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Gemini VI

Gemini VI-A
Gemini 7 in orbit - GPN-2006-000035.jpg
Gemini VI-A (foreground) and Gemini VII make the first rendezvous in orbit between two manned spacecraft
Operator NASA
COSPAR ID 1965-104A
SATCAT no. 1839
Mission duration 1 day, 1 hour, 51 minutes, 24 seconds
Distance travelled 694,415 kilometers (374,954 nautical miles)
Orbits completed 16
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft Gemini SC6
Manufacturer McDonnell. Phrase m
Launch mass 3,546 kilograms (7,818 lb)
Crew
Crew size 2
Members Walter M. Schirra, Jr.
Thomas P. Stafford
Start of mission
Launch date December 15, 1965, 13:37:26 (1965-12-15UTC13:37:26Z) UTC
Rocket Titan II GLV, s/n 62-12561
Launch site Cape Kennedy LC-19
End of mission
Recovered by USS Wasp
Landing date December 16, 1965, 15:28:50 (1965-12-16UTC15:28:51Z) UTC
Landing site North Atlantic Ocean
23°35′N 67°50′W / 23.583°N 67.833°W / 23.583; -67.833
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Low Earth orbit
Perigee 270 kilometers (150 nautical miles)
Apogee 274 kilometers (148 nautical miles)
Inclination 28.9 degrees
Period 89.95 minutes
Epoch December 15, 1965

Gemini 6A patch.png

Gemini 6 prime crew.jpg
(L-R) Stafford, Schirra
← Gemini 7
Gemini 8 →

Gemini 6A patch.png

Gemini 6A (officially Gemini VI-A) was a 1965 manned United States spaceflight in NASA's Gemini program. The mission achieved the first manned rendezvous with another spacecraft, its sister Gemini 7. Although the Soviet Union had twice previously launched simultaneous pairs of Vostok spacecraft, these established radio contact with, but came no closer than several kilometers of each other, while the Gemini 6 and 7 spacecraft came as close as one foot (30 cm) and could have docked had they been so equipped.

Gemini 6A was the fifth manned Gemini flight, the 13th manned American flight, and the 21st manned spaceflight of all time (including X-15 flights over 100 kilometers (54 nautical miles)).

This was the prime crew on Gemini 3

The original Gemini 6 mission, scheduled for launch on October 25, 1965 at 12:41 pm EDT, had a planned mission duration of 46 hours 47 minutes, completing a total of 29 orbits. It was to land in the western Atlantic Ocean south of Bermuda.

The mission was to include four dockings with the Agena Target Vehicle. The first docking was scheduled for five hours and forty minutes into the mission. The second was scheduled for seven hours and forty-five minutes, the third at nine hours and forty minutes, and the fourth and final docking at ten hours and five minutes into the mission. The final undocking would take place at 18 hours and 20 minutes into the mission. At 23 hours and 55 minutes into the mission, while the spacecraft passed over White Sands, New Mexico, the crew was to attempt to observe a laser beam originating from the ground. The retrorockets were scheduled to be fired at 46 hours and 10 minutes into the mission over the Pacific Ocean on the 29th orbit.


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