QuizBowl NASA Missions

Apollo Soyuz Goals

Apollo Soyuz was the first international manned spaceflight. It was designed to test the compatibility of rendezvous and docking systems for American and Soviet spacecraft, to open the way for international space rescue as well as future joint manned flights.

Atlantis, OV-104,

Atlantis, OV-104, was named after the primary research vessel for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Massachusetts from 1930 to 1966. Atlantis was the fourth operational shuttle and made its first flight, STS-51J, on Oct. 3, 1985. The shuttle sent probes to Venus and Jupiter and carried NASA's Destiny laboratory to the International Space Station. Atlantis also served as the final shuttle servicing mission, STS-125, for NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. STS-135 will mark the 33rd mission and final flight for Atlantis. This also will be the final flight of the Space Shuttle Program.

Challenger, OV-099,

Challenger, OV-099, was named after the British Naval research vessel HMS Challenger that sailed the Atlantic and Pacific oceans during the 1870s. Challenger was the second operational shuttle and made its first flight, STS-6, on April 4, 1983. Challenger hosted missions that saw astronauts take the first-ever spacewalks with jetpacks, including the first mission to pull a satellite out of orbit, fix it and return it to service. Challenger and its seven astronauts were lost Jan. 28, 1986, when a seal on one of its boosters failed and hot gas burned through the external tank, igniting the propellants and causing the shuttle to break up in the resulting explosion. That flight, STS-51L, was Challenger's 10th mission.

Skylab 2 May 25, 1973 - June 22, 1973

Charles Conrad, Jr., Paul J. Weitz, Joseph P. Kerwin; 28 days, 50 minutes First manned mission. The crew rendezvoused with Skylab on the fifth orbit. After making substantial repairs, including deployment of a parasol sunshade which cooled the inside temperatures to 23.8 degrees C (75 degrees F), by June 4 the workshop was in full operation. In orbit the crew conducted solar astronomy and Earth resources experiments, medical studies, and five student experiments; 404 orbits and 392 experiment hours were completed; three EVAs totaled six hours, 20 minutes. Launch Vehicles: Saturn 1B

APOLLO 7 (AS-205)

Facts Lunar Module: Not flown Command and Service Module: Apollo Seven Crew: Walter M. Schirra, Jr., commander Donn F. Eisele, command module pilot Walter Cunningham, lunar module pilot Launch: October 11, 1968 16:02:45 UT Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 34 (Saturn 1B) Mission Duration: 260 hours 9 minutes 3 seconds Returned to Earth: October 22, 1968 splashdown 11:11:48 UT (7:11:48 a.m. EDT) Retrieval site: Atlantic Ocean 27° 32' N, 64° 04' W Retrieval ship: U.S.S. Essex Highlights/Notes: First U.S. three man mission First flight of Block II Apollo Spacecraft. First flight of the Apollo spacesuits. First flight with full crew support equipment. First live national TV from space during a manned space flight. Apollo 7 Launch

Skylab 4 November 16, 1973 - February 8, 1974

Gerald P. Carr, William R. Pogue, Edward G. Gibson; 84 days, 01 hour Last of the Skylab missions; included observation of the Comet Kohoutek among numerous experiments. Completed 1,214 Earth orbits and four EVAs totaling 22 hours, 13 minutes. Observed and photographed the Comet Kohutek. Increased previous length of time by about 50%. Launch Vehicles: Saturn 1B

APOLLO 1 (AS-204)

January 27, 1967 Disaster on Pad 34 Apollo 1 AstronautsTragedy struck on the launch pad during a preflight test for Apollo 204, scheduled to be the first Apollo manned mission. It would have been launched on February 21, 1967, but Astronauts Virgil Grissom, Edward White, and Roger Chaffee lost their lives when a fire swept through the Command Module (CM).

The Flight of the Apollo Soyuz Test Project

July 15-24, 1975 Apollo Crew : Thomas P. Stafford, Vance D. Brand, Donald K. Slayton Soyuz Crew: Valeriy Nikolayevich Kubasov, Alexei Arhipovich Leonov 09 days, 07 hours, 28 minutes The Soyuz was launched just over seven hours prior to the launch of the Apollo CSM. Apollo then maneuvered to rendezvous and docking 52 hours after the Soyuz launch. The Apollo and Soyuz crews conducted a variety of experiments over a two-day period. After separation, Apollo remained in space an additional 06 days. Soyuz returned to Earth approximately 43 hours after separation.

XMM Newton

Launched from Kourou, French Guiana on 10 December 1999, the European Space Agency's X-ray Multi-Mirror satellite XMM-Newton is the most powerful X-ray telescope ever placed in orbit. The mission is helping to solve many cosmic mysteries, ranging from enigmatic black holes to the formation of galaxies.

Mercury Crewed Flights Summary

Mercury, America's first human space flight program, introduced the nation to its first astronauts. There were six total flights with six astronauts flown. Total flight time for these missions was 53 hours, 55 minutes and 27 seconds.

