LA CONQUETE SPATIALE ET LA GUERRE FROIDE : Le programme GEMINI !
Video from the channel Jules Marchand about Project Gemini, linked on its Above Ten Thousand entry. Duration: 10:48. Language: French. Video type: Documentary.
What it's about
An informative video, in a very informal tone, that reviews the Gemini programme mission by mission. It presents it as a rehearsal in Earth orbit of the techniques that the Moon voyage would later demand: orbital rendezvous, docking and spacewalks.
Historical context
According to the video, the programme ran from 1961 to 1966 and had twelve missions, all launched on the Titan II rocket. Gemini 1 and 2 flew uncrewed to test the hardware. Gemini 3, in March 1965, carried two astronauts, and on Gemini 4 Ed White made the first American spacewalk, shortly after Leonov's.
Highlights
Gemini 5 was a long flight that tested the fuel cell. Gemini 7 lifted off on 4 December and Gemini 6 on the 15th, to approach it without docking. On Gemini 8, Neil Armstrong and David Scott achieved the first docking with an Agena, but a stuck attitude thruster sent the craft spinning until the crew was close to blacking out; Armstrong aborted the mission. Gemini 9 made a spacewalk but could not dock with its target. Gemini 10 and 11 each docked with an Agena, made spacewalks and set altitude records; on Gemini 10 the spacewalk was carried out by Michael Collins. Gemini 12 was devoted to Buzz Aldrin's spacewalks, which totalled around five hours outside the craft, and ended on 15 November 1966, closing out the programme.