1968 in spaceflight

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1968 in spaceflight

The crew of Apollo 8 were the first humans to witness Earthrise, photographed by William Anders on 24 December 1968

Orbital launches
First| 7 January
Last| 26 December
Total| 128
Successes| 119
Failures| 9
Partial failures| 3
Rockets
Maiden flights| Delta M
Delta N
Retirements| Delta J
Kosmos-3
Crewed flights
Orbital| 3

* v
* t
* e

* v
* t
* e

Timeline of spaceflight

* Spaceflight before 1951

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
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* 2014
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* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019

2020s|

* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024
* 2025
* 2026
* 2027
* 2028
* 2029

* Future

The United States National Space Science Data Center catalogued 157 spacecraft placed into orbit by launches which occurred in 1968.[1] The first crewed Apollo missions occurred in 1968. It was also the year in which Earth lifeforms first left low Earth orbit, during the successful Zond 5 mission to the Moon and the Zond 6 lunar mission which crashed upon return, and the year that humans first left low Earth orbit, during the successful Apollo 8 mission to the Moon.

## Deep space lunar missions

[edit]

Date (UTC)  | Spacecraft  | Event  | Remarks

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|
|

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 | Flyby of the Moon; first return to Earth after flight to Moon; first Earth life forms to travel around the Moon (two Russian tortoises) | Closest approach: 1,950 kilometres (1,210 mi)
14 November | Zond 6 | Flyby of the Moon, with turtles, flies, and bacteria | Closest approach: 2,420 kilometres (1,500 mi)
24 December | Apollo 8 | Lunar orbit insertion; first humans to travel around the Moon |
25 December | Apollo 8 | Leaves lunar orbit | Completed 10 orbits

## Orbital launches

[edit]

* ← Jan
* Feb
* Mar
* Apr
* May
* Jun
* Jul
* Aug
* Sep
* Oct
* Nov
* Dec →

Key

USA
Soviet Union

### January

[edit]

January launches Date and time (UTC)  | Rocket | Flight number  | Launch site | LSP

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| Payload | Operator  | Orbit | Function  | Decay (UTC)  | Outcome
Remarks
7 January
06:30  |  Atlas-SLV3 Centaur-D | AC-15  | Cape Canaveral SLC-36A |
Surveyor 7 | NASA  | Selenocentric  | Lunar lander | 10 January (on Moon) | Successful
11 January
16:16  |  Delta E1  | D-56  | Vandenberg SLC-2E |
Explorer 36 (GEOS-B)  | NASA  | Low Earth  | Research | In orbit | Successful
16 January
12:00  | Voskhod |  | Plesetsk Site 41/1 |
Kosmos 199 (Zenit-2 #58)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
17 January
10:12  |  Thor SLV-2A Agena-D |  | Vandenberg SLC-2W |
OPS 1965 Multigroup 3&Setter 1B-2  | USAF  | Low Earth  | ELINT | In orbit | Successful
18 January
19:04  |  Titan IIIB Agena-D  |  | Vandenberg SLC-4W |
OPS 5028 KH-8 4311  | USAF  | Low Earth  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
19 January
22:00  | Kosmos-3M |  | Plesetsk Site 132/2 |
Kosmos 200 (Tselina O #2)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | SIGINT | In orbit | Successful
22 January
22:48:09  | Saturn IB (C-1B)  |  | Cape Canaveral LC-37B | NASA
Apollo 5 | NASA | LEO | Test Lunar Module | 12 February 1968
09:59 | successful
Minor malfunction of LM descent stage engine, otherwise successful
24 January
22:26  |  Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D |  | Vandenberg SLC-1E |
OPS 5028 KH-4A 1045  | CIA  | Low Earth  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
Tivoli 1  | USAF  | Low Earth  | ELINT | In orbit | Successful

### February

[edit]

February launches Date and time (UTC)  | Rocket | Flight number  | Launch site | LSP

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| Payload | Operator  | Orbit | Function  | Decay (UTC)  | Outcome
Remarks
6 February
08:00  | Voskhod |  | Baikonur Site 31/6 |
Kosmos 201 (Zenit-4 #38)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
7 February
10:43  | Molniya-M / Blok L  |  | Baikonur Site 1/5 |
(Ye-6LS No 112)  |  | Selenocentric  | Lunar Orbiter | 7 February | Failure
20 February
10:03  | Kosmos-2 |  | Kapustin Yar Site 86/1  |
Kosmos 202 (DS-U2-V #4)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Ionospheric research | 24 March | Successful
20 February
16:00  | Kosmos-3M |  | Plesetsk Site 132/2  |
Kosmos 203 (Sfera #1)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Geodesy | In orbit | Successful