BJ-1 Big Joe 1 Project Mercury Uncrewed Missions 2

Mission: Big Joe 1 Launch Pad: LC-14 Vehicle: Big Joe (1) SN 10-D Crew: Unmanned Milestones: Not applicable Payload: Boilerplate Spacecraft Mission Objective: Test of ablation heatshield. The nose-cone capsule for Big Joe had no retrorocket package. The inner structure held only a half-sized instrumented pressure vessel instead of a pressurized cabin contoured to the outer configuration. Built in two segments, the lower half by Lewis and the upper by Langley, the main body of the spacecraft replica was fabricated with thin sheets of corrugated Inconel alloy in monocoque construction. This model of the Mercury capsule had more than one hundred thermocouples around the capsule skin to register temperatures inside and under the heatshield, sides and afterbody. (Reference NASA SP-4201 p. 201) The Atlas 10-D was programmed to rise, pitch over horizontally to the Atlantic before it reached its 100-mile peak altitude, then pitch down slightly before releasing its corrugated nose cone at a shallow angle barely below the horizontal. Orbit: Altitude: 95 statute miles Orbits: 0 Duration: 0 Days, 0 hours, 13 minutes, 0 seconds Distance: 1,496 statute miles Max Velocity: 14,857 miles per hour Max Q: 675 psf Max G. 12 Launch: September 9, 1959, 3:19am EST, Cape Canaveral, Florida. The original launch date for Big Joe was July 4, 1959 but the launch date was postponed until mid-August by the Air Force because the booster did not checkout out perfectly at first. Then it was put off until early September by Space Task Group (STG) engineers, who were working on instrumentation and telemetry problems. Finally, the count picked up on September 8, 1959 when the Atlas 10-D (the sixth of this model to be flight tested) stood on the launch pad with a Mercury capsule (minus its escape tower). About 2:30 a.m. a 19-minute hold in the countdown was called to investigate a peculiar indication from the Burroughs computer that was to guide the launch. A malfunction was found in the Azusa impact prediction beacon, a transponder in the booster. Since there were several redundant means for predicting the impact point, the trouble was ignored and the countdown resumed. Liftoff occurred at 3:19 a.m. EST. Landing: About 7 hours after launch, the Destroyer Strong reported that she had netted the boilerplate capsule intact. Mission Highlights: The spacecraft test was successful, Launch Vehicle was a failure. The two outboard engines had not separated from the centerline sustainer engine after their fuel was exhausted. The added weight of the booster engines retarded velocity by 3000 feet per second and the capsule separated from the booster 138 seconds too late. The impact point was 500 miles short.

BA-1 Beach Abort Project Mercury Uncrewed Missions 7

Mission: Freedom 7 Launch Pad: LC-5 Vehicle: Redstone (5) Crew: Unmanned Milestones: Not applicable Payload: Spacecraft number 1 Mission Objective: Test off-the-pad escape system. Orbit: Altitude: .5 statute miles Orbits: 0 Duration: 0 Days, 0 hours, 1 minute, 16 seconds Distance: 1 statute mile Velocity: 976 miles per hour Launch: May 9, 1960 Landing: Not applicable Mission Highlights: Mission was successful.

Mercury-Atlas 7 Mercury Crewed Flights Summary

Spacecraft: AURORA 7 Mission Date: May 24, 1962 Astronaut: Scott M. Carpenter Flight Summary: 4 hours, 56 minutes, 5 seconds - Confirmed the success of the Mercury-Atlas 6 by duplicating the flight.

Mercury-Atlas 9 Mercury Crewed Flights Summary

Spacecraft: FAITH 7 Mission Date: May 15-16, 1963 Astronaut: L. Gordon Cooper, Jr. Flight Summary: 34 hours, 19 minutes, 49 seconds - The last Mercury mission; completed 22 orbits to evaluate effects of one day in space.

Mercury-Redstone 3 Mercury Crewed Flights Summary

Spacecraft: FREEDOM 7 Mission Date: May 5, 1961 Astronaut: Alan B. Shepard, Jr. Flight Summary: 15 minutes, 28 seconds - Suborbital flight that successfully put the first American in space.

Mercury-Atlas 6 Mercury Crewed Flights Summary

Spacecraft: FRIENDSHIP 7 Mission Date: February 20, 1962 Astronaut: John H. Glenn, Jr. Flight Summary: 4 hours, 55 minutes, 23 seconds - Three-orbit flight that placed the first American into orbit.

Mercury-Redstone 4 Mercury Crewed Flights Summary

Spacecraft: LIBERTY BELL 7 Mission Date: July 21, 1961 Astronaut: Virgil I. Grissom Flight Summary: 15 minutes, 37 seconds - Suborbital flight, successful flight but the spacecraft sank shortly after splashdown.

Mercury-Atlas 8 Mercury Crewed Flights Summary

Spacecraft: SIGMA 7 Mission Date: October 3, 1962 Astronaut: Walter M. Schirra Flight Summary: 9 hours, 13 minutes, 11 seconds - Six-orbit engineering test flight.

THE APOLLO PROGRAM

The Apollo program was designed to land humans on the Moon and bring them safely back to Earth. Six of the missions (Apollos 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, and 17) achieved this goal. Apollos 7 and 9 were Earth orbiting missions to test the Command and Lunar Modules, and did not return lunar data. Apollos 8 and 10 tested various components while orbiting the Moon, and returned photography of the lunar surface. Apollo 13 did not land on the Moon due to a malfunction, but also returned photographs. The six missions that landed on the Moon returned a wealth of scientific data and almost 400 kilograms of lunar samples. Experiments included soil mechanics, meteoroids, seismic, heat flow, lunar ranging, magnetic fields, and solar wind experiments.

