Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS
From the previous episode, we have Gemini VII waiting in orbit for Gemini VI-A to launch and rendezvous. Remember, Gemini VII could only remain in orbit for 14 days, the maximum duration of its flight. The goal was to launch Gemini VI-A on or before day 9 of Gemini VII’s mission.
Stafford in G6A
GT-6A Abort
By Dave
GT-6A Launch
G7 viewed from G6A
G7 Viewed from G6A
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS
By this time the Astronauts were thinking about a nickname for their spacecraft, but NASA Headquarters now officially refused to allow nicknames for Gemini spacecraft. However, Gordo Cooper was not so easily put off. Pete Conrad’s father-in-law had whittled a model covered wagon, which inspired Cooper with the idea for a crew patch, that would depict a covered wagon, emblazoned with the legend “Eight Days or Bust.” A personal appeal to NASA Administrator Webb led, after much discussion, to approval of the “Cooper patch.” But Webb greatly disliked the motto because he believed if the mission did not go the full eight days, people would say it had “busted.”
Cockpit Pre-launch
Pete and Gordo
The Patch
Launch
Radar Pod
By Dave
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS
The success of Gus Grissom and John Young’s Gemini 3 flight paved the way for long duration space missions. The longest U.S. manned space flight to date was Gordon Cooper’s 34 hour Mercury flight. The Soviets, however, had four long duration flights to their credit, ranging from 70 to 119 hours. It was time for the US to attempt a long duration flight.
James A. McDivitt
Edward White II
Gemini 4 Crew
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS
One second after 11 o’clock Wednesday morning, April 8th 1964, the Titan II booster’s first-stage engine ignited. Four seconds later, the 156 ton vehicle lifted from the pad on that curiously lambent flame so distinctive of Titan II’s hypergolic propellants. Within moments, Gemini-Titan 1 vanished into the hot Florida sky, beyond reach of human senses but not electronic sensors. Telemetry data flowed back to mission controllers at the Cape, telling them that the launch was as nearly perfect as it looked.
Experiment Pallets
Left Instr. Pallet
Gemin 1 Launch
To the Pad
By Dave
Celebration Tang
