Size: Size: 16.5 x 9.3 cm.
Description:
Cover with flown pieces of heatshield flown on Gemini 9A.
Gemini 9A (officially Gemini IX-A) was a 1966 manned spaceflight in NASA's Gemini program. It was the seventh manned Gemini flight, the 13th manned American flight, and the 23rd spaceflight of all time (includes X-15 flights over 100 kilometers (62 mi)). The original crew of Gemini 9, pilot in command Elliot See and pilot Charles Bassett, were killed in an accident on February 28, 1966 while flying a T-38 trainer jet to the McDonnell Aircraft plant in St. Louis, Missouri to inspect their spacecraft. Their deaths promoted the backup crew, Thomas P. Stafford and Eugene Cernan, to the prime crew. The mission was renamed Gemini 9A after the original May 17 launch was scrapped when the mission's Agena target vehicle was destroyed after a launch failure. The mission was conducted from June 3 to 6, 1966, after the launch of the backup Augmented Target Docking Adapter (ATDA). Stafford and Cernan encountered the ATDA, but were unable to dock because the nose fairing had not ejected from the docking target due to a launch preparation error. Cernan conducted a two-hour extravehicular activity, during which he was planned to demonstrate free flight in an autonomous rocket package, the USAF Astronaut Maneuvering Unit. He was unable to accomplish this due to stress, fatigue, and overheating.
Gemini 9A spacecraft on display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor's Center. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Gemini 9A spacecraft on display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor's Center. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
