| Date |
Time (UTC) |
Event |
| 1966 Jan 3 |
01:40 |
Approx time - Cosmos 111 re-enters the Earth atmosphere and is destroyed by frictional heating |
| 1966 Jan 7 |
08:24 |
Cosmos 104 (Zenit-2 11Ф61 №36) launched into 191 x 379 kilometre, 90.2 minutes period, 65 deg inclination orbit from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok 8A92 rocket. Photo reconnaissance satellite. |
| 1966 Jan 14 |
|
Sergei Korolyov dies while undergoing surgery, he is aged 59 - his funeral is held in Moscow and his ashes are interred in the wall of the Kremlin |
| 1966 Jan 15 |
06:00 |
Cosmos 104 descent module lands for recovery after being commanded to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. |
| 1966 Jan 22 |
08:38 |
Cosmos 105 (Zenit-2 11Ф61 №38) launched into 203 x 309 kilometre, 89.6 minutes period, 65 deg inclination orbit from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok 8A92 rocket. Photo reconnaissance satellite. |
| 1966 Jan 30 |
06:14 |
Cosmos 105 descent module lands for recovery after being commanded to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. |
| 1966 Jan 31 |
11:41 |
Luna 9 (E-6M) launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Molniya rocket into 167 x 219 kilometre orbit around the Earth at 51.8 degrees inclination - its mission is to soft land a camera module onto the lunar surface |
| 1966 Jan 31 |
12:48 |
Final stage of Luna 9 launching rocket fired to place it into a trajectory towards the Moon |
| 1966 Feb 1 |
19:29 |
Luna 9 rocket engine is fired for 48 seconds in order to correct its trajectory towards the Moon |
| 1966 Feb 3 |
18:44 |
Luna 9 soft lands on the Moon surface at 7.13 degrees north, 60.36 degrees west in the Oceanus Procellarum |
| 1966 Feb 4 |
01:50 |
Luna 9 transmits the first of three series of TV pictures over a period of 107 minutes which are then assembled into a panoramic view of the landing site |
| 1966 Feb 4 |
14:00 |
Luna 9 transmits the first of second series of TV pictures over a period of 174 minutes which are then assembled into a panoramic view of the landing site - they reveal that Luna 9 has shifted its position slightly which permits a stereoscopic view to be built up |
| 1966 Feb 6 |
20:37 |
Luna 9 transmits three further series of TV pictures over a period of 138 minutes |
| 1966 Feb 6 |
22:55 |
Luna 9 final radio transmission ceases when its batteries are exhausted - it has been in radio contact with Earth for a total of 8 hours and 5 minutes over its three-day period of operation and has returned a total of 27 individual photographs of the lunar surface |
| 1966 Feb 10 |
08:52 |
Cosmos 107 (Zenit-2 11Ф61 №34) launched into 202 x 311 kilometre, 89.6 minutes period, 65 deg inclination orbit from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok 8A92 rocket. Photo reconnaissance satellite. |
| 1966 Feb 18 |
06:29 |
Cosmos 107 descent module lands for recovery after being commanded to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. |
| 1966 Feb 19 |
08:52 |
Cosmos 109 (Zenit-4 11Ф69) launched into 204 x 293 kilometre, 89.5 minutes period, 64.9 deg inclination orbit from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Voskhod 11A57 rocket. Second generation photo-reconnaissance satellite with higher-resolution camera system. |
| 1966 Feb 22 |
20:09 |
Cosmos 110, a Voskhod spacecraft, launched from the Baikonur by Voskhod/Soyuz rocket into 190 x 882 kilometre orbit at 51.9 degrees inclination carrying the dogs Veterok and Ugolyok |
| 1966 Feb 27 |
06:43 |
Cosmos 109 descent module lands for recovery after being commanded to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. |
| 1966 Mar 1 |
11:03 |
Cosmos 111 (E-6S-204) launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Molniya rocket into 182 x 194 kilometre orbit around the Earth at 51.8 degrees inclination - it mission is to enter orbit around the Moon but loss of control of the final rocket stage whilst still in orbit around the Earth prevents its engine from being fired |
| 1966 Mar 16 |
14:09 |
Cosmos 110 lands, the dogs are safe and the main effects of the flight are lack of co-ordination in their movements after landing, and a loss of calcium in their bones - readings from onboard the spacecraft show that there was no dangerous radiation detected at the near-900 kilometre apogee of the rbit |