Gemini-Titan THE SPACECRAFT

The spacecraft was an enlargement of the familiar Mercury capsule--5.8m (19 ft) long, 3m (10 ft) in diameter, and about 3810 kilograms (8400 pounds) in weight. Engineering changes simplified maintenance and made it more maneuverable for the pilots. The Titan II rocket, more powerful than the Redstone, placed the larger spacecraft into orbit. Sometimes referred to as Gemini-Titan for the craft and its launch vehicle, each flight was designated by a Roman numeral. Only the first capsule was nicknamed; Command Pilot Virgil Grissom called it the MOLLY BROWN in reference to his Mercury spacecraft that sank.

Skylab 3 July 28, 1973 - September 25, 1973

Alan L. Bean, Jack R. Lousma, Owen K. Garriott; 59 days, 11 hours Continued maintenance of the space station and extensive scientific and medical experiments. Completed 858 Earth orbits and 1,081 hours of solar and Earth experiments; three EVAs totaled 13 hours, 43 minutes. Installed a twinpole solar shield on EVA. Performed major inflight maintenance. Doubled previous length of time in space. Launch Vehicles: Saturn 1B

Columbia, OV-102

Columbia, OV-102, was named after a sloop captained by Robert Gray, who on May 11, 1792, maneuvered his ship through dangerous inland waters to explore British Columbia and what are now the states of Washington and Oregon. Columbia was the first shuttle to fly into orbit on STS-1. Its first four missions were test flights to show that the shuttle design was sound. Astronauts operated the robotic arm and put all the flight systems through evaluation phases during the test flights. Columbia deployed numerous satellites and operated several times as a laboratory in space during its missions and was the only shuttle to land at White Sands Space Harbor, in Las Cruces, N.M. Columbia and its seven astronauts were lost Feb. 1, 2003, when it broke apart during re-entry on its 28th mission, STS-107.

Discovery, OV-103

Discovery, OV-103, was named after one of the two ships used by the British explorer Captain James Cook when he discovered Hawaii and explored Alaska and northwestern Canada in the 1770s. Discovery was the third operational shuttle and made its first flight, STS-41D, in August 1984. Discovery has flown more than any other shuttle with 39 missions under its belt. Discovery's noteworthy career also includes both Return to Flight missions after the Challenger and Columbia accidents. Discovery deployed NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, which has altered the way we see and think of our universe. Discovery was the first space shuttle retired from NASA's fleet, following its STS-133 mission to the ISS in February/March 2011.

Endeavour, OV-105,

Endeavour, OV-105, was named by students in elementary and secondary schools across the nation after a ship chartered to traverse the South Pacific in 1768. Endeavour was the last space shuttle built and was ordered to replace Challenger. The shuttle made an immediate imprint on space history in May 1992 during its first mission, STS-49. Three spacewalking astronauts made the unprecedented effort to grab an orbiting satellite with their gloved hands and pull it into Endeavour's cargo bay so it could be repaired and re-launched from the shuttle. Endeavour also accomplished the first repair mission to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, basically giving the telescope contact lenses so it could peer to the farthest edges of the universe. Endeavour was the second shuttle to retire after its successful 25th mission, STS-134, which delivered the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS) to the ISS in May/June 2011.

Enterprise

Enterprise was the first space shuttle, although it never flew in space. It was used to test critical phases of landing and other aspects of shuttle preparations. Enterprise was mounted on top of a modified 747 airliner for the Approach and Landing Tests in 1977. It was released over the vast dry lakebed at Edwards Air Force Base in California to prove it could glide and land safely.

APOLLO 8 (AS-503)

Facts Lunar Module: None flown, Lunar Test Article ballast Command and Service Module: Apollo 8 Crew: Frank Borman, commander James A. Lovell, command module pilot William A. Anders, lunar module pilot Launch: December 21, 1968 12:51:00 UT (7:51:00 a.m. EST) Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A Lunar Orbit: December 24, 1968 (Total of 10 lunar orbits) Returned to Earth: December 27, 1968 splashdown 15:51:42 UT (10:51:42 a.m. EST) Mission Duration: 146 hours 59 minutes 49 seconds Retrieval site: Pacific Ocean 8° 7.5' N, 165° 1.2' W Retrieval ship: U.S.S. Yorktown Special Payload: A lunar module was not carried but a Lunar Test Article which is equivalent in weight to a lunar module was carried as ballast. Highlights/Notes: The mission was the second flight in the Apollo program and the first manned flight on the Saturn V rocket. Saturn V launch vehicle with the Apollo spacecraft on top stood 363 feet (110 meters) tall. Launched from Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center and marked the first manned use of the Moonport. The five first-stage engines developed combined thrust of 7.5 million pounds at liftoff. First humans to journey to the Earth's Moon. First pictures of Earth from deep space taken by astronauts. New world speed record: 24,200 mph (38,938 km/hr). First live TV coverage of the lunar surface.