### March

[edit]

March launches Date and time (UTC)  | Rocket | Flight number  | Launch site | LSP

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|
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|

| Payload | Operator  | Orbit | Function  | Decay (UTC)  | Outcome
Remarks
2 March
03:55  |  Scout-A |  | Vandenberg SLC-5 |
OPS 7034 Transit-O 18  | USN  | Low Earth  | Navigation | In orbit | Successful
2 March
18:29  | Proton K / Blok D |  | Baikonur Site 81/23  | MOM
Zond 4 (L1 6)  | MOM  | Lunar free-return | Prototype Soyuz 7K-L1P/Zond | 9 March | Successful
4 March
13:06  |  Atlas-SLV3 Agena-D |  | Cape Canaveral LC-13 |
OGO 5 (EGO 3)  | NASA  | Low Earth  | Research | In orbit | Successful
5 March
11:20  | Kosmos-2 |  | Plesetsk Site 133/1 |
Kosmos 204 (DS-P1-I #3)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Radar calibration | 2 March 1969 | Successful
5 March
12:30  | Voskhod |  | Plesetsk Site 41/1 |
Kosmos 205 (Zenit-2 #59)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
5 March
18:28  |  Scout-B  |  | Wallops LA-3 |
Explorer 37 (Solrad 9)  | NASA  | Low Earth  | Research | 16 November 1990 | Successful
6 March
11:02  | Kosmos-2  |  | Kapustin Yar Site 86/1  |
(DS-U1-Ya #1)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Magnetosphere research | 6 March | Failure
13 March
19:51  |  Titan IIIB Agena-D  |  | Vandenberg SLC-4W |
OPS 5057 KH-8 4312  | USAF  | Low Earth  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
14 March
09:34  | Vostok-2M |  | Plesetsk Site 41/1 |
Kosmos 206 (Meteor-1 #9)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Meteorology | 22 April 1989 | Successful
14 March
22:00  |  Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D  |  | Vandenberg SLC-1E |
OPS 4849 KH-4A 1046  | CIA  | Low Earth  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
OPS 7076 Lampan 1 / Sampan 2  | USAF  | Low Earth  | ELINT | In orbit | Successful
16 March
12:30  | Voskhod |  | Plesetsk Site 41/1 |
Kosmos 207 (Zenit-4 #39)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
21 March
09:50  | Voskhod |  | Baikonur Site 1/5 |
Kosmos 208 (Zenit-2M #1,Gektor #1) & Nauka-1KS 1L  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
22 March
09:30  | Tsyklon-2A |  | Baikonur Site 90/19 |
Kosmos 209 (US-AO #4)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | US-A prototype | In orbit | Successful

### April

[edit]

April launches Date and time (UTC)  | Rocket | Flight number  | Launch site | LSP

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|
|
|

| Payload | Operator  | Orbit | Function  | Decay (UTC)  | Outcome
Remarks
3 April
11:00  | Voskhod |  | Plesetsk Site 41/1 |
Kosmos 210 (Zenit-2 #60)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
4 April
12:00:02  | Saturn V (C-5)  |  | LC-39A, Kennedy | NASA
Apollo 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
Experienced Pogo oscillation during S-IC first stage ascent. S-IVB failed restart test.
6 April
09:59  |  Atlas F OV1  |  | Vandenberg LC-576A2 |
OV1 13  | USAF  | Low Earth  | Radiation belt research | In orbit | Successful
OV1 14  | USAF  | Low Earth  | Radiation belt research | In orbit | Successful
7 April
10:09  | Molniya-M / Blok L  |  | Baikonur Site 1/5 |
Luna 14 |  | Selenocentric  | Lunar Orbiter | In orbit | Successful
9 April
11:26  | Kosmos-2 |  | Plesetsk Site 133/1 |
Kosmos 211 (DS-P1-Yu #12)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Radar calibration | In orbit | Successful
14 April
10:00  | Soyuz |  | Baikonur Site 31/6 |
Kosmos 212 (Soyuz Test #5)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Test spacecraft | In orbit | Successful
15 April
09:34  | Soyuz  |  | Baikonur Site 1/5 |
Kosmos 213 (Soyuz Test #6)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Test spacecraft | In orbit | Successful
17 April
17:00  |  Titan IIIB Agena-D  |  | Vandenberg SLC-4W |
OPS 5105 KH-8 4313  | USAF  | Low Earth  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
18 April
10:30  | Voskhod |  | Plesetsk Site 41/1 |
Kosmos 214 (Zenit-4 #40)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
18 April
22:29  | Kosmos-2  |  | Kapustin Yar Site 86/1  |
Kosmos 215 (DS-U1-A #1)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Aeronomy | 30 June | Successful
20 April
10:30  | Voskhod |  | Baikonur Site 31/6 |
Kosmos 216 (Zenit-2 #61)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
21 April
04:20  | Molniya-M / Blok ML  |  | Baikonur Site 1/5 |
Molniya-1 08  |  | Molniya orbit | Communications | In orbit | Successful
22 April
23:01  | Proton K / Blok D |  | Pad 81/23, Baikonur  | MOM
Zond (L1 7)  | MOM  | Lunar Free-return  | Prototype Soyuz 7K-L1P/Zond | 22 April | Failure
24 April
16:00  | Tsyklon-2A |  | Baikonur Site 90/19 |
Kosmos 217 (I2M #1)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | ASAT target | 26 April | Partial failure
The satellite did not separate from the upper stage and was placed into lower than planned orbit
25 April
00:45  | R-36-O |  | Baikonur Site 162/36 |
Kosmos 218 (OGCh #17)  | RVSN  | Low Earth Orbit  | FOBS test | 25 April | Successful
26 April
04:42  | Kosmos-2  |  | Kapustin Yar Site 86/1  |
Kosmos 219 (DS-U2-D #2)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Magnetosphere research | 2 March 1969 | Successful

