Earth Photographs from Gemini VI through XII (NASA SP-171)

Premium ColorsREWORDPHOTOGRAPHS of terrain and weather taken during Gemini flights showed that both geological and manmade landmarks and storms in the Earth’s atmosphere could be viewed advantageously from orbital altitudes. The many spectacular color photographs of the Earth brought back by the astronauts have both heightened men’s appreciation of their environment and increased scientists’ knowledge of it. This Special Publication contains a mere sampling of the photographs available.The Gemini program was approved in November 1961 to develop long-duration manned flight and rendezvous capabilities. In 1963 the program goals were broadened to encompass four more objectives: precise reentry control, attainment of flight and ground crew proficiency, extravehicular capability, and scientific experiments. When this program was completed in November 1966, the astronauts had acquired nearly 2000 man-hours of space-flight experience and all six objectives had been achieved.The two-week flight of Gemini VIP in December 1965 was the culmination of a series of progressively longer missions, and demonstrated that men could survive and work in space effectively for longer periods than a lunar voyage would require. A further requirement for the journey to the Moon is rendezvous and docking, and this was accomplished repeatedly by a variety of techniques. In postdocking maneuvers the Gemini astronauts used the thrust of the Agena target vehicle to set new altitude and speed records, thus increasing confidence that their successors will be able to proceed farther into space.When the Apollo spacecraft returns from the Moon, its high velocity requires that its flight path into the Earth’s atmosphere be controlled with great precision. The Gemini astronauts used aerodynamic lift generated by their spacecraft and an onboard computer to guide their vehicles to preselected landing areas. Their successes, and early Apollo flights, provided increased assurance that the men going to the Moon could return safely.Both flight and ground crews demonstrated great proficiency during the Gemini program. On rendezvous missions, the Gemini spacecraft had to be launched after the target vehicle with precision measured in seconds. This was done with complete success. Dual launching made a rendezvous possible in less than one orbit after the liftoff of the Gemini spacecraft on the 11th mission. The Mission Control Center in Houston, Tex., repeatedly controlled missions involving more than one space vehicle, and controlled a dual mission in which both vehicles were manned during the Gemini VII/VI mission.Extravehicular activity by Gemini astronauts showed the need for body restraints, and on the final mission numerous planned work tasks outside the vehicle were performed without difficulty. The technological experiments also included tethering a target vehicle to a spacecraft, as an aid to station keep Read more