Gemini
Gemini, any of a series of 12 two-man spacecraft launched into orbit around Earth by the United States between 1964 and 1966. The Gemini (Latin: “Twins”) program was preceded by the Mercury series of one-man spacecraft and was followed by the Apollo series of three-man spacecraft. The Gemini program was chiefly designed to test the ability of astronauts to maneuver their spacecraft by means of manual control. The Gemini series, directed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), helped to develop the techniques for orbital rendezvous and docking with a target vehicle, procedures that were vital to the subsequent Apollo Moon-landing program. It also provided NASA engineers with an opportunity to improve environmental control and electrical power systems of spacecraft. During the Gemini 4 mission (launched June 3, 1965), astronaut Edward H. White performed the first American spacewalk, maneuvering outside the spacecraft for 20 minutes and demonstrating man’s increasing ability to function in space. Gemini 5 (Aug. 21, 1965) completed an eight-day mission, the longest spaceflight undertaken up to that time. Gemini 7 and 6 (Dec. 4 and 15, 1965, respectively) performed the first orbital rendezvous of two manned spacecraft. Gemini 12 (Nov. 11, 1966), the last in the series, made the first automatically controlled reentry into Earth’s atmosphere.
A chronology of spaceflights in the Gemini program is shown in the table.
| mission | crew | dates | notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Gemini 1 and 2 were uncrewed test flights. | ||||
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Gemini 3 | Virgil Grissom | March 23, 1965 | first spacecraft to maneuver in orbit |
| John Young | ||||
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Gemini 4 | James McDivitt | June 3–7, 1965 | first American to walk in space (White) |
| Edward White | ||||
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Gemini 5 | L. Gordon Cooper, Jr. | Aug. 21–29, 1965 | new space endurance record (7 days 23 hours) |
| Charles Conrad | ||||
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Gemini 7 | Frank Borman | Dec. 4–18, 1965 | new space endurance record (13 days 19 hours) |
| James Lovell, Jr. | ||||
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Gemini 6 | Walter Schirra, Jr. | Dec. 15–16, 1965 | first rendezvous of two crewed spacecraft (Gemini 6 and 7) |
| Thomas Stafford | ||||
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Gemini 8 | Neil Armstrong | March 16–17, 1966 | first docking of two spacecraft |
| David Scott | ||||
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Gemini 9 | Thomas Stafford | June 3–6, 1966 | unable to dock with Agena rocket stage |
| Eugene Cernan | ||||
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Gemini 10 | John Young | July 18–21, 1966 | first space walk from one spacecraft to another |
| Michael Collins | ||||
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Gemini 11 | Charles Conrad | Sept. 12–15, 1966 | first spacecraft docking on first orbit after launch |
| Richard Gordon | ||||
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Gemini 12 | James Lovell, Jr. | Nov. 11–15, 1966 | three space walks (Aldrin) that solved problems (exhaustion and suit overheating) from previous flights |
| Edwin (“Buzz”) Aldrin | ||||