A historic space mission launched 50 years ago today – it would be the last in a series of missions before NASA’s Apollo program begun and landed humans on moon. The program was Gemini; it tested many important components that would become part of the Apollo missions that followed.
Gemini 12, NASA’s last mission of the series, was launched from Cape Canaveral on November 11, 1966. The mission accomplishments included three spacewalks, or extravehicular activities (EVAs) and the vehicle successfully rendezvoused with a target vehicle, Agena.
Gemini 12. Image Credit: NASA
The spacecraft had two parts – the module for reentry and an adapter module at the base of the spacecraft.
Who were the astronauts? Jim Lovell and Buzz Aldrin.
Testing during Gemini evaluated new equipment which would be useful for future manned missions. The spacecraft was designed for two people instead of the single-person occupancy of NASA’s previous program, Mercury. Because Gemini laid down a strong foundation of testing and human spaceflight, Apollo was successful in sending humans to the moon.
Learn more about Gemini at NASA.gov.