The lunar lander and the massive "N-1" rocket finish being designed and are scheduled for tests in 1968. * 1968: Final testing of the "N-1" lunar rocket is finished and "Soyuz-10" and "Soyuz-11" finish testing of the "LK" landing vehicle in Earth orbit by December 1968. America has its first tragedy in space in March 1968 as the crew of "Gemini-8" (Charles Conrad, Jr. and Richard F. Gordon, Jr.) die as a result of a faulty thruster, causing them to pass out from excessive G-force. Their spacecraft remains active for almost two more weeks before the fuel cells run out. Conrad and Gordon's bodies are never recovered. Gemini is put on hold for six months and discussion centers on whether to drop the program and move on to the "Helios Moon Program" spacecraft on the drawing board.