The Gemini Program was implemented to perfect techniques needed for a lunar landing mission. Many technological challenges had to be overcome to meet this goal. In order to control reentry and landing with more precision than had been possible with the Mercury capsule, NASA developed a two-pilot spacecraft. This spacecraft also needed to be capable of remaining in space for periods of up to two weeks. Additional mission objectives were to successfully rendezvous and dock with another craft while in space and having the astronauts successfully walk in space. Meeting these objectives would be necessary to move on to the next goal of landing Americans on the moon.
In September, 1962 NASA announced a second group of astronauts, the New Nine, who had been selected to augment the original group of seven astronauts. In order to meet the new challenges of the Gemini Program, four of the candidates selected, in addition to being test pilots, also held advanced engineering degrees. This second group also included some civilian test pilots. The New Nine were Neil Armstrong, Frank Borman, Pete Conrad, Jim Lovell, James McDivitt, Elliott See, Thomas Stafford, Edward White and John W. Young. A third group was announced in October 1963, the Fourteen, which included Buzz Aldrin, William Anders, Charles Bassett, Alan Bean, Eugene Cernan, Roger Chaffee, Michael Collins, Walter Cunningham, Donn Eisele, Theodore Freeman, Richard Gordon, Russell Schweickart, David Scott and Clifton Williams.
The first two Gemini missions were unmanned. From 1965 to 1966 10 manned missions set new mission endurance records, and accomplished the goals of successful rendezvous and docking maneuvers and walking in space.
Gemini IV launched on August 21, 1965. Edward White became the first American to walk in space. Using a handheld maneuvering unit, he propelled himself for 21 minutes on a tether while traveling through space at 18,000 miles per hour.
Gemini VIII launched on March 16, 1966 and achieved the world's first docking with another vehicle, an Agena target vehicle. The mission had to be cut short when a maneuvering thruster on Gemini VIII became stuck in the open position and the spacecraft began to spin rapidly. Just before the astronauts lost unconsciousness, Neil Armstrong broke a mission rule and turned off the thruster system and activated the reentry control system. After regaining control of the craft, too much fuel had been expended to continue the mission and it was necessary to make an emergency landing in the Pacific Ocean.
Gemini XI launched on September 12, 1966. The crew created the first artifical gravity in space by tethering the capsule to the Agena target vehicle and letting them slowly rotate around each other. A space walk had to be terminated early because of problems with face plate fogging. The landing of the capsule was the first automatic splashdown of the Gemini program.
Gemini XII launched on November 11, 1966. During the flight Buzz Aldrin carried out a space walk lasting about five and a half hours, the longest space walk to date. By carrying out less strenuous tasks, he was able to avoid the face plate fogging that had occurred during earlier space walks. Even so, he was able to complete about 20 simple tasks, many related to future repair of spacecraft.
Four of the astronauts selected in the third group were killed in training accidents before they had a chance to go up in space.
During the Gemini 3 mission a corned beef sandwich was smuggled aboard by one of the Gemini astronauts and was eaten by Gus Grissom. The flight plan had called for Grissom to eat nothing during the mission. After this, stricter rules were passed regarding what astronauts could take aboard.
After his Liberty 7 capsule sank in the ocean following his Mercury flight, Gus Grissom nicknamed his Gemini spacecraft "Molly Brown" after the title character of a popular Broadway musical of that time, about a woman who survived the sinking of the Titanic.
The backup crew of Tom Stafford and Gene Cernan ended up flying Gemini 9 after the planned crew of Elliot See and Charles Bassett were killed in a plane crash. Their plane crashed into the building where their Gemini spacecraft was being constructed.
All but one Gemini vehicle are exhibited in various venues in the United States, including the Gemini 12 capsule which can be found at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago.
Gemini was the first American space mission to have an onboard computer.
Go back to Exercise 10 home page.