APOLLO 14 (AS-509)

Lunar Module: Antares Command and Service Module: Kitty Hawk Crew: Alan B. Shepard, Jr, commander Stuart A. Roosa, command module pilot Edgar D. Mitchell, lunar module pilot Launch: January 31, 1971 21:03:02 UT (4:03:22 p.m. EST) Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A Landing Site: Fra Mauro (3.65 S, 17.47 W) Landed on Moon: February 5, 1971 9:18:11 UT (04:18:11 a.m. EST) EVA Duration: 9 hours 23 minutes (EVA 1: 7 hr 12 min, EVA 2: 7 hr 37 min.) Moon Rocks Returned: 42.9 kilograms LM Departed Moon: February 6, 1971 18:48:42 UT (1:48:42 p.m. EST) Time on Lunar Surface: 33 hr. 31min. [9:18:11 UT February 5, 1971 - 18:48:42 UT February 6, 1971] Returned to Earth: February 9, 1971 splashdown at 21:05:00 UT (4:05:00 p.m. EST) Mission Duration: 216 hrs. 1 min. 58 sec. Retrieval site: Pacific Ocean 27° 1' S, 172° 39' W Retrieval ship: U.S.S. New Orleans Special Payload: MET (Modularized Equipment Transport) ALSEP (Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package) Flags carried on this mission and returned to Earth included 25 United States flags, state and territories flags and flags of all the United Nations members, each four by six inches. Highlights/Notes: CSM/LM docking took six tries due to docking mechanism problem. The Apollo 14 landing site is the same site selected for the aborted Apollo 13 mission. Alan Shepard hit two golf balls on the Moon at the end of the last EVA. The crew remained in quarantine for 21 days from completion of the second EVA.

APOLLO 13 (AS-508)

Lunar Module: Aquarius Command and Service Module: Odyssey Crew: James A. Lovell, Jr. commander John L. Swigert, Jr., command module pilot * Fred W. Haise, Jr. lunar module pilot Launch: 2:13 p.m. EST, April 11, 1970, pad 39A Landing Site: Intended to be Fra Mauro became landing site for Apollo 14 Returned to Earth: April 17, 1970 splashdown at 18:07:41 UT (1:07:41p.m. EST) Mission Duration: 142 hours 54 minutes 41 seconds Retrieval site: Pacific Ocean 21° 38' S 165° 22' W Retrieval ship: U.S.S. Iwo Jima Special Payload: ALSEP Highlights/Notes: First aborted Apollo Mission Use of lunar module to provide emergency propulsion and life support after loss of service module system. First impact of the S-IVB/IU on the lunar surface. Normally it burns up in the Earth's atmosphere. * CM pilot Thomas K. Mattingly was removed 72 hours prior to scheduled launch due to presumed exposure to the german measles. He later flew on Apollo 16.

APOLLO 17 (AS-512)

Lunar Module: Challenger Command and Service Module: America Crew: Eugene A. Cernan, commander Ronald E. Evans, command module pilot Harrison H. Schmitt, lunar module pilot Launch: December 7, 1972 05:33:00 UT (12:33:00 a.m. EST) Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A Landing Site: Taurus-Littrow (20.18N, 30.76E) Landed on Moon: December 11, 1972 19:54:57 UT (02:54:57 p.m. EST) EVA Duration: 22 hours 4 minutes ( EVA 1: 7 hr 12 min, EVA 2: 7 hr 37 min., EVA 3 ended at 05:40:56 GMT on December 14.) Lunar Surface Traversed: 30 kilometers Moon Rocks Returned: 110 kilograms LM Departed Moon: December 14, 1972 22:54:37 UT (5:54:37 p.m. EST) Time on Lunar Surface: 74 hr. 59 min. 40 sec. [19:54:57 UT December 11, 1972 - 22:54:37 GMT December 14, 1972] Returned to Earth: December 19, 1972 splashdown at 19:24:59 UT (2:24:59p.m. EST) Mission Duration: 301 hr. 51 min. 59 sec. Retrieval site: Pacific Ocean 17° 53' S, 166° 7' W Retrieval ship: U.S.S. Ticonderoga Special Payload: Third mission with a lunar roving vehicle (LRV) that could transport two astronauts. The LRV could also carry tools, scientific equipment, communications gear, and lunar samples. Highlights/Notes: First geologist on lunar surface. Longest LRV traverse on a single EVA. Greatest amount of lunar samples returned to Earth.

APOLLO 11 (AS-506)

