Nothing But the Facts About NASA's Project Gemini - by John Sinitsky
Gemini Project Images
The Facts
Gemini Program Period: The Gemini Program operated from 1965 to 1966
Primary Mission Objective: Testing the crew and equipment for long-term space flights
Secondary Mission Objectives: Docking orbiting vehicles, vehicle navigation, mastering atmospheric entry, landing in pre-selected site, extra-vehicular activity
Goal achieved: June, 7 1965 (Gemini IV)
Name Origin: Gemini – third constellation of Zodiac, featuring twin stars Castor and Pollux (the spacecrafts were designed for a crew of 2)
Program Cost: 5.4 billion (2007)
Spacecraft Crew: Two – command pilot, pilot
Spacecraft Designed By: Jim Chamberlin, Canadian aerospace engineer
Spacecraft Dimensions: Diameter 10 ft (3.05m), Volume 90 cubic feet (2.55 cubic meters)
Spacecraft Weight: 8490 lb (3851kg)
Spacecraft Maximum Duration: 14 days
Spacecraft Orbital Apogee: 250 miles (402 km)
Spacecraft Orbital Perigee: 100 miles (160 km)
Boosters: Titan II rockets
Total Spacecraft Produced: 12, by McDonnel Aircraft company
Robotic Flights: 2
First Unmanned Flight: April 8-12, 1964
First Unmanned Flight Duration: 3 days, 23 hours
Manned Flights: 10
First Manned Flight: March 23, 1965
First Manned Flight Duration: 4 hours, 52 minutes, 31 seconds
First Manned Flight Mission: Gemini -Titan III
First Manned Flight Crew: Virgil Ivan “Grus” Grisson, John Watts Young
Second Manned Flight: June 3-7 1965
Second Manned Flight Duration: 4 days 1 hour 56minutes 20 seconds
Second Manned Flight Crew: James Alton McDivitt, Edward Higgins White II – first American to walk in space (22 minutes EVA)
Notable Mission: Gemini VIII – first docking in space
Gemini VIII Crew: Neil Alden Armstrong, David Randolph Scott
Last Flight: November 11-15, 1966
Last Flight Duration: 3 day 22 hours 34 minutes 31 seconds
Last Flight Mission: Gemini XII
Last Flight Crew: James Arthur Lovell, Edwin Eugene “Buzz” Aldrin. – record EVA (5 hours 30 minutes)
Interesting data
NASA and USAF were initially required to have a joint control of the program, but later the supervision was handed solely to NASA.
Gemini was the first American space mission to have an onboard computer.
A member of Mercury-7 group, astronaut Gus Grissom was heavily involved in the Gemini program.
All but one Gemini vehicle (Gemini 1 was destroyed) are exhibited in various venues in the US – including US Air Force museum and NASA museum.
References
Content:
https://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/SPACEFLIGHT/gemini/SP18.htm
https://science.ksc.nasa.gov/history/gemini/gemini.html
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%94%D0%B6%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B8
Images:
science.howstuffworks.com
science.ksc.nasa.gov