Friday, April 8, 2016

Gemini VI-A and VII

The first manned rendevouz with another spacecraft, 1965.

Walter M. Schirra, Jr. and Thomas P. Stafford in Gemini VI-A.

Frank F. Borman, II and James A. Lovell, Jr in Gemini VII.

The spacecraft never actually docked.

They just kissed noses.

520px Gemini 7 in orbit GPN 2006 000035

3 comments:

  1. Very cool pic. Notice in the distance the very thin layer of blue above the earth's surface. That's all there is to our life sustaining atmosphere. Beyond it is the vacuum of space. The capsules look pretty cool too!

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    Replies
    1. Yeah, I love this stuff, Jeff.

      If humanity makes it - that is, if it can manage to survive for another millennia or two without blowing itself to smithereens - than our future will include Earth, of course, but it will also include other parts of the solar system and beyond that, even.

      It's a little frustrating that at the very dawn of space exploration the US decides to drag its feet after the fall of the Soviet Union.

      We should already be on Mars.

      At least JFK had the vision to give us the moon.

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    2. Mike,
      We all know that NASA's real mission is outreach to Muslims, whose contributions to space exploration and well as to the existence of space itself is something Americans all need to show appreciation for. :0)

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