Made by NASA, this historic film gives an overview of the entire Gemini X mission and features imagery of the control centers, tracking centers, and Navy support given to the mission, from launch to splashdown and recovery by the crew of the USS Guadalcanal. At the 1:05 point, the Atlas Agena rocket is seen at launch. Gemini 10 (officially Gemini X) was a 1966 manned spaceflight in NASA’s Gemini program. It was the 8th manned Gemini flight, the 16th manned American flight and the 24th spaceflight of all time. Gemini X was launched on 18 July 1966. The mission was flown by John W. Young and Michael Collins. The mission rendezvoused and docked with an Agena docking target. The Agena engine was used to raise the orbit of the docked spacecraft.
Michael Collins conducted two EVA’s during the mission. The first space walk, conducted while standing in the open hatch, lasted 49 minutes. The second space walk, involving retrieval of experiments from the Agena, lasted 39 minutes.
America’s Gemini program consisted of two unmanned and ten manned missions flown during 1965 and 1966. The highly successful Gemini program helped bridge the gap between the Mercury and Apollo programs.
The Gemini spacecraft was composed of five major components, including a rendezvous and recovery section, re-entry control system, cabin section, retrograde section, and an equipment section. The base of the equipment section interfaced with the Titan II rocket. The Titan II, originally developed as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), was modified as a launcher for Gemini spacecraft.
The astronauts sat side by side in the capsule. The commander, known as the command pilot, sat in the left seat, while the pilot sat in the right seat. The crew sat in ejection seats. Lacking an escape tower similar to Mercury or the later Apollo spacecraft, the ejection seats provided a way for the astronauts to escape from the vehicle, at least at low altitudes.
Gemini program objectives included long-duration missions, lasting as long as two weeks, as well as orbital maneuvering, rendezvous and docking. Several docking targets, including the GATV (Gemini Agena Target Vehicle) and the ATDA (Augmented Target Docking Adapter), were developed. The docking targets were launched separately on Atlas rockets.
Gemini spacecraft were investigated for use by the United States Air Force. Sometimes referred to as Gemini-B or Blue Gemini, these proposed missions would conduct military operations as part of the Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) project. The Gemini 2 spacecraft was re-flown on an Air Force Titan-IIIC in 1966.
Land recovery, using landing skids and an inflatable wing, were investigated early in the program. However, time constraints required switching to a more traditional parachute and ocean landing. Several developmental spacecraft, including Gemini TTV-1, TTV-2, and El Kabong, were constructed to test techniques for landing spacecraft on existing runways.
Experience gained during project Gemini proved critical to the success of the Apollo lunar missions later in the decade.
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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 and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
