Editing Gemini 8 (section)

{{Short description|Spaceflight in NASA's Gemini program}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox spaceflight
| name                  = Gemini VIII
| image                 = Gemini8StationKeep.gif
| image_size            = 300px
| image_caption         = Gemini VIII rendezvous with its [[Agena Target Vehicle]] in a station-keeping exercise
| insignia              = Ge08Patch orig.png
| mission_type          = {{Unbulleted list
|                         [[Space rendezvous]]
|                         [[Docking and berthing of spacecraft|Spacecraft docking]]
|                         [[Extravehicular activity]] (failed)}}
| operator              = [[NASA]]
| COSPAR_ID             = 1966-020A 
| SATCAT                = 2105
| mission_duration      = 10&nbsp;hours, 41&nbsp;minutes, 26&nbsp;seconds
| distance_travelled    = {{convert|293206|km|nmi|abbr=off|sp=us}}
| orbits_completed      = 6
| spacecraft            = [[Gemini (spacecraft)|Gemini]] SC8
| manufacturer          = [[McDonnell Aircraft|McDonnell]]
| launch_mass           = {{convert|3789|kg|lb}}
| landing_mass          =
| launch_date           = {{start-date|March 16, 1966, 16:41:02|timezone=yes}}&nbsp;UTC 
| launch_rocket         = {{nowrap|[[Titan II GLV]],}} {{nowrap|s/n 62-12563}}
| launch_site           = [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station|Cape Kennedy]] [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 19|LC-19]]
| landing_date          = {{end-date|March 17, 1966, 03:22:28|timezone=yes}}&nbsp;UTC
| landing_site          = {{coord|25|14|N|136|0|E}}
| recovery_by           = {{USS|Leonard F. Mason|DD-852|6}}
| orbit_epoch           = March 16, 1966<ref name=satcat>{{cite web|last=McDowell|first=Jonathan|title=SATCAT|url=http://planet4589.org/space/log/satcat.txt|publisher=Jonathan's Space Pages|access-date=March 23, 2014}}</ref> 
| orbit_reference       = [[Geocentric orbit|Geocentric]]
| orbit_regime          = [[Low Earth orbit]]
| orbit_periapsis       = {{convert|261|km|nmi|sp=us}} 
| orbit_apoapsis        = {{convert|270|km|nmi|sp=us}} 
| orbit_inclination     = 28.9&nbsp;degrees
| orbit_period          = 89.81&nbsp;minutes
| apsis                 = gee
| docking               = 
 {{Infobox spaceflight/Dock
   | docking_target = [[Agena target vehicle#Flight statistics|GATV-5003]]
   | docking_type   = dock
   | docking_date   = March 16, 1966, 23:14&nbsp;UTC
   | undocking_date = March 16, 1966, ~23:45&nbsp;UTC
   | time_docked    = ~30&nbsp;minutes
 }}
| crew_size             = 2
| crew_members          = {{Unbulleted list|[[Neil A. Armstrong]]|[[David R. Scott]]}}
| crew_photo            = Portrait of the Gemini 8 prime crew.jpg
| crew_photo_caption    = (L-R) Scott, Armstrong
| previous_mission      = [[Gemini 6A]]
| next_mission          = [[Gemini 9A]]
| programme             = [[Project Gemini]]
}}

'''Gemini 8''' (officially '''Gemini VIII''')<ref name="titans">{{cite book
 | last1 = Hacker
 | first1 = Barton C.
 | last2 = Grimwood
 | first2 = James M.
 | title = On the Shoulders of Titans: A History of Project Gemini
 | chapter = Chapter 11 Pillars of Confidence
 | chapter-url = http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4203/ch11-1.htm
 | publisher = [[NASA]]
 | series = NASA History Series
 | volume = SP-4203
 | date = September 1974
 | page = 239
 | url = http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4203/toc.htm
 | access-date = 2013-09-26
 | archive-date = 2010-01-13
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100113132344/http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4203/toc.htm
 }} With Gemini IV, NASA changed to Roman numerals for Gemini mission designations.</ref> was the sixth crewed spaceflight in [[NASA]]'s [[Project Gemini|Gemini]] program. It was launched on March 16, 1966, and was the 14th crewed American flight and the 22nd crewed spaceflight overall.{{efn|This count includes two [[X-15]] flights higher than the [[Kármán Line]] at {{convert|100|km|nmi mi ft|abbr=off|sp=us|0}}.}} The mission conducted the first docking of two spacecraft in orbit, but also 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 returned to Earth safely.