5/18/1969 Apollo 10

Apollo 10 was the dress rehearsal for the landing on the moon. Astronauts Thomas P. Stafford, Jr., John W. Young, Jr., and Eugene Cernan piloted the mission, which was launched on May 18, 1969. The flight flew to the moon, at which time the lunar module separated and descended to within 9 miles of the lunar surface. Apollo 10 returned to earth 8 days later, on May 26th.