Description
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 12th crewed American flight and the 22nd crewed spaceflight of all time. The mission conducted the first docking of two spacecraft in orbit, but suffered the first critical in-space system failure of a U.S. spacecraft which threatened the lives of the astronauts and required an immediate abort of the mission. The crew was returned to Earth safely.
Command pilot Neil Armstrong's flight marked the second time a U.S. civilian flew into space and the first time a U.S. civilian flew into orbit.