Lunar Module: Eagle Command and Service Module: Columbia Crew: Neil Armstrong ,commander Michael Collins, command module pilot Edwin Aldrin, lunar module pilott Launch: July 16, 1969 13:32:00 UT (09:32 a.m. EDT) Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A Landing Site: Mare Tranquillitatis (Sea of Tranquility) 0.67 N, 23.47 E Landed on Moon: July 20, 1969 20:17:40 UT (4:17:40 p.m. EDT) First step: 02:56:15 UT July 21, 1969 (10:56:15 p.m. EDT July 20, 1969) EVA Duration: 2 hours, 31 minutes Lunar Surface Traversed: ~250 meters Moon Rocks Returned: 21.7 kilograms LM Departed Moon: July 21, 1969 17:54:01 UT (1:54:01 p.m. EDT) Time on Lunar Surface: 21 hours, 38 minutes, 21 seconds Returned to Earth: July 24, 1969 16:50:35 UT (12:50:35 p.m. EDT) Mission Duration: 195 hr. 18 min. 35 sec. Retrieval site: Pacific Ocean 13° 19'N latitude and 169° 9'W longitude Retrieval ship: U.S.S. Hornet Special Payload: Plaque (commemorates first manned landing) Carried to Moon and returned two large American flags, flags of the 50 states, District of Columbia and U.S. Territories, flags of other nations and that of the United Nations. MEPS (Modularized Equipment Stowage Assembly) containing TV camera to record first steps on Moon and EASEP (Early Apollo Science Equipment Package). Highlights/Notes: First men on the Moon, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. First return of samples from another planetary body. The prime mission objective of Apollo 11 is stated simply: "Perform a manned lunar landing and return". First return of samples from another planetary body. These first samples were basalts, dark-colored igneous rocks, and they were about 3.7 billion years old. Plaque affixed to the leg of the lunar landing vehicle signed by President Nixon, Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr. The plaque bears a map of the Earth and this inscription: HERE MEN FROM THE PLANET EARTH FIRST SET FOOT UPON THE MOON JULY 1969 A.D. WE CAME IN PEACE FOR ALL MANKIND

APOLLO 15 (AS-510)

Lunar Module: Falcon Command and Service Module: Endeavour Crew: David R. Scott, commander Alfred M. Worden, command module pilot James B. Irwin, lunar module pilot Launch: July 26, 1971 13:34:00 UT (9:34:00 a.m. EDT) Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A Landing Site: Hadley Rille/Apennines (26.13 N, 3.63E) Landed on Moon: July 30, 1971 22:16:29 UT (6:16:29 p.m. EDT) EVA Duration: Total 18 hr. 35 min. [3 EVAs] Lunar Surface Traversed: 27.9 kilometers Moon Rocks Returned: 76.8 kilograms LM Departed Moon: August 2, 1971 17:11:22 UT (1:11:22 p.m. EDT) Time on Lunar Surface: 66 hr. 54 min. 53 sec. Returned to Earth: August 7, 1971 splashdown 20:45:53 UT (4:45:53 p.m. EDT) Mission Duration: 295 hr. 11 min. 53 sec. Retrieval site: Pacific Ocean 26° 7' N, 18° 8' W Retrieval ship: U.S.S. Okinawa Special Payload: Flags carried on this mission and returned to Earth included 25 United States flags, state and territories flags, and flags of all the United Nations members, each four by six inches. Highlights/Notes: First mission with a lunar roving vehicle (LRV) that could transport two astronauts. The LRV could also carry tools, scientific equipment, communications gear, and lunar samples. First launch of a subsatellite in lunar orbit. During Earth re-entry and descent, one of the 3 parachutes failed to open fully. As a result, descent velocity was 4.5km/hr (2.8mph) faster than planned.

APOLLO 12 (AS-507)

Lunar Module: Intrepid Command and Service Module: Yankee Clipper Crew: Charles Conrad, Jr, commander Richard F. Gordon, command module pilot Alan Bean, lunar module pilot Launch: November 14, 1969 16:22:00 UTT (11:22:00 a.m. EST) Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A Landing Site: Oceanus Procellarum — Ocean of Storms (3.01S, 23.42W) (site 7) Landed on Moon: November 19, 1969 6:54:35 UT ( 1:54:35 a.m. EST) EVA Duration: 7 hr. 45 min. [EVA 1: 3 hr. 55 min., EVA 2: 3 hr. 50 min.] Moon Rocks Returned: 34.4 kilograms LM Departed Moon: November 20, 1969 14:25:47 UT (9:25:47 a.m. EST) Time on Lunar Surface: 31 hr. 31 min. Returned to Earth: November 24, 1969 splashdown 20:58:24 UT ( 3:58:24 p.m. EST) Mission Duration: 244 hr 36 min 24 sec. Retrieval site: Pacific Ocean 15° 47' S, 165° 9' W Retrieval ship: U.S.S. Hornet Special Payload: Flags from 136 nations, the UN, 50 states and four U.S. possessions were aboard the lunar module. Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP), color TV camera, seismometer, electric generator (plutonium power source). Highlights/Notes: Saturn rocket hit by lightning twice, 32 sec. and 52 sec. after launch temporarily cutting electrical power and telemetry. TV camera was damaged shortly after Moon landing. Extensive EVAs, second covering approx. 1300 meters. Crew examined Surveyor III spacecraft which landed on Moon 2.5 years previous and returned some of its instruments to Earth. After leaving Moon, LM crashed into lunar surface creating first recorded artificial earthquake. The crew remained in quarantine for 21 days from completion of the second EVA.

