Gemini VIII, the sixth crewed Earth-orbiting mission of the Gemini series, was flown by astronauts Neil Armstrong and David Scott. On March 16, 1966, the first day of their mission, the astronauts completed the first docking in space between the Gemini VIII capsule and the Agena target vehicle. But the triumph quickly became an in-flight emergency when, upon the capsule’s disengagement from the Agena, the Gemini VIII capsule began spinning uncontrollably due to a life-threatening malfunction of one of the spacecraft’s thrusters. Disaster was narrowly averted by Armstrong’s quick thinking and piloting instincts, as he slowly gained control of his spacecraft. NASA immediately aborted the mission and implemented an emergency procedure to bring the astronauts safely home.