### May

[edit]

May launches Date and time (UTC)  | Rocket | Flight number  | Launch site | LSP

|
|
|
|

| Payload | Operator  | Orbit | Function  | Decay (UTC)  | Outcome
Remarks
1 May
21:31  |  Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D  |  | Vandenberg SLC-3W |
OPS 1413 KH-4B 1103  |  | Low Earth  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
7 May
13:57  | Kosmos 3M |  | Plesetsk Site 132/2  |
Kosmos 220 (Zaliv #2)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Navigation | In orbit | Successful
17 May
02:06  | Scout B  |  | Vandenberg SLC-5 |
ESRO 2B (Iris 2)  | ESRO  | Low Earth Orbit  | Research | In orbit | Successful
18 May
08:23  |  Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D  |  | Vandenberg SLC-2E |
Nimbus B | NASA/NOAA  | Low Earth  | Meteorology | 18 May | Failure
SECOR 10  | US Army  | Low Earth  | Geodesy | 18 May | Failure
23 May
04:38  |  Thor LV-2F Burner 2 |  | Vandenberg SLC-10W |
OPS 7869 DMSP-4B F1  | USAF  | Low Earth  | Meteorology | In orbit | Successful
24 May
07:04  | Kosmos-2  |  | Kapustin Yar Site 86/1  |
Kosmos 221 (DS-P1-Yu #13)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Radar calibration | In orbit | Successful
30 May
20:29  | Kosmos-2  |  | Plesetsk Site 133/1 |
Kosmos 222 (DS-P1-Yu #14)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Radar calibration | In orbit | Successful

### June

[edit]

June launches Date and time (UTC)  | Rocket | Flight number  | Launch site | LSP

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|
|
|

| Payload | Operator  | Orbit | Function  | Decay (UTC)  | Outcome
Remarks
1 June
10:50  | Voskhod |  | Plesetsk Site 41/1 |
Kosmos 223 (Zenit-2 #62)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
4 June
06:45  | Voskhod |  | Baikonur Site 31/6 |
Kosmos 224 (Zenit-4 #41)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
4 June
18:45  | Kosmos-3M |  | Plesetsk Site 132/2 |
Sfera #2  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Geodesy | 4 June | Failure
5 June
17:33  |  Titan IIIB Agena-D  |  | Vandenberg SLC-4W |
OPS 5138 KH-8 4314  | USAF  | Low Earth  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
11 June
21:29  | Kosmos-2 |  | Kapustin Yar Site 86/1  |
Kosmos 225 (DS-U1-Ya #2)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Magnetosphere research | In orbit | Successful
12 June
13:14  | Vostok-2M |  | Plesetsk Site 41/1 |
Kosmos 226 (Meteor-1 #10)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Meteorology | In orbit | Successful
13 June
14:03:00  | Titan IIIC |  | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-41 |  USAF
OPS 9341 IDCSP 20  | USAF | Sub-GSO | Military communications | In orbit | Success
OPS 9342 IDCSP 21  | USAF | Sub-GSO | Military communications | In orbit | Success
OPS 9343 IDCSP 22  | USAF | Sub-GSO | Military communications | In orbit | Success
OPS 9344 IDCSP 23  | USAF | Sub-GSO | Military communications | In orbit | Success
OPS 9345 IDCSP 24  | USAF | Sub-GSO | Military communications | In orbit | Success
OPS 9346 IDCSP 25  | USAF | Sub-GSO | Military communications | In orbit | Success
OPS 9347 IDCSP 26  | USAF | Sub-GSO | Military communications | In orbit | Success
OPS 9348 IDCSP 27  | USAF | Sub-GSO | Military communications | In orbit | Success
15 June
12:25  | Kosmos-3 |  | Plesetsk Site 41/15 |
(Strela-2 #4)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Military communications | 15 June | Failure
18 June
06:15  | Voskhod |  | Baikonur Site 31/6 |
Kosmos 227 (Zenit-4 #42)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
20 June
21:46  |  Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D  |  | Vandenberg SLC-1E |
OPS 5343 KH-4A 1047  |  | Low Earth  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
OPS 5259 Tripos 3/Sousea 2  | USAF  | Low Earth  | ELINT | In orbit | Successful
21 June
12:00  | Voskhod |  | Baikonur Site 31/6 |
Kosmos 228 (Zenit-2M #2,Gektor #2&Nauka-1KS 2L)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
26 June
11:00  | Voskhod |  | Plesetsk Site 41/1 |
Kosmos 229 (Zenit-4 #43)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful

