The first Gemini capsule flights, when NASA was still running late

To be able to prepare for its upcoming lunar missions, NASA had a detailed roadmap in the early 1960s, and its new experimental vehicle, Gemini. But the commissioning of the latter was cautious and gradual. As a result, the party was once again spoiled by the Soviets!

At the end of 1962, despite the ambition of American President Kennedy who succeeded in energizing the country to “go to the Moon before the end of this decade”, the American manned program was in a difficult position. The Mercury project, which ended in 1963 with resounding success, cannot hide the fact that the Soviets were a big step ahead… While the Gemini program, which should make it possible to test around the Earth all the technologies including NASA will need for its lunar missions, is falling behind schedule. The astronauts, especially those selected after the “Mercury Seven”, are impatient! However, the beginnings of the project are cautious.

We must ensure for the future

To understand this, we must remember that Mercury was really a very simple project, whose limited objective was indeed to show that the Americans could send a human into orbit (including 24 hours in a row, as shown in the last mission). At the same time, NASA, which is only 3 years old at the end of the program, is also managing with the US Air Force the flights of the X-15 rocket plane, and several robotic probe projects, including the probes Ranger towards the Moon, which suffers one failure after another. The lunar objective is fragile, especially since the agency manages Gemini and Apollo simultaneously, with its family of Saturn launchers (in 1963, Saturn I was already flying). However, if the press and the general public are focused on the successes of the manned program compared to those of the USSR, the most important thing is elsewhere. Gemini must in fact be a reliable vehicle above all, to later test spacewalks, long missions, rendezvous, docking in orbit and precision navigation.

Gemini I, true form and false capsule

The very first Gemini mission carried a capsule that was the right shape, but barely representative of the program. Inside, two equipment bays are installed and transmit data to ground stations. But there is no life support, no seats, no real dashboard. In reality, it is above all a question of certifying the program’s launcher, the US Air Force Titan II rocket: at NASA, we are still hesitant to use it, for fear that its vibrations would be too great for a flight reside.

The sensors will record the flight while the tracking and communication infrastructure has been improved on the NASA side. It is therefore an important test, even if it is incomplete. The behavior of the capsule in orbit is not even that important: it remains attached to the upper stage of the rocket, only has batteries to last an hour or two, and its heat shield is pierced with holes. Yes, there is no question that by bad luck it could survive its return to the atmosphere and be recovered by an Eastern bloc country…

Delays, and more delays

This first takeoff, with the Gemini I capsule, took place on April 4, 1964, and it was educational for all the teams, not so much for the flight as for the four months of preparation and delay around Cape Canaveral before the launch! But the objective is fulfilled, it is indeed Titan II which will be used for the Gemini program. All that remains is to test the capsule and the astronauts can begin their missions. This is where things get tricky. Because if the exterior of the capsule did not pose a problem, the rest of the preparations for manned flights take more time.

Gemini is a bit of a hybrid vehicle, it takes the basis of the Mercury capsules but is larger and much more capable, but it is also supposed to be a bridge to Apollo, so certain choices take time. Gemini II is an unmanned suborbital flight, which must qualify the internal systems of the capsule, as well as its ability to return to land safely.

For this, NASA teams and astronauts prepare for the end of summer, but at Cape Canaveral, the year 1964 is not kind, and in August then September, two hurricanes hit the region. Even more annoying, when the program had already fallen behind schedule and the Gemini II flight was not planned until December 1964, the Soviet Union flew its “new capsule” Voskhod with three cosmonauts!

The USSR steals the show

In reality, the USSR played a winning poker move. Voskhod is a tiny capsule, which has very few new capabilities, actually repeating many elements of Vostok, including the pressurized compartment. It was only intended for two, and it is far from having as many options as Gemini, but for a “first” and a successful publicity stunt, the Soviets have once again made their mark.

NASA continued to swallow snakes in the press, and finally flew its empty Gemini II capsule on January 19, 1965. It climbed to an altitude of 171 km, validated the design of the controls, maneuvered correctly and landed without incident major ! And this time, it is truly ready for its first occupants, because during several simulated countdowns on the ground, the Gemini program astronauts rehearsed the procedures for future launches.

The USSR will repeat its “bad move” a few months later, while Gus Grissom and John Young prepare for the very first manned flight of Gemini. Indeed, there was a debate at NASA on the objectives of this flight: many people support the idea of ​​a “great first” with Gemini III. And absolutely… It would be entirely possible. Yes, the design of the capsule is validated, which means that there is enough to keep the suits closed, depressurize the interior, open one or both occupant hatches and carry out an IVA: even without “ go out” or let yourself float several meters away, the weight of the historical images would be phenomenal…

But for several months, NASA has already had other plans for this first manned flight, which must simply qualify the capsule and its capabilities to change its orbit. There’s no question of staying up there for several days, or opening the doors, or any antics outside. The astronauts who are preparing for it are the following, those from Gemini IV, with special equipment. But not everyone believed that. In particular the Soviets: since knowing the capabilities of the Gemini capsules, they have been preparing their own mission with Voskhod for a first spacewalk.

No spacewalk for Gemini III

And as the American program makes no secret, Voskhod-2 will take place just a few days before the first Gemini manned mission. Once again, it’s a Soviet cosmonaut (Alexei Leonov) who makes the headlines on March 18… Not another week will pass before Grissom and Young take off aboard Gemini III on March 23! The latter is in a deliberately very low orbit, so that the capsule can return to the atmosphere on its own in the event of a propulsion problem.

During their 3 orbits and less than 5 hours of flight, the two astronauts will test the attitude settings (orientation), communications with the ground, give their feelings about takeoff, and most importantly, test the thrusters main for orbit changes. Everything went remarkably well on board, and John Young was able to take the now famous corned beef sandwich he had taken on board from his suit pocket without telling anyone. Funny anecdote for which the astronaut still got a slap on the wrist: being a test flight, it would have been frowned upon if it created a short circuit or a breakdown because of a bad crumb. placed…

Gemini: business is picking up!

Despite a somewhat short landing (85 km from the planned point due to poorly calculated aerodynamics during the passage through the upper atmosphere), Gemini III is a success. NASA is watching and learning, there are some changes that will be made on the next flight. And in the United States, the successful flight will still make headlines, even though the Soviets once again overtook them just short of the finish line. As for manned flights, this is even one of the last times: in just 20 months, the American agency will fly 7 additional Gemini missions, and will finally show all its technical progress to prepare for Apollo. This deserved a groping start…