| Year: | 1968 |
| First: | 7 January |
| Last: | 26 December |
| Total: | 128 |
| Success: | 119 |
| Failed: | 9 |
| Partial: | 3 |
| Maidens: | Delta M Delta N |
| Retired: | Delta J Kosmos-3 |
| Orbital: | 3 |
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.
| Date (UTC) | Spacecraft | Event | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 January | Lunar landing | in the debris from Tycho crater | |
| 31 January | Lunar impact | ||
| 10 April | Lunar orbit insertion | ||
| 18 September | 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: | |
| 14 November | Flyby of the Moon, with turtles, flies, and bacteria | Closest approach: | |
| 24 December | Lunar orbit insertion; first humans to travel around the Moon | ||
| 25 December | Apollo 8 | Leaves lunar orbit | Completed 10 orbits |
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United States