The Gemini missions were in between the Mercury program and the Apollo program. The name, Gemini, came from the zodiac sign for the twins. NASA chose this name because two astronauts would fly in each manned Gemini spacecraft. There were 12 Gemini launches. The first was on April 8, 1964; the last was on Nov. 11, 1966. The launches took place at Cape Kennedy (now called Cape Canaveral) in Florida. The Gemini capsules went into space on powerful Titan II intercontinental ballistic missiles.

The Gemini missions were in preparation for landing a man on the Moon. The astronauts practiced skills they would need for landing on the Moon. They practiced docking and rendezvousing with another spacecraft. They got used to staying in space for up to 2 weeks at a time. They did space walks. They practiced reentry techniques and ocean landings. The astronauts also did 52 space experiments and took many pictures of Earth.

Gemini Highlights

	Gemini 1 and 2: Unmanned test flights.
	Gemini 3: First time two astronauts rode in one spacecraft. The astronauts were "Gus" Grissom and John Young. Grissom was the first astronaut to go into space twice.
	Gemini 4: First space walk by an American, Edward White. White and James McDivitt were the astronauts.
	Gemini 5: Longest space flight yet (8 days, 120 orbits). Gordon Cooper and Charles Conrad were the astronauts.
	Gemini 6 and 7: The two capsules rendezvoused in space and approached within one foot (0.3 m) of each other. Then they moved 100 feet  (30.5 m) apart and flew in space together, side by side. The astronauts were Wally Schirra and Thomas Stafford on Gemini 6, and Frank Borman and James Lovell on Gemini 7.
	Gemini 8: The world's first space docking. The Gemini spacecraft docked with the Agena (a rocket).There was a problem--the two craft started to roll. Gemini 8 had to separate from the Agena and return to Earth. The astronauts were Neil Armstrong and David Scott.
	Gemini 9: Unsuccessful docking attempt with Agena.  Agena's equipment wouldn't work. Astronaut Eugene Cernan did a 2 hour space walk. The other astronaut was Tom Stafford.
	Gemini 10: Docked successfully with the Agena. Michael Collins did two space walks. The other astronaut was John Young.
	Gemini 11: Docked twice with the Agena rocket. Richard Gordon made two space walks totaling 2 hours and 47 minutes. The other astronaut was Charles Conrad.
	Gemini 12: Docked with the Agena. "Buzz" Aldrin set a space walk record (5 hours, 37 minutes on three walks). The other astronaut was James Lovell.

The Gemini program was very successful. The United States pulled ahead of the Soviet Union in the race to put a man on the moon.

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