December 08

1990 – The Galileo spacecraft flies past Earth for the first time.
1992 – The Galileo spacecraft flies past Earth for the second time.
2010 – With the second launch of the "Falcon 9" and first launch of the "Dragon," SpaceX becomes the first private company to successfully launch, orbit and recover a spacecraft.
2010 – The solar sail spacecraft "IKAROS" passes the planet Venus at a distance of about 80,800 km.