This film examines NASA’s Gemini XI which was the ninth manned spaceflight mission of the Gemini program. It opens with the NASA seal (:10) and the target vehicle Agena for the Gemini XI mission (:23). Gemini XI is seen awaiting launch on pad 19 (:57). Members of the crew, Commanding Pilot Charles Conrad and Pilot Richard Gordon, execute maneuvers for the planned rendezvous (1:02) which is to be called an M=1 rendezvous (1:12). The launch window was only two seconds (1:18) and the engines erupt as it takes off in that window (1:44) and it lands in the planned orbit (2:11). The Agena target vehicle began its second revolution (2:15) as the Gemini XI began to catch up (2:20). The radar screen shows where the two are located from one another (2:32) and Commander Conrad notes he has the Agena in view. He executes the terminal phase maneuver over Australia (2:42) and the breaking maneuver over Hawaii (2:50). Conrad comes over the radio at (2:56) and performs the rendezvous (3:21) leaving the Gemini XI ready for docking (3:29). Footage follows from onboard of the actual docking (3:46). All four scheduled dockings are completed (4:19). As the Gemini neared the US on it’s 15th revolution (4:46) the space craft hatch is opened (4:59) and pilot Gordon is seen in space attached by an umbilical line (5:11). He is to remove the tether from the Agena for an exercise that was to take place the following day (6:56). Unfortunately, he is called in due to loss of vision in his right eye (7:12). This removed the exercise of using a power tool in space for the first time from the flight plan (7:23). As they neared the 26th revolution, Conrad is giving the clear to burn the primary propulsion system of the Agena (7:57). The Agena was able to carry the Gemini to a new altitude record which 325 miles higher than any other previous altitude records that had been set (8:35). A picturesque shot follows of the crew looking down upon Earth (8:46) and the men speak of the beauty of the view (9:21). Orbital velocity was decreased as they began the retrograde burn of the Agena PPS (9:45). The 29th revolution saw the hatch opened again for photography (10:12) of terrain and weather (10:19) as well as ultra violet photography experiments (10:26). This ended over Hawaii and set a new world outdoor record (10:38). Next, they prepared to undock (10:49) and the tether is seen being pulled taught afterwards (10:59). This was done to investigate modes of stabilization (11:04) and the space craft is seen taking a slow spin (11:25), then the pair stabilizing together (11:37), and the tether being released (11:57). The tether is then seen floating in space (12:02). The flight director and the mission director, Bill Schneider, are seen on the ground discussing adding a re-rendezvous to the flight plan (12:26). After the crew agrees to the addition, the second rendezvous takes place over Africa (12:50). An onboard computer was to bring the men back down to Earth (13:16) with an automatic retrofire. This happens during the 44th revolution (13:28) and the film turns to the Atlantic Ocean about 35 miles from the planned splash down point (13:36). The Department of Defense had 12 aircraft in the air watching for them (13:42). The prime recovery ship was the USS Guam (14:03) and the parachute from the space craft is spotted. The US Navy’s Sikorsky Sea King helicopter appears swinging low over the ocean to retrieve the men (14:52). Conrad and Gordon are then shot stepping out of the helicopter (15:00). Although there was one out of 11 experiments incomplete, they set many new records (15:27). As the film concludes the Gemini XI is seen one final time (16:01) and it concludes with the NASA seal (16:25).

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