Episode 52: Project Gemini, Part IV

 

When Gemini 6 flew within 1 inch (or 30 centimeters) of Gemini 7, it was the closest two vessels had ever been to each other in space. Pilot Wally Schirra said he was able to get so close thanks to the lack of turbulence in space. After getting into position, Schirra realized he had used much less fuel than he thought he would so he took the time to fly literally circles around his colleagues in the Gemini 7 capsule. The Rendezvous was also aired on live TV (I've posted a video of the rendezvous below - I start it at the time of the rendezvous but if you want to see the launch of Gemini 6A, back the viedo up to the beginning).

After the Rendezvous and splashdown, the recovery of the crew by the sailors on the USS Wasp was the first astronaut recovery shown on live TV (the video of the recovery also includes the splashdown. I've have it set to start with the recovery but if you want to see the splashdown, back it up to the beginning).

And now, for the promised Gemini mission patches

This was the first of two retroactivly designed mission patches after the Gemini 5 patch was designed. The Gemini 3 insignia consided of the Gamini 3 capsule after splashdown, awaiting recovery with the capsule name Molly Brown. The image and capsule name are surrounded by the name's of the two crew members.

This was the second of two retroactivly designed mission patches after the Gemini 5 patch was designed. The crew wanted to name their capsule American Eagle but NASA decided after Gus Grissom named his the Molly Brow, it was time they were no longer going to allow astronauts to name thier capsules. With that in mind, the Gemini 4 insignia is an eagle over the Gemini capsule, encircled by the Gemini 4 crew's names.

The first mission patch worn by a crew in space was Gemini 5's. It consisded of a conestoga wagon, due to the pioneering nature of the flight - staying in space for eight days - with the slogan 8 Days of Bust on the wagon cover. NASA managers objected to the slogan, fearing that if for any reason the mission had to be aborted before the eight day mark, the media and the public would condsider it a bust so a canvas was hand sewn on the patches the astronauts wore to cover the slogan, making it a true covered wagon.

Gemini 6's insignia used a hexangonal shape to reperesent the misison number and the spacecraft's trajectory also traces out the number 6. The spacecraft is shown superimposed on the twin stars Castor and Pollux from the constalletion Gemini. The second spacecraft on the patch represents Gemini 7, which Gemini 6 would rendezvous with.

The Gemini 7 misison insignia features an olympic torch to sympolize the marathon aspect of the 14-day mission. There is also a stylized Gemini capsule and a roman numeral 7. This is the first Gemini misison insignia to not feature its astronauts' names (though th enames were added to souvenir copies sold to the public. Gemini 9 and 10 would follow suit, but not 8.

Gemini 7's alternate crew also jokingly designed a patch, featuring an until torch, an offered a lighter, and the question, "Need a light - Frank? Jim?"