The three scientific experiments: synoptic terrain photography, synoptic weather photography, and visual acuity in the space environment were all completed successfully. The astronauts were pronounced in "better than expected" physical condition after their two week flight.Īll primary mission objectives were successfully completed. Total mission elapsed time was 330:35:01, making this the longest anyone had ever stayed in space. The astronauts were recovered by helicopter and brought aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Splashdown followed at 9:05:04 in the western Atlantic southwest of Bermuda at 25.42 N, 70.10 W, only 12.2 km from the target point. Retrorockets were fired at the end of revolution 206 on 18 December at 8:28:07 a.m. Gemini 7 remained in Earth orbit and reentered two days later. Gemini 6A returned to Earth on December 16. At the end of stationkeeping Gemini 6A fired thrusters to move to a position roughly 50 km away from Gemini 7 for drifting flight during the sleep period. This marked the first time two spacecraft were maneuvered with respect to each other by their crews. During the maneuvers, all four astronauts on both spacecraft took turns in the formation flying activities and photographs were taken from both spacecraft. Stationkeeping maneuvers involving the spacecraft circling each other and approaching and backing off continued for 5 hours 19 minutes over three and a half orbits. EST with the two Gemini spacecraft in zero relative motion at a distance of 110 meters. Gemini 6A caught up to Gemini 7 and rendezvous was technically achieved and stationkeeping begun on 15 December at 2:33 p.m. Some 20 hours later Lovell removed his suit as well and both astronauts operated without suits for the remainder of the mission except for the rendezvous with Gemini 6A and reentry.Įxperiments were conducted over the next few days and on 15 December Gemini 6A was launched. On 10 December 140 hours into the mission Lovell put his suit back on and Borman removed his. On 9 December the orbit was circularized to 299.7 x 303.7 to prepare for the rendezvous exercise with Gemini 6A. The first five days were spent conducting experiments and spacecraft tests. On 6 December, 45 hours into the mission, Lovell removed his spacesuit to evaluate the shirtsleeve environment. On the third revolution the perigee was raised to 230 km to ensure an orbital lifetime of 15 days. Immediately after separation Gemini 7 began stationkeeping operations with the Titan II second stage at distances from 6 meters to 80 km over a period of 17 minutes. Gemini 7 was launched from Complex 19 at 2:30:03 p.m. The crew members had three scientific, four technological, four spacecraft, and eight medical experiments to perform. Its mission priorities were (1) to demonstrate a 2-week flight, (2) to perform stationkeeping with the Gemini launch vehicle stage 2, (3) to evaluate the 'shirt sleeve' environment and the lightweight pressure suit, (4) to act as a rendezvous target for Gemini 6, and (5) to demonstrate controlled reentry close to the target landing point. It carried astronauts Frank Borman and Jim Lovell on the 14 day mission. Gemini 7 was the fourth crewed Earth-orbiting spacecraft of the Gemini series, having been launched before Gemini 6A.
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