New Hampshire Astronomical SocietyDecember 21st in Astronomy and Space Science
 | 1968 | US launches Apollo 8 on a mission to orbit the moon and return to Earth. This marks the first manned launch on a Saturn V vehicle, the first manned mission to leave the Earth's gravity, and the first manned journey around the moon. |
 | 1978 | USSR Venera 12 spacecraft lands on Venus and transmits data for 95 minutes. |
| 1984 | USSR launches the Vega 2 spacecraft. It included a Comet Halley fly-by package as well as a Venus lander, which touched down on 15 June 1985. |
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