| 1966 Mar 17 |
10:28 |
Cosmos 112 (Zenit-2 11Ф61 №37) launched into 206 x 544 kilometre, 92.1 minutes period, 72.1 deg inclination orbit from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome by Vostok 8A92 rocket. Photo reconnaissance satellite. First ever Plesetsk orbital launch. |
| 1966 Mar 21 |
09:36 |
Cosmos 113 (Zenit-4 11Ф69) launched into 207 x 312 kilometre, 89.7 minutes period, 64.9 deg inclination orbit from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Voskhod 11A57 rocket. Second generation photo-reconnaissance satellite with higher-resolution camera system. |
| 1966 Mar 25 |
05:31 |
Cosmos 112 descent module lands for recovery after being commanded to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. |
| 1966 Mar 29 |
07:41 |
Cosmos 113 descent module lands for recovery after being commanded to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. |
| 1966 Mar 31 |
10:46 |
Luna 10 (E-6S-206) launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Molniya rocket into approx 190 x 220 kilometre orbit around the Earth at 51.8 degrees inclination - its mission is to enter orbit around the Moon |
| 1966 Mar 31 |
11:53 |
Final stage of Luna 10 launching rocket fired to place it into a trajectory towards the Moon |
| 1966 Apr 1 |
|
Luna 10 rocket engine is used to correct its trajectory towards the Moon |
| 1966 Apr 3 |
18:44 |
Luna 10 fires its retro-rocket, after which it enters a 350 x 1,017 kilometre orbit around the Moon at 71.9 degrees inclination |
| 1966 Apr 3 |
19:00 |
Luna 10 instrumented payload compartment separates from the flight vehicle and begins its mission to study gamma-radiation, electric and magnetic fields, micro-meteoroids, the solar wind, infrared emissions from the Moon itself, and radiation conditions in the lunar environment |
| 1966 Apr 3 |
|
Luna 10 transmits a sythesised rendering of the song 'Internationale' - it is relayed to the Congress of the Communist party of the Soviet Union where it is played to the delegates |
| 1966 Apr 6 |
11:40 |
Cosmos 114 (Zenit-4 11Ф69) launched into 209 x 342 kilometre, 90.1 minutes period, 72.9 deg inclination orbit from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome by Voskhod 11A57 rocket. Second generation photo-reconnaissance satellite with higher-resolution camera system. The Cosmos 114 'TK' is the first recovery beacon logged by the Kettering Group (Sven Grahn). |
| 1966 Apr 14 |
07:12 |
Cosmos 114 descent module lands for recovery after being commanded to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. |
| 1966 Apr 20 |
10:48 |
Cosmos 115 (Zenit-2 11Ф61 №35) launched into 188 x 287 kilometre, 89.3 minutes period, 65 deg inclination orbit from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok 8A92 rocket. Photo reconnaissance satellite. Partial failure due to malfunction of the SA-10 camera. |
| 1966 Apr 28 |
09:07 |
Cosmos 115 descent module lands for recovery after being commanded to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. |
| 1966 May 6 |
11:02 |
Cosmos 117 (Zenit-2 11Ф61 №39) launched into 205 x 298 kilometre, 89.5 minutes period, 64.9 deg inclination orbit from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok 8A92 rocket. Photo reconnaissance satellite. |
| 1966 May 14 |
08:24 |
Cosmos 117 descent module lands for recovery after being commanded to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. |
| 1966 May 17 |
|
Zenit-4 11Ф69 launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome by Voskhod 11A57 rocket. Second generation photo-reconnaissance satellite with higher-resolution camera system. |
| 1966 May 30 |
|
Luna 10 radio transmitters are switched off when battery power becomes too low after 460 orbits around the Moon, and 219 active data transmissions - its orbit is 378 x 985 kilometres at 72.0 degrees inclination |
| 1966 Jun 8 |
11:02 |
Cosmos 120 (Zenit-2 11Ф61 №41) launched into 202 x 288 kilometre, 89.3 minutes period, 51.8 deg inclination orbit from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Voskhod 11A57 rocket. Photo reconnaissance satellite. First Zenit-2 mission to use the more-powerful Voskhod launch vehicle. |