APOLLO 16 (AS-511)

Lunar Module: Orion Command and Service Module: Casper Crew: John W. Young, commander Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot Charles M. Duke, Jr., lunar module pilot Launch: April 16, 1972 17:54:00 UT (12:54:00 p.m. EST) Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A Landing Site: Descartes (8° 59' 29'' S, 15° 30' 52'' E) Landed on Moon: April 21, 1972 02:23:35 UT (April 20 9:23:35 p.m. EST) EVA Duration: Total 20 hr. 14 min. [3 EVAs] Lunar Surface Traversed: 27 kilometers Moon Rocks Returned: 95.8 kilograms LM Departed Moon: April 24, 1972 01:25:48 UT (April 23 8:25:48 p.m. EST) Time on Lunar Surface: 71 hr. 2 min. Returned to Earth: April 27, 1972 splashdown 19:45:05 UT (2:45:05 p.m. EST) Mission Duration: 265 hr. 51 min. 5 sec. Retrieval site: Pacific Ocean 0° 43' S, 156° 13' W Retrieval ship: U.S.S. Ticonderoga Highlights/Notes: Second mission with a lunar roving vehicle (LRV) that could transport two astronauts. The LRV could also carry tools, scientific equipment, communications gear, and lunar samples. First uses of the Moon as an astronomical observatory. Thomas K. Mattingly performed 2 cislunar EVAs totalling 1 hr. 24 min. After LM separation from CSM, LM tumbled and planned lunar impact was not attempted. LM remained in orbit w/estimated lifetime of 1 year, impact site unknown.

APOLLO 10 (AS-505)

Lunar Module: Snoopy Command and Service Module: Charlie Brown Crew: Thomas P. Stafford, commander John W. Young, command module pilot Eugene A. Cernan, lunar module pilot Launch: May 18, 1969 16:49:00 UT (12:49:00 p.m. EDT) Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39B Lunar Orbit: May 21, 1969 Mission Duration: 192 hours 3 minutes 23 seconds Returned to Earth: May 26., 1969 splashdown 16:52:23 UT (12:52:23 p.m. EDT) Retrieval site: Pacific Ocean 15° 2' S, 164° 39' W Retrieval ship: U.S.S. Princeton Highlights/Notes: Demonstration of color TV camera. Second Apollo mission to orbit the Moon. First time the complete Apollo spacecraft had operated around the Moon and the second manned flight for the lunar module. Two Apollo 10 astronauts descended to within eight nautical miles (14 kilometers) of the Moon's surface, the closest approach ever to another celestial body. All aspects of Apollo 10 duplicated conditions of the lunar landing mission as closely as possible--Sun angles at Apollo Site 2, the out-and-back flight path to the Moon, and the time line of mission events. Apollo 10 differed from Apollo 11 in that no landing was made on the Moon's surface. Apollo 10 was the only Apollo mission to launch from Launch Complex 39B. Maximum separation between the LM and the CSM during the rendezvous sequence was about 350 miles (563 km) and provided an extensive checkout of the LM rendezvous radar as well as the backup VHS ranging device aboard the CSM, flown for the first time on Apollo 10.

APOLLO 9 (AS-504)

Lunar Module: Spider Command and Service Module: Gumdrop Crew: James R. McDivitt, commander David R. Scott, command module pilot R. L. Schweikart, lunar module pilot Launch: March 3, 1969 16:00:00 UT (11:00:00 a.m. EST) Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A Mission Duration: 241 hr 0 min. 53 sec. Returned to Earth: March 13, 1969 splashdown 17:00:54 UT (12:00:54 p.m. EST) Retrieval site: Atlantic Ocean 23° 15' N, 67° W Retrieval ship: U.S.S. Guadalcanal Highlights/Notes: The first mission in which the use of names for spacecraft was again authorized. First test of LM in space. First test of Portable Life Support System in space. Rendezvous and docking after 6 hour and 113 mile separation in space. Schweickart performed 37 minute EVA. A "D" mission, so the "D" in McDivitt on the mission patch had a red interior which signified the "D" mission. Space vehicle weight at liftoff: 6,397,005 lb. (2,901,681 kilos) Weight placed in earth orbit: 292,091 lb. (132,492 kilos.)

LJ-1 Little Joe 1 Project Mercury Uncrewed Missions 1

Mission: Little Joe 1 Launch Pad: Wallops Island Pad Vehicle: Little Joe (1) Crew: Unmanned Milestones: Not applicable Payload: Boiler Plate Capsule Mission Objective: Max Q abort and escape test. Objective was to determine how well the escape rocket would function under the most severe dynamic loading conditions anticipated during a Mercury-Atlas launching. Orbit: Altitude: .4 statute miles Orbits: 0 Duration: 0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 20 seconds Distance: .5 statute miles Launch: At 35 minutes before launch, evacuation of the area had been proceeding on schedule and the batteries for the programmer and destruct system in the test booster were being charged. Suddenly, half an hour before launchtime, an explosive flash occured. When the smoke cleared it was evident that only the capsule-and-tower combination had been launched, on a trajectory similar to an off-the-pad abort. The booster and adapter-clamp ring remained intact on the launcher. Near apogee, at about 2000 ft, the clamping ring that held tower to capsule released and the little pyro-rocket for jettisoning the tower fired. The accident report for LJ-1, issued September 18, 1959, blamed the premature firing on the Grand Central escape rocket on an electrical leak, or what missile engineers call transients or ghost voltages in a relay circuit. The fault was found in a coil designed to protect biological specimens from too rapid an abort. (Reference SP-4201 p. 208) Landing: Not applicable Mission Highlights: The mission failed to meet its objectives.

