Project Gemini
Project Gemini was the second U.S. manned space program. It was announced in January 1962. Its two-man crew gave it its name, Gemini, for the constellation Gemini which means "twins". Gemini had 12 space flights, including two unmanned flights to test equipment. Like Mercury's, its major objectives were simple:
· To subject two men and supporting equipment to long duration flights which was a requirement for projected later trips to the moon or deeper space.
· To effect rendezvous and docking with other orbiting vehicles, and to maneuver the docked vehicles in space, using the propulsion system of the target vehicle for such maneuvers.
· To perfect methods of reentry and landing the spacecraft at a pre-selected land-landing point.
· To gain additional information concerning the effects of weightlessness on crew members and to record the physiological reactions of crew members during long duration flights.
A brief summary of the Gemini flight results reveals how successful the Gemini Program was. All of the major objectives were met as well as many other objectives assigned to each mission, with the exception of land landing which was canceled from the Gemini Program in 1964. However, the precision control necessary to achieve the land landing objective was demonstrated.
