The ‘NASA Manned Space Flight Quarterly Report 14’ focuses on the period of July, August and September 1966 (:40). This was a time when Apollo Saturn hardware was undergoing qualification tests and the Gemini space program was wrapping up. Beginning with the Gemini X mission, astronauts John Young and Michael Collins are filmed as they entered the space craft (1:14). In space they are seen rendezvousing with the Agena target vehicle (1:31), station keeping (1:49), docking with the Agena (1:51), and igniting the target vehicle’s propulsion system (2:13). The burn was photographed from the inside by the crew (2:17). Footage of the retrofire and re-entry into Earth follows (3:43) along with other shots taken of the ionized wake which surrounds the space craft as they re-entered the atmosphere (3:43). Gemini XI was the next mission with pilots Charles Conrad and Richard Gordon (4:06). In space, Gemini XI meets with its target vehicle (4:21) and Gordon conducts the first extra vehicular activity of connecting a tether (4:50) to be used in exercise the following day. The pilot’s hatch is seen open (5:22) and this was done twice on the mission, once to photograph earth features and star fields of scientific interests. Other footage of the mission includes Conrad igniting the Agena propulsion system (5:32) causing them to reach new altitude and velocity records (6:01), a slow spin conducted while station keeping with tether attached (6:27) and the second rendezvous (6:52) as well as the final separation. The landing was to be completely automatically controlled for the first time (7:00) and it is a success. For Apollo-Saturn 1, there were two unmanned flight missions (7:17). The heaviest payload as of yet was launched into Earth orbit from JFK Space Center (7:57). Propellants were studied on this mission in space and televised footage of the liquid follows (8:36). The second Apollo-Saturn 1 launch was to be one of the final steps in qualifying the vehicle for manned missions (9:42). Footage follows of the first stage separation and launch escape system separation (10:36). Again, the re-entry and ionized wake formed around the craft was filmed (11:43). The Earth landing sequence was also recorded including drogue and main parachute release (12:08). The crew of Apollo 1, Virgil Grissom, Edward White and Roger Chaffee are seen preparing for their mission (12:57) which would never take place as during a launch rehearsal test a cabin fire broke out killing all three. Final assembly and check outs are seen conducted at Grumann aircraft center of the lunar module (13:07). For Apollo-Saturn V, at the JFK center, tests of pad A were conducted at launch complex 39 (13:40), a mobile service structure is transported to Pad A (14:19) and major parts of hardware for Apollo-Saturn V arrived at launch complex 39 (14:52). Other advancements for the project included the spacecraft and service module undergoing factory check outs at North American Aviation (15:42), static firings of the ground test vehicle (16:14), and the lunar module continued with qualification and development testing (16:48). A new centrifuge was installed in the Manned Spacecraft Center (16:57) and the computer programming tapes at JFK space center were completed (17:38). Footage follows of the first annual management symposium which was organized by NASA and the Department of Defense and Industry (18:16). The launch of the unmanned Lunar Orbiter 1 is shown at (18:40) and it returned information about possible lunar landing sites (18:47). The film wraps up and points to how these missions were in preparation and leading into the Apollo lunar landing mission.

We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment! See something interesting? Tell people what it is and what they can see by writing something for example: “01:00:12:00 — President Roosevelt is seen meeting with Winston Churchill at the Quebec Conference.”

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com