LJ-1A Little Joe 1A Project Mercury Uncrewed Missions 4

Mission: Little Joe 1A Launch Pad: Wallops Island Pad Vehicle: Little Joe (3) Crew: Unmanned Milestones: Not applicable Payload: Boilerplate Spacecraft Mission Objective: Max Q abort and Escape Test. Orbit: Altitude: 9 statute miles Orbits: 0 Duration: 0 Days, 0 hours, 8 minutes, 11 seconds Distance: 11 statute miles Max Velocity: 2,022 miles per hour Max Q: 168 psf Max G. 16.9 Launch: November 4, 1959 The launching of LJ-1A "Little Joe" on November 1959 took place at Wallops Island, Virginia. This was the second attempt to launch an instrumented capsule with a Little Joe booster, The purpose of the flight was to test the escape system under the maximum dynamic pressure conditions of an Atlas flight or about 1,000 pounds per square foot. Though the launch and recovery were successful, researchers were not able to test the escape system at maximum aerodynamic loads on this flight. Subsequent launches were successful and the Little Joe program proved the general concept of the Mercury system to be sound. Landing: Not applicable Mission Highlights: The mission was listed as a partial success.

LJ-1B Little Joe 1B Project Mercury Uncrewed Missions 6

Mission: Little Joe 1B Launch Pad: Wallops Island Pad Vehicle: Little Joe (5) Crew: Miss Sam (a monkey) Milestones: Not applicable Payload: Boilerplate Spacecraft Mission Objective: Max Q abort and Escape Test. Orbit: Altitude: 9 statute miles Orbits: 0 Duration: 0 Days, 0 hours, 8 minutes, 35 seconds Distance: 12 statute miles Velocity: 2,022 miles per hour Max Q: 1,070 psf Max G: 4.5 Launch: January 21, 1960 Wallops Island Landing: Not applicable Mission Highlights: Mission was successful. Weightless time 28 seconds.

LJ-2 Little Joe 2 Project Mercury Uncrewed Missions 5

Mission: Little Joe 2 Launch Pad: Wallops Island Pad Vehicle: Little Joe (4) Crew: Sam (a monkey) Milestones: Not applicable Payload: Boilerplate Spacecraft Mission Objective: Primate escape at high altitude Orbit: Altitude: 53 statute miles Orbits: 0 Duration: 0 Days, 0 hours, 11 minutes, 6 seconds Distance: 194 statute miles Velocity: 4,466 miles per hour Max Q: 2,150 psf Max G: 14.8 Launch: December 4, 1959 Wallops Island Landing: Not applicable Mission Highlights: Mission was successful. Weightless time 3 minutes, 13 seconds.

LJ-5 Little Joe 5 Project Mercury Uncrewed Missions 9

Mission: Little Joe 5 Launch Pad: Unavailable Vehicle: Little Joe (5) Crew: Unmanned Milestones: Not applicable Payload: Spacecraft number 3 Mission Objective: Qualify MAC Spacecraft for Maxiumum Q Orbit: Altitude: 10.1 statute miles Orbits: 0 Duration: 0 Days, 0 hours, 2 minutes, 22 seconds Distance: 14 statute miles Velocity: 1,785 miles per hour Max Q: 1,420 psf Max G: 6 Launch: November 8, 1960 Landing: Not applicable Mission Highlights: Mission was listed as a failure.

LJ-5A Little Joe 5A Project Mercury Uncrewed Missions 14

Mission: Little Joe 5A Launch Pad: Unavailable Vehicle: Little Joe (7) Crew: Unmanned Milestones: Not applicable Payload: Spacecraft number 14 Mission Objective: Max Q escape and impact test. Purpose was to primarily demonstrate the structural integrity of the highest dynamic pressure anticipated during an Atlas launch for orbital flight. Orbit: Altitude: 7.7 statute miles Orbits: 0 Duration: 0 Days, 0 hours, 22 minutes, 48 seconds Distance: 18 statute miles Velocity: 1,783 miles per hour Max Q: 1,580 psf Max G: 8 Launch: The parachutes deployed at 40,000 feet and after recovery the spacecraft actually incurred only superficial structural damage. The spacecraft was later used for the Little Joe 5B (LJ-5B) flight test. Landing: Not applicable Mission Highlights: Mission was partially successful but the test objectives were not met.

LJ-5B Little Joe 5B Project Mercury Uncrewed Missions 17

Mission: Little Joe 5B Launch Pad: Wallops Island Pad Vehicle: Little Joe (8) Crew: Unmanned Milestones: Not applicable Payload: Spacecraft number 14A Mission Objective: Max Q escape and sequence Orbit: Altitude: 2.8 statute miles Orbits: 0 Duration: 0 Days, 0 hours, 5 minutes, 25 seconds Distance: 9 statute miles Velocity: 1,780 miles per hour Max Q: 1,920 psf Max G: 10 Launch: April 28, 1961, Wallops Island Landing: Not applicable Mission Highlights: The spacecraft tests were successful, the launch vehicle was partially successful.

