Project GEMINI

NASA named the program GEMINI after the twin stars Castor and Pollox, one of the 12 constellations of the Zodiac. The name was suggested by Alex Nagy of NASA headquarters. "The twins" did a good job of symbolizing the two-man crews on each flight. Its spheres of influence include adaptability and mobility, two features the designers of the spacecraft pursued.

Gemini 4 Patch

62 orbits for a total of 97 hours and 59 minutes in space. First U.S. extra vehicular activity (EVA) for 22 minutes. First use of personal propulsion unit (both by White). A program of 11 scientific experiments were successfully conducted.

Launch Date: June 3, 1965, 1:16 AM EST Launch Vehicle: Titan II. Spacecraft unofficially named "Little EVA" Crew: Command Pilot: James A. McDivitt Pilot: Edward I. White, II

This flight marked the world's first rendezvous in space with another spacecraft (Gemini 7).Rendezvous with Gemini 7 lasted for 5 hours, 19 minutes with the two spacecraft approaching within one foot of each other. Spacecraft reentered the atmosphere December 16 after 25 hours, 51 minutes in space. Gemini 6 landed within 12 miles of the recovery ship.

Launch Date: December 15, 1965, 8:37 AM EST Launch Vehicle: Titan II Crew: Command Pilot: Walter M. Schirra, Jr. Pilot: Thomas P. Stafford

Gemini 8 Patch

The Gemini 8 flight marked the first dual launch and docking of two orbiting spacecraft. The unmanned Gemini 8 Target Vehicle was launched 41 minutes earlier. The planned mission of 44 orbits was curtailed by a short circuit in the Orbital Attitude Maneuvering System which depleted the spacecraft’s fuel supply through one of its thrusters. Unexpected yaw and roll motion caused the astronauts to undock and use their re-entry control system to stabilize the spacecraft. Gemini 8 reentered the atmosphere on the seventh orbit and splashed down in a stipulated emergency area in the Western Pacific. The planned EVA of one orbit was not achieved.

Launch Date: March 16, 1966, 11:41 AM EST Launch Vehicle: Titan II Crew: Command Pilot: Neil A. Armstrong Pilot: David P. Scott

Gemini 10 Patch

The Gemini 10 flight marked the first dual launch and docking of two orbiting spacecraft. The unmanned Gemini 8 Target Vehicle was launched 41 minutes earlier. The planned mission of 44 orbits was curtailed by a short circuit in the Orbital Attitude Maneuvering System which depleted the spacecraft’s fuel supply through one of its thrusters. Unexpected yaw and roll motion caused the astronauts to undock and use their re-entry control system to stabilize the spacecraft. Gemini 8 reentered the atmosphere on the seventh orbit and splashed down in a stipulated emergency area in the Western Pacific. The planned EVA of one orbit was not achieved.

Launch Date: March 16, 1966, 11:41 AM EST Launch Vehicle: Titan II Crew: Command Pilot: Neil A. Armstrong Pilot: David P. Scott

Gemini 12 Patch

This mission was noteworthy for the successful rendezvous and three dockings with the unmanned Gemini 12 Target Vehicle launched 98 minutes earlier. The astronauts took photos of the solar eclipse on November 12. Astronaut Lovell conducted two EVA'S; one stand-up EVA of 208 minutes and the second being an umbilical EVA of 129 minutes, Astronaut Lovell became the most traveled man in history. The mission ended successfully after completing 59 orbits in a flight lasting 94 hours, 35 minutes. This mission marked the last Gemini flight.

Launch Date: November 11, 1966, 3:47 PM EST Launch Vehicle: Titan II Crew: Command Pilot: James A. Lovell, Jr. Pilot: Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr.

The Gemini missions had the following challenges to meet prior to attempting lunar missions:
(1) Rendezvous and docking,
(2) Long duration flights,
(3) Multiple-hour work outside the spacecraft,
(4) Advanced, reliable on-board flight systems
(5) Training of flight and ground crews.
It was during the Gemini Program that the United States caught up with and surpassed the Soviet Union in the race to the Moon.

Gemini 3 Patch

First manned Gemini mission. Astronaut Grissom became the first man to fly twice into space. First use of Orbital Altitude Maneuvering System. First control of re-entry flight path using maneuverable spacecraft. The mission successfully completed three orbits in four hours, 56 minutes in space.

Launch Date: March 23, 1965, 9:24 AM EST Launch Vehicle: Titan II. Spacecraft unofficially named "Molly Brown" Crew: Command Pilot: Virgil I. "Gus"Grissom Pilot: John W. Young

Gemini 5 Patch

This flight demonstrated the physiological feasibility of conducting a lunar mission. First use of the fuel cell. Successfully simulated rendezvous. Performed 16 of the 17 planned experiments. The spacecraft completed 120 orbits for a total of 190 hours, 56 minutes in space (8 days). This mission marked the first time that the mission emblem flew into space with its crew.

Launch Date: August 21, 1965, 9:00 AM EST Launch Vehicle: Titan II Crew: Command Pilot: L. Cordon Cooper, Jr. Pilot: Charles Conrad

Gemini 7 Patch

This flight completed 206 orbits in 330 hours and 35 minutes in space, the longest flight duration to date. The first U.S. space flight in which part of the flight was made without a space suit. Gemini 7 also served as a rendezvous vehicle with the Gemini 6 flight. The two spacecraft came within one foot of each other during the historic rendezvous maneuver. Splashdown of Gemini 7 occurred on December 18, after two successful weeks in space.

Launch Date: December 4, 1965, 2:30 PM EST Launch Vehicle: Titan II Crew: Command Pilot: Frank Borman Pilot: James A. Lovell, Jr.

Gemini 9 Patch

Gemini-IX-A flew with Thomas P. Stafford as the commander and Eugene A. Cernan as the pilot. Its primary objective was to perform rendezvous and docking and conduct an EVA.

Crew: Thomas P. Stafford, Commander Eugene A. Cernan, Pilot

Gemini 11 Patch

The Gemini 11 flight achieved its primary goal of rendezvous with the unmanned Gemini 11 Target Vehicle launched 97 minutes earlier. Four practice dockings were accomplished. Astronaut Gordon's planned EVA was cut short after 44 minutes when his prescribed tasks caused perspiration to blind his eyes. Later in the flight, Gordon completed a stand-up EVA of two hours, eight minutes. During this time, he conducted photographic experiments. The flight set a new altitude record of 850 miles. Re-entry occurred an September 15 after completing 44 orbits in 71 hours, 17 minutes.

Launch Date: September 12, 1966, 9:42 AM EST Launch Vehicle: Titan II Crew: Command Pilot: Charles Conrad, Jr. Pilot: Richard F. Gordon, Jr.