaikonur Site 31/6 USSRKosmos 227 (Zenit-4 #42) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 2 20 June 21:46 USA Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-1E USAOPS 5343 KH-4A 1047 CIA Low Earth Reconnaissance Successful USAOPS 5259 Tripos 3/Sousea 2 USAF Low Earth ELINT Successful 21 June 12:00 USSRVoskhod USSRBaikonur Site 31/6 USSRKosmos 228 (Zenit-2M #2, Gektor #2&Nauka-1KS 2L) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 26 June 11:00 USSRVoskhod USSRPlesetsk Site 41/1 USSRKosmos 229 (Zenit-4 #43) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful |} July yes 15em July launches 4 July 17:26 USA Delta J D-57 USAVandenberg SLC-2E USAExplorer 38 (RAE A) NASA Low Earth Research Successful 5 July 06:59 USSRKosmos-2 USSR Kapustin Yar Site 86/1 USSRKosmos 230 (DS-U3-S #2) Low Earth Orbit Solar research 2 November Successful 5 July 15:25 USSRMolniya-M / Blok ML USSRBaikonur Site 1/5 USSRMolniya-1 09 Molniya Communications Successful 10 July 19:49 USSRVoskhod USSRBaikonur Site 31/6 USSRKosmos 231 (Zenit-2 #63) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 2 11 July 19:30 USAAtlas F OV1 USAVandenberg LC576A2 USA OV1 15 (SPADES) USAF Low Earth Technology Demonstration Successful USA OV1 16 (LOADS 1) USAF Low Earth Technology Demonstration Successful 16 July 13:10 USSRVoskhod USSRPlesetsk Site 41/1 USSRKosmos 232 (Zenit-4 #44) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 18 July 19:59 USSRKosmos-2 USSRPlesetsk Site 133/1 USSRKosmos 233 (DS-P1-Yu #15) Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration Successful 30 July 07:00 USSRVoskhod USSRBaikonur Site 31/6 USSRKosmos 234 (Zenit-4 #45) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful |} August yes 15em August launches 6 August 11:08 USA Atlas-SLV3 Agena-D USACape Canaveral LC-13 USAOPS 2222 Canyon 1 USAF Low Earth SIGINT Successful 6 August 16:30 USA Titan IIIB Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-4W USAOPS 5187 KH-8 4315 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance Successful 7 August 21:36 USA Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-3W USAOPS 5955 KH-4B 1104 CIA Low Earth Reconnaissance Successful 2 8 August 20:12 USA Scout B USAVandenberg SLC-5 USAExplorer 39 (AD C) NASA Low Earth Research 22 June 1981 Successful USAExplorer 40 (Injun 5) NASA Low Earth Research Successful 9 August 07:00 USSRVoskhod USSRBaikonur Site 31/6 USSRKosmos 235 (Zenit-2 #64) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 10 August 22:33 USA Atlas-SLV3 Centaur-D AC-17 USACape Canaveral SLC-36A Centaur failed to restart, payload inserted into lower than planned orbit USAATS-4 NASA Geosynchronous (planned)Low Earth orbit (achieved) Communications/Meteorology 17 October Partial failure 16 August 11:24 USA Delta N D-58 USAVandenberg SLC-2E USA ESSA-7 ESSA Low Earth Meteorology Successful 12 16 August 20:57 USAAtlas SLV-3 Burner-2 USAVandenberg SLC-3E Payload fairing failed to separate USA Orbiscal 1 USAF Low Earth Technology Demonstration 16 August 12 12 Failure USA OV5 8 (ERS 19) USAF Low Earth Technology Demonstration inherit inherit Failure USA Gridsphere 1 USAF Low Earth Technology Demonstration inherit inherit Failure USA Gridsphere 2 USAF Low Earth Technology Demonstration inherit inherit Failure USA MylarBalloon USAF Low Earth Technology Demonstration inherit inherit Failure USARigidsphere USAF Low Earth Technology Demonstration inherit inherit Failure USALCS 3 MIT Lincoln Laboratory Low Earth Calibration inherit inherit Failure USALIDOS USAF Low Earth Geodesy inherit inherit Failure USASECOR 11 US Army Low Earth Geodesy inherit inherit Failure USASECOR 12 US Army Low Earth Geodesy inherit inherit Failure USARadcat Low Earth Calibration inherit inherit Failure USARM 18 & UVR USAF Low Earth Technology Demonstration inherit inherit Failure 27 August 11:29 USSRKosmos-3 USSRBaikonur Site 41/15 USSRKosmos 236 (Strela-2 #5) Low Earth Orbit Military communications Successful 27 August 12:29 USSRVoskhod USSRPlesetsk Site 41/1 USSRKosmos 237 (Zenit-4 #46) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 28 August 10:04 USSRSoyuz USSRBaikonur Site 31/6 USSRKosmos 238 (Soyuz Test #7) Low Earth Orbit Test spacecraft 1 September 09:03 Successful |} September yes 15em September