### July

[edit]

July launches Date and time (UTC)  | Rocket | Flight number  | Launch site | LSP

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|
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|

| Payload | Operator  | Orbit | Function  | Decay (UTC)  | Outcome
Remarks
4 July
17:26  |  Delta J | D-57  | Vandenberg SLC-2E |
Explorer 38 (RAE A)  | NASA  | Low Earth  | Research | In orbit | Successful
5 July
06:59  | Kosmos-2 |  |  Kapustin Yar Site 86/1  |
Kosmos 230 (DS-U3-S #2)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Solar research | 2 November | Successful
5 July
15:25  | Molniya-M / Blok ML  |  | Baikonur Site 1/5 |
Molniya-1 09  |  | Molniya  | Communications | In orbit | Successful
10 July
19:49  | Voskhod |  | Baikonur Site 31/6 |
Kosmos 231 (Zenit-2 #63)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
11 July
19:30  | Atlas F OV1  |  | Vandenberg LC576A2 |
OV1 15 (SPADES)  | USAF  | Low Earth  | Technology Demonstration | In orbit | Successful
OV1 16 (LOADS 1)  | USAF  | Low Earth  | Technology Demonstration | In orbit | Successful
16 July
13:10  | Voskhod |  | Plesetsk Site 41/1 |
Kosmos 232 (Zenit-4 #44)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
18 July
19:59  | Kosmos-2 |  | Plesetsk Site 133/1 |
Kosmos 233 (DS-P1-Yu #15)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Radar calibration | In orbit | Successful
30 July
07:00  | Voskhod |  | Baikonur Site 31/6 |
Kosmos 234 (Zenit-4 #45)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful

### August

[edit]

August launches Date and time (UTC)  | Rocket | Flight number  | Launch site | LSP

|
|
|
|

| Payload | Operator  | Orbit | Function  | Decay (UTC)  | Outcome
Remarks
6 August
11:08  |  Atlas-SLV3 Agena-D  |  | Cape Canaveral LC-13 |
OPS 2222 Canyon 1  | USAF  | Low Earth  | SIGINT | In orbit | Successful
6 August
16:30  |  Titan IIIB Agena-D  |  | Vandenberg SLC-4W |
OPS 5187 KH-8 4315  | USAF  | Low Earth  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
7 August
21:36  |  Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D  |  | Vandenberg SLC-3W |
OPS 5955 KH-4B 1104  |  | Low Earth  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
8 August
20:12  |  Scout B  |  | Vandenberg SLC-5 |
Explorer 39 (AD C)  | NASA  | Low Earth  | Research | 22 June 1981 | Successful
Explorer 40 (Injun 5)  | NASA  | Low Earth  | Research | In orbit | Successful
9 August
07:00  | Voskhod |  | Baikonur Site 31/6 |
Kosmos 235 (Zenit-2 #64)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
10 August
22:33  |  Atlas-SLV3 Centaur-D  | AC-17  | Cape Canaveral SLC-36A |
ATS-4 | NASA  | Geosynchronous (planned)
Low Earth orbit (achieved)  | Communications/Meteorology | 17 October | Partial failure
Centaur failed to restart, payload inserted into lower than planned orbit
16 August
11:24  |  Delta N | D-58  | Vandenberg SLC-2E |
ESSA-7 | ESSA | Low Earth  | Meteorology | In orbit | Successful
16 August
20:57  | Atlas SLV-3 Burner-2 |  | Vandenberg SLC-3E |
Orbiscal 1  | USAF  | Low Earth  | Technology Demonstration | 16 August | Failure
OV5 8 (ERS 19)  | USAF  | Low Earth  | Technology Demonstration
Gridsphere 1  | USAF  | Low Earth  | Technology Demonstration
Gridsphere 2  | USAF  | Low Earth  | Technology Demonstration
MylarBalloon  | USAF  | Low Earth  | Technology Demonstration
Rigidsphere  | USAF  | Low Earth  | Technology Demonstration
LCS 3  | MIT Lincoln Laboratory | Low Earth  | Calibration
LIDOS  | USAF  | Low Earth  | Geodesy
SECOR 11  | US Army  | Low Earth  | Geodesy
SECOR 12  | US Army  | Low Earth  | Geodesy
Radcat |  | Low Earth  | Calibration
RM 18 & UVR  | USAF  | Low Earth  | Technology Demonstration
Payload fairing failed to separate
27 August
11:29  | Kosmos-3 |  | Baikonur Site 41/15 |
Kosmos 236 (Strela-2 #5)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Military communications | In orbit | Successful
27 August
12:29  | Voskhod |  | Plesetsk Site 41/1 |
Kosmos 237 (Zenit-4 #46)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
28 August
10:04  | Soyuz |  | Baikonur Site 31/6 |
Kosmos 238 (Soyuz Test #7)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Test spacecraft | 1 September
09:03 | Successful

