The United States National Space Science Data Center catalogued 157 spacecraft placed into orbit by launches, which occurred in 1968. 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.

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: 14 November Zond 6 Lunar flyby with turtles, flies, and bacteria Closest approach: 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

Key

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Suborbital Launches

January–December

Orbital launch summary

References

Footnotes