launches 5 September 07:00 USSRVoskhod USSRBaikonur Site 31/6 USSRKosmos 239 (Zenit-4 #47) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 10 September 18:30 USA Titan IIIB Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-4W USAOPS 5247 KH-8 4316 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance Successful 14 September 06:50 USSRVoskhod USSRBaikonur Site 31/6 USSRKosmos 240 (Zenit-2 #65) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 14 September 21:42 USSRProton K / Blok D USSRPad 81/23, Baikonur MOM USSRZond 5 (L1 9) MOM Lunar Free-return Prototype Soyuz 7K-L1P/Zond 21 September 16:08 Successful 16 September 12:30 USSRVoskhod USSRSite 41/1, Plesetsk USSRKosmos 241 (Zenit-4 #48) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 2 18 September 21:32 USA Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-1E USAOPS 0165 KH-4A 1048 CIA Low Earth Reconnaissance Successful USAOPS 8595 Vampan 1 USAF Low Earth ELINT Successful 19 September 00:09 USA Delta M D-59 USACape Canaveral LC-17A UNIntelsat III F1 Intelsat Geosynchronous Communications 19 September Failure 20 September 14:39 USSRKosmos-2 USSRPlesetsk Site 133/1 USSRKosmos 242 (DS-P1-I #4) Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration Successful 23 September 07:39 USSRVoskhod USSR Baikonur Site 1/5 USSRKosmos 243 (Zenit-2M #3, Gektor #3 & Nauka-2KS 1L) Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 4 26 September 07:37 USA Titan IIIC USACape Canaveral SLC-41 USALES 6 USAF Geosynchronous Technology Demonstration Successful USAOV2 5 USAF Low Earth Technology Demonstration Successful USAOV5 2 (ERS 21) USAF Low Earth Technology Demonstration Successful USAOV5 4 (ERS 28) USAF Low Earth Technology Demonstration Successful |} October yes 15em October launches 2 October 13:35 USSRR-36-O USSRBaikonur Site 161/35 USSRKosmos 244 (OGCh #20) RVSN Low Earth Orbit FOBS test 2 October Successful 3 October 12:58 USSRKosmos-2 USSRPlesetsk Site 133/1 USSRKosmos 245 (DS-P1-Yu #16) Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration Successful 1 3 October 20:49 USAScout-B USAVandenberg SLC-5 EUESRO 1A (Aurorae) ESRO Low Earth Technology Demonstration Successful 5 October 00:32 USSRMolniya-M / Blok ML USSRBaikonur Site 1/5 USSRMolniya-1 10 Molniya Communications Successful 5 October 11:16 USA Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-1W USAOPS 0964 Strawman 1 USAF Low Earth ELINT, SIGINT Successful 7 October 12:05 USSRVoskhod USSRPlesetsk Site 41/1 USSRKosmos 246 (Zenit-4 #49) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 11 October 12:05 USSRVoskhod USSRPlesetsk Site 41/1 USSRKosmos 247 (Zenit-2 #66) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 11 October 1968 15:02 USASaturn IB (C-1B) USALC-34, Cape Canaveral USANASA First crewed Apollo flight USAApollo 7 NASA LEO Crewed orbital flight 22 October 1968 11:11:48 Successful 19 October 04:20 USSRTsyklon-2A USSRBaikonur Site 90/19 USSRKosmos 248 (I2M #2) Low Earth Orbit ASAT target Successful 20 October 04:02 USSRTsyklon-2A USSRSite 90/20, Baikonur USSRKosmos 249 (I2P #1) Low Earth Orbit ASAT test Successful 23 October 04:34 USA Thor LV-2F Burner 2 USAVandenberg SLC-10W USAOPS 4078 DSMP-4B F2 Low Earth (SSO) Meteorology Successful 1 25 October 09:00 USSRSoyuz USSRBaikonur Site 1/5 USSRRVSN Soyuz 3 failed to dock USSRSoyuz 2 Low Earth orbit Docking target for Soyuz 3 28 October 1968 07:21 Successful 1 26 October 08:34 USSRSoyuz USSRBaikonur Site 31/6 USSRRVSN Failed to dock with Soyuz 2 USSRSoyuz 3 Low Earth orbit Crewed orbital flight 30 October 1968 07:25:03 Partial Failure 30 October 22:00 USSRKosmos-3M USSRPlesetsk Site 132/2 USSRKosmos 250 (Tselina-O #3) Low Earth Orbit SIGINT Successful 31 October 09:14 USSRVoskhod USSRBaikonur Site 1/5 USSRKosmos 251 (Zenit-4M #1, Rotor #1) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful |} November yes 15em November launches 1 November 00:27 USSRTsyklon-2A USSRBaikonur Site 90/20 USSRKosmos 252 (I2P #2) Low Earth Orbit ASAT Successful 3 November 21:30 USA Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-3W USAOPS 1315 KH-4B 1105 CIA Low Earth Reconnaissance Successful 6 November 19:10 USA Titan IIIB Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-4W USAOPS 5296 KH-8 4317 