September 12

1959 – The Soviet Union launches a large rocket, Lunik II, at the moon.
1966 – Gemini 11, the penultimate mission of NASA's Gemini program, and the current human altitude record holder (except for the Apollo lunar missions).
1970 - The Soviet Luna 16 is launched, conducting the first successful return of lunar soil samples by an automatic spacecraft.
1992 – NASA launches Space Shuttle Endeavour on STS-47 which marked the 50th shuttle mission. On board are Mae Carol Jemison, the first African-American woman in space, Mamoru Mohri, the first Japanese citizen to fly in a US spaceship, and Mark Lee and Jan Davis, the first married couple in space.
2409 - Aloysia Yvette is assigned as acting commanding officer of the USS Gettysburg, BC-1863.