### September

[edit]

September launches Date and time (UTC)  | Rocket | Flight number  | Launch site | LSP

|
|
|
|

| Payload | Operator  | Orbit | Function  | Decay (UTC)  | Outcome
Remarks
5 September
07:00  | Voskhod |  | Baikonur Site 31/6 |
Kosmos 239 (Zenit-4 #47)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
10 September
18:30  |  Titan IIIB Agena-D  |  | Vandenberg SLC-4W |
OPS 5247 KH-8 4316  | USAF  | Low Earth  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
14 September
06:50  | Voskhod |  | Baikonur Site 31/6 |
Kosmos 240 (Zenit-2 #65)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
14 September
21:42  | Proton K / Blok D |  | Pad 81/23, Baikonur  | MOM
Zond 5 (L1 9)  | MOM  | Lunar Free-return  | Prototype Soyuz 7K-L1P/Zond | 21 September
16:08 | Successful
16 September
12:30  | Voskhod |  | Site 41/1, Plesetsk |
Kosmos 241 (Zenit-4 #48)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
18 September
21:32  |  Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D  |  | Vandenberg SLC-1E |
OPS 0165 KH-4A 1048  |  | Low Earth  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
OPS 8595 Vampan 1  | USAF  | Low Earth  | ELINT | In orbit | Successful
19 September
00:09  |  Delta M | D-59  | Cape Canaveral LC-17A |
Intelsat III F1 | Intelsat  | Geosynchronous  | Communications | 19 September | Failure
20 September
14:39  | Kosmos-2 |  | Plesetsk Site 133/1 |
Kosmos 242 (DS-P1-I #4)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Radar calibration | In orbit | Successful
23 September
07:39  | Voskhod |  |  Baikonur Site 1/5 |
Kosmos 243 (Zenit-2M #3,Gektor #3 & Nauka-2KS 1L)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
26 September
07:37  |  Titan IIIC |  | Cape Canaveral SLC-41 |
LES 6  | USAF  | Geosynchronous  | Technology Demonstration | In orbit | Successful
OV2 5  | USAF  | Low Earth  | Technology Demonstration | In orbit | Successful
OV5 2 (ERS 21)  | USAF  | Low Earth  | Technology Demonstration | In orbit | Successful
OV5 4 (ERS 28)  | USAF  | Low Earth  | Technology Demonstration | In orbit | Successful

### October

[edit]

October launches Date and time (UTC)  | Rocket | Flight number  | Launch site | LSP