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance Successful 2 8 November 09:46 USA Delta E1 D-60 USACape Canaveral SLC-17B USAPioneer 9 NASA Heliocentric Solar Orbiter Successful USA TTS 2 NASA Low Earth Technology Demonstration Successful 10 November 19:11 USSRProton K / Blok D USSRBaikonur Site 81/23 MOM USSRZond 6 (L1 12) MOM Lunar Free-return Prototype Soyuz 7K-L1P/Zond 17 November 14:10 Successful 13 November 12:00 USSRVoskhod USSRPlesetsk Site 41/1 USSRKosmos 253 (Zenit-2 #67) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 16 November 11:40 USSRProton K USSRBaikonur Site 81/24 MOM USSRProton 4 MOM Low Earth Cosmic ray research 24 July 1969 Successful 21 November 12:10 USSRVoskhod USSRPlesetsk Site 41/1 USSRKosmos 254 (Zenit-4 #50) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 29 November 12:40 USSRVoskhod USSRPlesetsk Site 41/1 USSRKosmos 255 (Zenit-2 #68) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 29 November 23:12 EUEuropa 1 F7 Third stage failure after separation AUSWoomera Test Range LA-6A EU STV 1 ELDO Low Earth Orbit Dummy Payload 29 November Failure 30 November 12:00 USSRKosmos-3M USSRPlesetsk Site 132/2 USSRKosmos 256 (Sfera #3) Low Earth Orbit Geodesy Successful |} December yes 15em December launches 3 December 14:52 USSRKosmos-2 USSRPlesetsk Site 133/1 USSRKosmos 257 (DS-P1-Yu #17) Low Earth Orbit Radar calibration 5 March 1969 Successful 4 December 19:23 USA Titan IIIB Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-4W USAOPS 6518 KH-8 4318 USAF Low Earth Reconnaissance Failure 5 December 18:55 USA Delta E1 D-61 USACape Canaveral LC-17B EUHEOS 1 ESRO Low Earth Research 28 October 1975 Successful 7 December 08:40 USA Atlas-SLV3 Agena-D AC-16 USACape Canaveral LC-36B USAOAO 2 NASA Low Earth UV astronomy Successful 10 December 08:25 USSRVoskhod USSRBaikonur Site 31/6 USSRKosmos 258 (Zenit-2 #69) GRU Low Earth Orbit Reconnaissance Successful 2 12 December 22:22 USA Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D USAVandenberg SLC-3W USAOPS 4740 KH-4A 1049 CIA Low Earth Reconnaissance Successful USAOPS 7684 P-801 1 USAF Low Earth ELINT Successful 14 December 05:09 USSRKosmos-2 USSRKapustin Yar Site 86/1 USSRKosmos 259 (DS-U2-I #3) Low Earth Orbit Ionosphere research 5 May 1969 Successful 15 December 17:21 USA Delta N USAVandenberg SLC-2E USAESSA-8 ESSA SSO Meteorology Successful 16 December 09:15 USSRMolniya-M / Blok ML USSRSite 1/5, Baikonur USSRKosmos 260 (Molniya-1 Yu 15L) Molniya Technology Demonstration Successful 19 December 00:32 USA Delta M D-63 USACape Canaveral LC-17A UNIntelsat III F2 Intelsat Geosynchronous Communications Successful 19 December 23:55 USSRKosmos-2 USSRPlesetsk Site 133/1 USSRKosmos 261 (DS-U2-GK #1) Low Earth Orbit Aeronomy, auroral research 12 February 1969 Successful 2 21 December 12:51 USASaturn V (C-5) USALC-39A, Kennedy USANASA First crewed mission to the Moon USAApollo 8 NASA Selenocentric Crewed lunar orbiter 27 December 1968 15:51:42 Successful USA LTA B NASA Selenocentric Mass Model Successful 26 December 09:45 USSRKosmos-2 USSRKapustin Yar Site 86/1 USSRKosmos 262 (DS-U2-GF #1) Low Earth Orbit Solar research 18 July 1969 Successful |} 1968 Suborbital Launches 1968 January–December yes 1 28 March USSRKosmos-3 USSRBaikonur Site 41/15 Launched on the strictly vertical trajectory. Apogee: about 4,000 km USSRVKZ #2 Suborbital Aeronomy, ionosphere and radiation belt research 28 March Successful 1 20 May 22:05 USSRR-36-O USSRBaikonur Site 162/36 USSRRVSN USSROGCh #18 RVSN Suborbital Missile test 20 May Successful 1 27 May 23:15 USSRR-36-O USSRBaikonur Site 161/35 USSRRVSN USSROGCh #19 RVSN Suborbital Missile test 27 May Successful 1 8 AugustWade Mark T-7 http://astronautix.com/t/t-7.html 2024-08-15 astronautix.com PRCT-7/GF-01A PRCJiuquan Test of high-altitude ignition of the FG-02 solid rocket motor. Apogee: 311 km PRC CAST Suborbital Test flight 8 August Successful 1 20 AugustWade Mark T-7 http://astronautix.com/t/t-7.html 2024-08-15 astronautix.com PRCT-7/GF-01A PRCJiuquan Test of high-altitude ignition of the FG-02 solid rocket motor. Apogee: 311 km PRC CAST Suborbital Test flight 20 August Successful |} 1968 Orbital launch summary April 2011 References Footnotes 30em 1968 on Category:1968 in science Category:1960s in transport 1968