Gemini

Steps to the Moon

David J Shayler

In May 1961 President John F. Kennedy promised the American people that there would be a manned Moon landing by the end of the decade - but at this time the longest that any astronaut had spent in space was 15 minutes. In his speech, Kennedy spoke of the mammoth efforts needed to achieve this goal, in commitment, funds and technology.

Gemini: Steps to the Moon is the story of the second phase of that effort, from the perspective of the engineers, flight controllers and astronauts who were involved. It follows the development of the program from its earliest days to the splashdown of the final mission in November 1966. David Shayler documents the growing mastery of the essential challenges of extended duration flight, rendezvous and docking, space-walking and the creation of an experienced team of astronauts and flight controllers.

Drawing upon air-to-ground commentary, as well as interviews and personal recollections, the ‘bridge to Apollo’ is constructed chapter by exciting chapter.

Table of Contents

Foreword
Author’s preface
Acknowledgements
List of illustrations and tables
Acronyms, abbreviations and notes
Prologue

Origins


• To the edge of space
• The dawn of the Space Age
• Mercury Mark II
• Mercury Mark II developments
  
  Hardware
  
  
• The Gemini budget, 1962 - 1967
• Gemini spacecraft features
• Launch vehicles
• Target vehicles
• Ground support
  
  Preparations
  
  
• The spaceflight logbook, 1961
• The Mercury Seven
• Training the Next Nine
• Training for a Gemini mission
  
  Flight Operations
  
  
• Planning for flight
• Test hardware
• The Gemini pre-launch sequence
• The Gemini missions, 1964 - 1966
• Flight tests: Gemini 1, 2 and 3, 1964 - 1965
• Extending the duration: Gemini 4, 5 and 7, 1965
• Initial rendezvous and docking operations: Gemini 6, 8 and 9, 1965 - 1966
• Pushing the envelope: Gemini 10, 11 and 12, 1966
• Enter Apollo
  
  Flight Tests
  
  
• Testing the ejector seat system
• Trouble with the Titan
• Gemini test flights
• Gemini 2 (GT-2)
• Gemini 3 (GT-3)
  
  Endurance
  
  
• The 14-day target
• Four days of Gemini 4
• Eight days or bust!
• In the front seat of a Volkswagen
  
  Rendezvous and Docking
  
  
• Theory and practise
• The Agena target vehicle
• Plans for Gemini - Agena
• Docking with the Agena
• The learning curve
• Seven. . . six. . . count-down to rendezvous
• Agena, ATDA and an alligator
• Agenas, altitudes and tethers
• From pad to Agena in one orbit
  
  EVA Operations
  
  
• EVA from Gemini
• Gemini 4 EVA
• A difficult act to follow
• Learning the hard way
• EVA at Agena
  
  Re-Entry and Landing
  
  
• Development of the paraglider
• The paraglider development programme
• The test vehicle programme
• Parachute recovery
• Summary of re-entry and recovery
  
  Experiments
  
  
• Experiments on Gemini
• Integration of experiments
• The experiments
  
  Military Gemini
  
  
• The X-20 Dyna Soar
• USAF co-operation in Gemini
• Blue Gemini
  
  A Place in History
  
  
• Lost missions of Gemini
• A place in history
  
  Appendix
  The Astronauts
  Bibliography
  Index

Extent: 464 pages
Binding: paperback
Publication Date: July 2001
ISBN: 978-1-85233-405-5

Home

Praxis Publishing - Leaders in Scientific Publishing © 2008 All rights reserved