|
|
|
|

| Payload | Operator  | Orbit | Function  | Decay (UTC)  | Outcome
Remarks
2 October
13:35  | R-36-O  |  | Baikonur Site 161/35 |
Kosmos 244 (OGCh #20)  | RVSN  | Low Earth Orbit  | FOBS test | 2 October | Successful
3 October
12:58  | Kosmos-2 |  | Plesetsk Site 133/1 |
Kosmos 245 (DS-P1-Yu #16)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Radar calibration | In orbit | Successful
3 October
20:49  | Scout-B  |  | Vandenberg SLC-5 |
ESRO 1A (Aurorae)  | ESRO  | Low Earth  | Technology Demonstration | In orbit | Successful
5 October
00:32  | Molniya-M / Blok ML  |  | Baikonur Site 1/5 |
Molniya-1 10  |  | Molniya  | Communications | In orbit | Successful
5 October
11:16  |  Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D  |  | Vandenberg SLC-1W |
OPS 0964 Strawman 1  | USAF  | Low Earth  | ELINT, SIGINT | In orbit | Successful
7 October
12:05  | Voskhod |  | Plesetsk Site 41/1 |
Kosmos 246 (Zenit-4 #49)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
11 October
12:05  | Voskhod |  | Plesetsk Site 41/1 |
Kosmos 247 (Zenit-2 #66)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
11 October 1968
15:02  | Saturn IB (C-1B)  |  | LC-34, Cape Canaveral | NASA
Apollo 7 | NASA | LEO | Crewed orbital flight | 22 October 1968
11:11:48 | Successful
First crewed Apollo flight
19 October
04:20  | Tsyklon-2A |  | Baikonur Site 90/19 |
Kosmos 248 (I2M #2)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | ASAT target | In orbit | Successful
20 October
04:02  | Tsyklon-2A |  | Site 90/20, Baikonur |
Kosmos 249 (I2P #1)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | ASAT test | In orbit | Successful
23 October
04:34  |  Thor LV-2F Burner 2  |  | Vandenberg SLC-10W |
OPS 4078 DSMP-4B F2  |  | Low Earth (SSO)  | Meteorology | In orbit | Successful
25 October
09:00  | Soyuz |  | Baikonur Site 1/5 | RVSN
Soyuz 2 |  | Low Earth orbit  | Docking target for Soyuz 3 | 28 October 1968
07:21 | Successful
Soyuz 3 failed to dock
26 October
08:34  | Soyuz |  | Baikonur Site 31/6 | RVSN
Soyuz 3 |  | Low Earth orbit  | Crewed orbital flight | 30 October 1968
07:25:03 | Partial Failure
Failed to dock with Soyuz 2
30 October
22:00  | Kosmos-3M |  | Plesetsk Site 132/2  |
Kosmos 250 (Tselina-O #3)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | SIGINT | In orbit | Successful
31 October
09:14  | Voskhod |  | Baikonur Site 1/5 |
Kosmos 251 (Zenit-4M #1,Rotor #1)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful

### November

[edit]

November launches Date and time (UTC)  | Rocket | Flight number  | Launch site | LSP

|
|
|
|

| Payload | Operator  | Orbit | Function  | Decay (UTC)  | Outcome
Remarks
1 November
00:27  | Tsyklon-2A |  | Baikonur Site 90/20 |
Kosmos 252 (I2P #2)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | ASAT | In orbit | Successful
3 November
21:30  |  Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D  |  | Vandenberg SLC-3W |
OPS 1315 KH-4B 1105  |  | Low Earth  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
6 November
19:10  |  Titan IIIB Agena-D  |  | Vandenberg SLC-4W |
OPS 5296 KH-8 4317  | USAF  | Low Earth  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
8 November
09:46  |  Delta E1  | D-60  | Cape Canaveral SLC-17B |
Pioneer 9 | NASA  | Heliocentric  | Solar Orbiter | In orbit | Successful
TTS 2  | NASA  | Low Earth  | Technology Demonstration | In orbit | Successful
10 November
19:11  | Proton K / Blok D |  | Baikonur Site 81/23  | MOM
Zond 6 (L1 12)  | MOM  | Lunar Free-return  | Prototype Soyuz 7K-L1P/Zond | 17 November
14:10 | Successful
13 November
12:00  | Voskhod |  | Plesetsk Site 41/1 |
Kosmos 253 (Zenit-2 #67)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
16 November
11:40  | Proton K |  | Baikonur Site 81/24  | MOM
Proton 4 | MOM  | Low Earth  | Cosmic ray research | 24 July 1969 | Successful
21 November
12:10  | Voskhod |  | Plesetsk Site 41/1 |
Kosmos 254 (Zenit-4 #50)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
29 November
12:40  | Voskhod |  | Plesetsk Site 41/1 |
Kosmos 255 (Zenit-2 #68)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
29 November
23:12  | Europa 1 | F7  | Woomera Test Range LA-6A  |
STV 1  | ELDO | Low Earth Orbit  | Dummy Payload | 29 November | Failure
Third stage failure after separation
30 November
12:00  | Kosmos-3M |  | Plesetsk Site 132/2  |
Kosmos 256 (Sfera #3)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Geodesy | In orbit | Successful

### December

[edit]