| 1966 Jun 16 |
09:36 |
Cosmos 120 descent module lands for recovery after being commanded to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. |
| 1966 Jun 17 |
11:00 |
Cosmos 121 (Zenit-4 11Ф69) launched into 204 x 328 kilometre, 89.9 minutes period, 72.8 deg inclination orbit from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome by Voskhod 11A57 rocket. Second generation photo-reconnaissance satellite with higher-resolution camera system. |
| 1966 Jun 25 |
06:14 |
Cosmos 121 descent module lands for recovery after being commanded to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. |
| 1966 Jul 14 |
10:33 |
Cosmos 124 (Zenit-2 11Ф61 №42) launched into 204 x 288 kilometre, 89.4 minutes period, 51.8 deg inclination orbit from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Voskhod 11A57 rocket. Photo reconnaissance satellite. First Zenit-2 to be orbited by Voskhod launch vehicle rather than Vostok. |
| 1966 Jul 22 |
09:22 |
Cosmos 124 descent module lands for recovery after being commanded to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. |
| 1966 Jul 28 |
10:48 |
Cosmos 126 (Zenit-4 11Ф69) launched into 207 x 347 kilometre, 90 minutes period, 51.8 deg inclination orbit from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Voskhod 11A57 rocket. Second generation photo-reconnaissance satellite with higher-resolution camera system. |
| 1966 Aug 6 |
09:22 |
Cosmos 126 descent module lands for recovery after being commanded to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. |
| 1966 Aug 8 |
11:16 |
Cosmos 127 (Zenit-4 11Ф69) launched into 205 x 264 kilometre, 89.1 minutes period, 51.8 deg inclination orbit from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Voskhod 11A57 rocket. Second generation photo-reconnaissance satellite with higher-resolution camera system. |
| 1966 Aug 16 |
07:12 |
Cosmos 127 descent module lands for recovery after being commanded to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. |
| 1966 Aug 24 |
08:03 |
Luna 11 (E-6LF-101) launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Molniya rocket into approx 195 x 220 kilometre orbit around the Earth at 51.9 degrees inclination - its mission is to enter orbit around the Moon |
| 1966 Aug 24 |
09:10 |
Final stage of Luna 11 launching rocket fired to place it into a trajectory towards the Moon |
| 1966 Aug 26 |
19:02 |
Luna 11 rocket engine is used to correct its trajectory towards the Moon |
| 1966 Aug 27 |
09:50 |
Cosmos 128 (Zenit-4 11Ф69) launched into 212 x 317 kilometre, 89.8 minutes period, 65 deg inclination orbit from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Voskhod 11A57 rocket. Second generation photo-reconnaissance satellite with higher-resolution camera system. |
| 1966 Aug 28 |
21:49 |
Luna 11 enters a 160 v 1,200 kilometre orbit around the Moon at 27 degrees inclination and begins its studies of lunar gamma and X-ray emissions in order to determine the Moon chemical composition, lunar gravitational anomalies, the concentration of meteoroid streams near the Moon and the intensity of hard corpuscular radiation near the Moon - although intended to return photographs of the Moon surface, it fails to do so |
| 1966 Sep 4 |
06:43 |
Cosmos 128 descent module lands for recovery after being commanded to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. |
| 1966 Sep 16 |
|
Zenit-2 11Ф61 №40 launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok 8A92 rocket. Photo reconnaissance satellite - lost when the launch vehicle core-stage failed. |
| 1966 Oct 1 |
02:03 |
Luna 11 batteries fail and radio transmissions cease after 277 orbits around the Moon and 137 active data transmission s, |
| 1966 Oct 14 |
12:13 |
Cosmos 129 (Zenit-2 11Ф61 №33) launched into 181 x 313 kilometre, 89.4 minutes period, 64.7 deg inclination orbit from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome by Vostok 8A92 rocket. Photo reconnaissance satellite. |
| 1966 Oct 20 |
08:52 |
