TEAMQUEST'S SPACEFLIGHT HOMEPAGE

GEMINI PROJECT GETS OFF THE GROUND

The Space Race was in full swing through the MERCURY PROJECT and as the US public became more interested in NASA and the space projects, the probagation of funds became easier. The US public was just becoming totally controlled and glued to the media during space flights, and the ASTRONAUTS were big business. Commercials, Talk Shows, Sporting Events, all had a special guest that just dropped in. You guessed it, an Astronaut. You could not even watch Saturday morning cartoons and escape the saturation of the Astronauts. The total media wash only increased with the begining of the Gemini Project. The United States was neck and neck with the Russian's in the spacerace, but you'd never know it listening to our media.

Soon memorabilia became the hot selling items. One could find nearly any item imaginable depicting space flight or space fantasy. Models and rocket kits were the top selling toys for a few years, especially if you were within 1000 miles from NASA'a Florida launch site at CAPE CANAVARAL. Bedsheets and curtains depicting space flight were popular for the boys room. Girls were groovin on the thought of dating an astronaut. After all, the image the media had molded of these men was hard to resist. Astronauts were the hottest selling item in the entire country.
The Nation Aeronautics and Space Administration announced 12/7/61, a plan to extend the existing manned space flight program by development of a two man spacecraft. The program was officially designated Gemini on 1/3/62. The Gemini Project was named after the third constellation of the zodiac, featuring the twin stars Castor and Pollux. The Gemini program was conceived after it became evident to NASA officials that an in-between step was required between project Mercury and Apollo.

The major objectives assigned to Gemini were:

• 1). To subject two men and supporting equipment to long duration flights- a requirement for projected future trips to the moon or deeper space.
  
• 2). To effect rendezvous and docking with other orbiting vehicles and to maneuver the docking vehicles in space, using the propulsion system of the target vehicle for such manuevers.
  
• 3). To perfect methods of re-entry and landing the spacecraft on land at a pre-selected landing point.
  
• 4). To gain additional information concerning the effects of weightlessness on crew members and supporting equipment during long duration flights.

A brief summary of the Gemini flights show how successful the Gemini program was. All of the major objectives were met, as well as many other objectives assigned to each mission, with the exception of a land landing which was cancelled from the Gemini program in 1964. However, the precision control necessary to achieve the land landing was demonstrated. Gemini's achievements let NASA set their lofty goals to go to the moon. Gemini was a great success.

GEMINI MISSIONS
MISSION and DATES	CREW	DURATION	OBJECTIVES	ACCOMP- LISHMENTS
GEMINI III 3/23/1965	Virgil I. Grissom & John W. Young	4hrs/52mins; 3 orbits	1st Manned Gemini Mission	All Goals
GEMINI IV 6/03-07/1965	James A. McDivitt & Edward H.White II	4days/1hr/56mins	1st EVA (spacewalk)	1st Spacewalk
GEMINI V 8/21-29/1965	L. Gordon Cooper JR. & Charles Conrad JR.	7days/22hrs/55mins 120 orbits	test fuel cell; test guidance system	Guidance tests and fuel cell tests
GEMINI VII 12/04-18/1965	Frank Borman & James A. Lovell JR.	13days/18hrs/35mins	test humans for 14 days in space	rendevous with Gemini VI after Agena target failed
GEMINI VI 12/15-16/1965	Walter M. Schirra JR. & Thomas P. Stafford	1 day/1hr/51mins	rendevous with other space vehicle	1st space rendevous, with Gemini VII
GEMINI VIII 3/16/1966	Neil A. Armstrong & David R. Scott	10hrs/41mins	1st space docking	1st emergency landing of US spacecraft
GEMINI IX-A 6/03-06/1966	Thomas P. Stafford & Eugene A. Cernan	3days/21hrs 44 orbits	dock with Agena target	ADTA shroud failed, 3 rendevous- No docking
GEMINI X 7/18-21/1966	John W. Young & Michael Collins	2days/22hrs/46mins	use Agena propulsion	Agena checked ok retrieved exp. from Gem VIII
GEMINI XI 9/12-15/1966	Charles Conrad JR. & Richard F. Gordon JR.	2days/23hrs/17mins	dock and fire Agena propulsion	Gemini altitude record
GEMINI XII 11/11-15/1966	James A. Lovell JR. & Edwin E. Aldrin JR.	3days/22hrs/34mins	docked with Agena	Aldrin sets EVA record Last Gemini mission

• GEMINI III FACTS | GEMINI III IMAGES
  
• GEMINI IV FACTS | GEMINI IV IMAGES
  
• GEMINI V FACTS | GEMINI V IMAGES
  
• GEMINI VI FACTS | GEMINI VI IMAGES
  
• GEMINI VII FACTS | GEMINI VII IMAGES
  
• GEMINI VIII FACTS | GEMINI VIII IMAGES
  
• GEMINI IX FACTS | GEMINI IX IMAGES
  
• GEMINI X FACTS | GEMINI X IMAGES
  
• GEMINI XI FACTS | GEMINI XI IMAGES
  

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Last Updated by TeamQuest '96 c/o hotshots@ix.netcom.com on August 15th 1996 at 20:59:59 PDT