December launches Date and time (UTC)  | Rocket | Flight number  | Launch site | LSP

|
|
|
|

| Payload | Operator  | Orbit | Function  | Decay (UTC)  | Outcome
Remarks
3 December
14:52  | Kosmos-2 |  | Plesetsk Site 133/1 |
Kosmos 257 (DS-P1-Yu #17)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Radar calibration | 5 March 1969 | Successful
4 December
19:23  |  Titan IIIB Agena-D  |  | Vandenberg SLC-4W |
OPS 6518 KH-8 4318  | USAF  | Low Earth  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Failure
5 December
18:55  |  Delta E1  | D-61  | Cape Canaveral LC-17B |
HEOS 1 | ESRO  | Low Earth  | Research | 28 October 1975 | Successful
7 December
08:40  |  Atlas-SLV3 Agena-D  | AC-16  | Cape Canaveral LC-36B |
OAO 2 | NASA  | Low Earth  | UV astronomy | In orbit | Successful
10 December
08:25  | Voskhod |  | Baikonur Site 31/6 |
Kosmos 258 (Zenit-2 #69)  | GRU  | Low Earth Orbit  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
12 December
22:22  |  Thorad-SLV2G Agena-D  |  | Vandenberg SLC-3W |
OPS 4740 KH-4A 1049  | CIA  | Low Earth  | Reconnaissance | In orbit | Successful
OPS 7684 P-801 1  | USAF  | Low Earth  | ELINT | In orbit | Successful
14 December
05:09  | Kosmos-2  |  | Kapustin Yar Site 86/1  |
Kosmos 259 (DS-U2-I #3)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Ionosphere research | 5 May 1969 | Successful
15 December
17:21  |  Delta N |  | Vandenberg SLC-2E |
ESSA-8 | ESSA  | SSO  | Meteorology | In orbit | Successful
16 December
09:15  | Molniya-M / Blok ML  |  | Site 1/5, Baikonur |
Kosmos 260 (Molniya-1 Yu 15L)  |  | Molniya  | Technology Demonstration | In orbit | Successful
19 December
00:32  |  Delta M | D-63  | Cape Canaveral LC-17A |
Intelsat III F2 | Intelsat  | Geosynchronous  | Communications | In orbit | Successful
19 December
23:55  | Kosmos-2  |  | Plesetsk Site 133/1 |
Kosmos 261 (DS-U2-GK #1)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Aeronomy, auroral research | 12 February 1969 | Successful
21 December
12:51  | Saturn V (C-5)  |  | LC-39A, Kennedy | NASA
Apollo 8 | NASA | Selenocentric | Crewed lunar orbiter | 27 December 1968
15:51:42 | Successful
LTA B  | NASA  | Selenocentric  | Mass Model | In orbit | Successful
First crewed mission to the Moon
26 December
09:45  | Kosmos-2  |  | Kapustin Yar Site 86/1  |
Kosmos 262 (DS-U2-GF #1)  |  | Low Earth Orbit  | Solar research | 18 July 1969 | Successful

* ← Jan
* Feb
* Mar
* Apr
* May
* Jun
* Jul
* Aug
* Sep
* Oct
* Nov
* Dec →

## Suborbital Launches

[edit]

* ← Jan
* Feb
* Mar
* Apr
* May
* Jun
* Jul
* Aug
* Sep
* Oct
* Nov
* Dec →

### January-December

[edit]

Date and time (UTC)  | Rocket | Flight number  | Launch site | LSP

|
|
|
|

| Payload | Operator  | Orbit | Function  | Decay (UTC)  | Outcome
Remarks
28 March | Kosmos-3 |  | Baikonur Site 41/15  |
VKZ #2  |  | Suborbital  | Aeronomy, ionosphere and radiation belt research | 28 March | Successful
Launched on the strictly vertical trajectory. Apogee: about 4,000 km
20 May
22:05  | R-36-O  |  | Baikonur Site 162/36  | RVSN
OGCh #18  | RVSN  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 20 May | Successful
27 May
23:15  | R-36-O  |  | Baikonur Site 161/35  | RVSN
OGCh #19  | RVSN  | Suborbital  | Missile test | 27 May | Successful
8 August[2] | T-7/GF-01A  |  | Jiuquan |
| CAST | Suborbital  | Test flight | 8 August | Successful
Test of high-altitude ignition of the FG-02 solid rocket motor. Apogee: 311 km
20 August[2] | T-7/GF-01A  |  | Jiuquan  |
| CAST  | Suborbital  | Test flight | 20 August | Successful
Test of high-altitude ignition of the FG-02 solid rocket motor. Apogee: 311 km

* ← Jan
* Feb
* Mar
* Apr
* May
* Jun
* Jul
* Aug
* Sep
* Oct
* Nov
* Dec →

## Orbital launch summary

[edit]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2011)

|

## References

[edit]