Cosmos 130 (Zenit-4 11Ф69) launched into 207 x 312 kilometre, 89.7 minutes period, 65 deg inclination orbit from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Voskhod 11A57 rocket. Second generation photo-reconnaissance satellite with higher-resolution camera system. |
| 1966 Oct 21 |
06:14 |
Cosmos 129 descent module lands for recovery after being commanded to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. |
| 1966 Oct 22 |
08:42 |
Luna 12 (E-6LF-102) launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Molniya rocket into approx 199 x 212 kilometre orbit around the Earth at 51.9 degrees inclination - its mission is to enter orbit around the Moon |
| 1966 Oct 22 |
09:45 |
Final stage of Luna 12 launching rocket fired to place it into a trajectory towards the Moon |
| 1966 Oct 23 |
19:10 |
Approx time - Luna 12 rocket engine is used to correct its trajectory towards the Moon |
| 1966 Oct 25 |
20:45 |
Approx time - Luna 12 enters a 100 x 1,740 kilometre orbit at 10 degrees inclination and begins its mission of photographing the lunar surface in the area of the likely landing zone of a piloted mission - each photograph contains 1100 scan lines with a maximum resolution of 15-20 metres - it also carries a test version of the electric motor being developed to drive the upcoming Lunokhod lunar rover |
| 1966 Oct 27 |
|
Luna 12 transmits to Earth its first images of the Moon surface |
| 1966 Oct 28 |
06:43 |
Cosmos 130 descent module lands for recovery after being commanded to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. |
| 1966 Nov 12 |
09:50 |
Cosmos 131 (Zenit-4 11Ф69) launched into 202 x 335 kilometre, 89.9 minutes period, 72.8 deg inclination orbit from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome by Voskhod 11A57 rocket. Second generation photo-reconnaissance satellite with higher-resolution camera system. |
| 1966 Nov 19 |
08:09 |
Cosmos 132 (Zenit-2 11Ф61 №46) launched into 201 x 266 kilometre, 89.2 minutes period, 65 deg inclination orbit from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok 8A92 rocket. Photo reconnaissance satellite. |
| 1966 Nov 20 |
05:17 |
Cosmos 131 descent module lands for recovery after being commanded to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. |
| 1966 Nov 27 |
07:12 |
Cosmos 132 descent module lands for recovery after being commanded to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. |
| 1966 Dec 3 |
08:09 |
Cosmos 134 (Zenit-4 11Ф69) launched into 206 x 294 kilometre, 89.5 minutes period, 65 deg inclination orbit from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Voskhod 11A57 rocket. Second generation photo-reconnaissance satellite with higher-resolution camera system. |
| 1966 Dec 11 |
05:46 |
Cosmos 134 descent module lands for recovery after being commanded to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. |
| 1966 Dec 19 |
12:00 |
Cosmos 136 (Zenit-2 11Ф61 №47) launched into 196 x 287 kilometre, 89.3 minutes period, 64.6 deg inclination orbit from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome by Vostok 8A92 rocket. Photo reconnaissance satellite. |
| 1966 Dec 21 |
10:16 |
Luna 13 (E-6M-205) launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Molniya rocket into 171 x 223 kilometre orbit around the Earth at 51.8 degrees inclination - its mission is to soft land a camera module onto the lunar surface |
| 1966 Dec 21 |
11:23 |
Final stage of Luna 13 launching rocket fired to place it into a trajectory towards the Moon |
| 1966 Dec 22 |
18:41 |
Luna 13 rocket engine is used to correct its trajectory towards the Moon |
| 1966 Dec 24 |
17:59 |
Luna 13 fires its retro-rocket |
| 1966 Dec 24 |
18:01 |
Luna 13 soft lands on the Moon surface at 18.87 degrees north, 62.05 degrees west in the Oceanus Procellarum |
| 1966 Dec 24 |
18:05 |
Luna 13 begins transmitting from the lunar surface |
| 1966 Dec 24 |
18:06 |
An explosive charge forces Luna 13 soil density measuring instrument into the Moon surface |
| 1966 Dec 25 |
13:53 |
Luna 13 transmits its first series of TV pictures |
| 1966 Dec 27 |
06:00 |
Cosmos 136 descent module lands for recovery after being commanded to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. |
| 1966 Dec 30 |
|
Luna 13 batteries fail and radio transmissions cease |
