Gemini-VIII

Pad LC-19 ()

Titan-II (8)

 

Crew:

Neil A. Armstrong

David R. Scott

 

Backup Crew:

Charles Conrad Jr.

Richard F. Gordon, Jr.

 

CapCom:

R. Walter Cunningham (Cape)

James A. Lovell Jr. (Houston)

 

Milestones:

Payload:

Gemini-XIII capsule

 

Mission Objective:

Primary objective was to rendezvous and dock with Gemini Agena target vehicle (GATV-5003) launched on 3/16/1966 from Complex 14 (TLV-5302) and conduct EVA operations. Secondary objectives included: Rendezvous and dock in 4th revolution. Perform docked-vehicle maneuvers, Evaluate systems and conduct 10 experiments. Spacecraft weight: 3788kg. GATV-5003 Weight: 8097.

 

Launch:

March 16, 1966. 11:41:02.389. There was a one day delay in launching the spacecraft due to minor problems with the spacecraft and launch vehicle hardware.

 

Orbit:

Altitude: 298.7km (161.3 nm)

Inclination: 28.91 degrees

Orbits: 7

Duration: 0 Days, 10 hours, 41 min, 26 seconds

Distance: km

 

Landing:

March 17, 1966. Landing was at 25deg 13.8min North and 136deg 0min East. Pacific Ocean. Recovered by the USS Mason (crew onboard in 3 hours).

 

Mission Highlights:

Gemini-VIII successfully docked with Gemini Agena target vehicle GATV-6 hours 34 min after liftoff. Because of problems with the spacecraft control system, the crew was forced to undock after approximately 30 min. The spacecraft-target vehicle combination had begun to encounter increasing yaw and roll rates. The crew regained control of their spacecraft by using the reentry control system, which prompted an early landing in a secondary landing area in the Pacific. No EVA was performed.

 

The failure was caused by an electrical short in control system. Docking and re-rendezvous secondary objectives were not achieved due to the shortened mission.

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