March 16

In Auburn, Massachusetts on March 16, 1926, physicist Robert H. Goddard launched the first liquid-fueled rocket. The 10-foot rocket used liquid oxygen and gasoline to achieve powered flight for 2.5 seconds, reaching an altitude of 41 feet. Goddard’s pioneering design demonstrated the feasibility of liquid rocket propulsion. Despite skepticism from contemporaries, his experiment laid the technical groundwork for future space exploration. This milestone is celebrated as the birth of modern rocketry and a precursor to the Space Age.

On March 16, 1966, NASA launched Gemini 8 atop a Titan II rocket from Cape Kennedy. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and David Scott piloted the mission, aiming to rendezvous with an unmanned Agena target vehicle. They achieved the first docking of two spacecraft in orbit, marking a crucial milestone in the space race. Moments after docking, a stuck thruster induced a dangerous spin, testing the crew’s resolve. Armstrong skillfully used the reentry control system to stabilize the spacecraft and ensure crew safety. Although cut short, the mission’s lessons informed procedures for future lunar expeditions.