* Bergin, Chris. "NASASpaceFlight.com".
* Clark, Stephen. "Spaceflight Now".
* Kelso, T.S. "Satellite Catalog (SATCAT)". CelesTrak.[dead link]
* Krebs, Gunter. "Chronology of Space Launches".
* Kyle, Ed. "Space Launch Report". Archived from the original on 5 October 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
* McDowell, Jonathan. "GCAT Orbital Launch Log".
* Pietrobon, Steven. "Steven Pietrobon's Space Archive".
* Wade, Mark. "Encyclopedia Astronautica".
* Webb, Brian. "Southwest Space Archive".
* Zak, Anatoly. "Russian Space Web".
* "ISS Calendar". Spaceflight 101.
* "NSSDCA Master Catalog". NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
* "Space Calendar". NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.[dead link]
* "Space Information Center". JAXA.[dead link]
* "Хроника освоения космоса" [Chronicle of space exploration]. CosmoWorld (in Russian).

Generic references:

* view
* talk
* edit

Spaceflight portal

### Footnotes

[edit]

1. ^ "Spacecraft Query Results". Master Catalog Search. NASA NSSDC. Archived from the original on 2 March 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
2. ^ a b Wade, Mark. "T-7". astronautix.com. Retrieved 15 August 2024.

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← 1967

Orbital launches in 1968

1969 →

* Surveyor 7
* Explorer 36
* Kosmos 199
* OPS 1965
* OPS 5028
* Kosmos 200
* Apollo 5
* OPS 2243
* OPS 6236
* Kosmos 201
* E-6LS No.112
* Kosmos 202
* Kosmos 203
* OPS 7034
* Zond 4
* OGO-5
* Kosmos 204
* Kosmos 205
* Explorer 37
* DS-U1-Ya No.1
* OPS 5057
* Kosmos 206
* OPS 4849
* OPS 7076
* Kosmos 207
* Kosmos 208
* Kosmos 209
* Kosmos 210
* Apollo 6
* OV1-13
* OV1-14
* Luna 14
* Kosmos 211
* Kosmos 212
* Kosmos 213
* OPS 5165
* Kosmos 214
* Kosmos 215
* Kosmos 216
* Molniya-1 No.10
* 7K-L1 No.7L
* Kosmos 217
* Kosmos 218
* Kosmos 219
* OPS 1419
* Kosmos 220
* ESRO-2B
* Nimbus B
* SECOR 10
* OPS 7869
* Kosmos 221
* Kosmos 222
* Kosmos 223
* Kosmos 224
* Sfera No.12L
* OPS 5138
* Kosmos 225
* Kosmos 226
* IDCSP 20
* IDCSP 21
* IDCSP 22
* IDCSP 23
* IDCSP 24
* IDCSP 25
* IDCSP 26
* IDCSP 27
* Strela-2 No.3
* Kosmos 227
* OPS 5343
* OPS 5259
* Kosmos 228
* Kosmos 229
* Explorer 38
* Kosmos 230
* Molniya-1 No.13
* Kosmos 231
* OV1-15
* OV1-16
* Kosmos 232
* Kosmos 233
* Kosmos 234
* OPS 2222
* OPS 5187
* OPS 5955
* Explorer 39
* Explorer 40
* Kosmos 235
* ATS-4
* ESSA-7
* Orbiscal 1
* OV5-8
* Gridsphere 1
* Gridsphere 2
* Gridsphere B
* Gridsphere R
* LCS-3
* LIDOS
* SECOR 11
* SECOR 12
* Radcat
* P68-1
* Kosmos 236
* Kosmos 237
* Kosmos 238
* Kosmos 239
* OPS 5247
* Kosmos 240
* Zond 5
* Kosmos 241
* OPS 0165
* OPS 8595
* Intelsat III F-1
* Kosmos 242
* Kosmos 243
* LES-6
* OV2-5
* ERS-21
* ERS-28
* Kosmos 244
* Kosmos 245
* ESRO-1A
* Molniya-1 No.14
* OPS 0964
* Kosmos 246
* Kosmos 247
* Apollo 7
* Kosmos 248
* Kosmos 249
* OPS 4078
* Soyuz 2
* Soyuz 3
* Kosmos 250
* Kosmos 251
* Kosmos 252
* OPS 1315
* OPS 5296
* Pioneer 9
* ERS-31
* Zond 6
* Kosmos 253
* Proton 4
* Kosmos 254
* Kosmos 255
* STV-1
* Kosmos 256
* Kosmos 257
* OPS 6518
* HEOS-1
* OAO-2
* Kosmos 258
* OPS 4740
* OPS 7684
* Kosmos 259
* ESSA-8
* Kosmos 260
* Intelsat III F-2
* Kosmos 261
* Apollo 8
* Kosmos 262

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