LJ-6 Little Joe 6 Project Mercury Uncrewed Missions 3

Mission: Little Joe 6 Launch Pad: Not available Vehicle: Little Joe (2) Crew: Unmanned Milestones: Not applicable Payload: Boilerplate Spacecraft Mission Objective: Test capsule aerodynamics and integrity Orbit: Altitude: 37 statute miles Orbits: 0 Duration: 0 Days, 0 hours, 5 minutes, 10 seconds Distance: 79 statute miles Max Velocity: 3,075 miles per hour Max Q: 3,400 psf Max G. 5.9 Launch: October 4, 1959 Landing: Not applicable Mission Highlights: The mission was listed as partially successful.

MS-1 Mercury-Scout 1 Project Mercury Uncrewed Missions 19

Mission: Mercury-Scout 1 Launch Pad: Unavailable Vehicle: Scout (1) Crew: Unmanned Milestones: Not applicable Payload: None Mission Objective: Test of Mercury Scout launch configuration. Orbit: Altitude: 0 statute miles Orbits: 0 Duration: 0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 43 seconds Distance: 0 statute miles Launch: November 1, 1961 Landing: Not applicable Mission Highlights: Mission was listed as a failure.

MA-1 Mercury-Atlas 1 Project Mercury Uncrewed Missions 8

Mission: Mercury-Atlas 1 Launch Pad: LC-14 Vehicle: Atlas (1) Crew: Unmanned Milestones: Not applicable Payload: Spacecraft number 4, Launch Vehicle 50-D Mission Objective: Qualify spacecraft and Atlas combination. The specific test ojectives were: Recover the capsule Determine the structral integrity of the Mercury capsule structure and afterbody shingles under the maximum heating conditions which could be encountered from an orbital launch Determine Mercury capsule afterbody heading rates during reentry (for this purpose 51 thermocouples were installed) Determine the flight dynamic characteristics of the Mercury capsule during reentry Determine the adequacy of the Mercury capsule recovery systems Familiarize Project Mercury personnel with launch and recovery opperations Orbit: Altitude: 8.1 statute miles Orbits: 0 Duration: 0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 0 seconds Distance: 6 statute miles Max Velocity: 1,701 miles per hour Launch: July 29, 1960 Landing: Not applicable Mission Highlights: Mission was listed as a failure.

MA-2 Mercury-Atlas 2 Project Mercury Uncrewed Missions 13

Mission: Mercury-Atlas 2 Launch Pad: LC-14 Vehicle: Atlas (2) Crew: Unmanned Milestones: Not applicable Payload: Spacecraft number 6, Launch Vehicle number 67-D Mission Objective: Qualify Mercury Atlas interfaces. Orbit: Altitude: 114 statute miles Orbits: 0 Duration: 0 Days, 0 hours, 17 minutes, 56 seconds Distance: 1,432 statute miles Velocity: 13,227 miles per hour Max Q: 991 psf Max G: 15.9 Launch: February 21, 1961 Landing: Not Applicable Mission Highlights: The mission was successful.

MA-3 Mercury-Atlas 3 Project Mercury Uncrewed Missions 16

Mission: Mercury-Atlas 3 Launch Pad: LC-14 Vehicle: Atlas (3) Crew: Unmanned, Robot operations Milestones: Not applicable Payload: Spacecraft number 8, Launch Vehicle number 100-D Mission Objective: Quick test of spacecraft/Atlas orbit. Orbit: Altitude: 4.5 statute miles Orbits: 0 Duration: 0 Days, 0 hours, 7 minutes, 19 seconds Distance: 1,177 statute miles Max Q: 880 psf Max G: 11 Launch: April 25, 1961, 11:15 a.m. EST, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. The vehicle was destroyed 40 seconds after liftoff. Landing: Not Applicable Mission Highlights: The mission was listed as a failure. Forty seconds after the Atlas left the pad, the vehicle was destroyed by the Range Safety Officer. The Mercury spacecraft separated and was recovered.

MA-4 Mercury-Atlas 4 Project Mercury Uncrewed Missions 18

Mission: Mercury-Atlas 4 Launch Pad: LC-14 Vehicle: Atlas (4) Crew: Unmanned, Robot operations Milestones: Not applicable Payload: Spacecraft number 8A, Launch Vehicle number 88-D Mission Objective: Spacecraft environmental control in orbit. Orbit: Altitude: 142.1 apogee and 98.9 perigee statute miles Orbits: 1 Period: 92 minutes, 28 seconds Duration: 0 Days, 1 hour, 49 minutes, 20 seconds Distance: 26,047 statute miles Max Q: 975 psf Max G: 7.7 Launch: September 13, 1961 Landing: Not Applicable Mission Highlights: The mission was partially successful.

MA-5 Mercury-Atlas 5 Project Mercury Uncrewed Missions 22

Mission: Mercury-Atlas 5 Launch Pad: LC-14 Vehicle: Atlas (5) Crew: Enos the chimp Milestones: Not applicable Payload: Spacecraft number 9, Launch Vehicle number 93-D Mission Objective: Primate test of Environmental Control System in Orbit. Orbit: Altitude: 147.4 apogee by 99.5 perigee statute miles Orbits: 2 Period: 88 minutes, 26 seconds Duration: 0 Days, 3 hours, 20 minutes, 59 seconds Distance: 50,892 statute miles Launch: November 29, 1961, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. Landing: Not Applicable Mission Highlights: November 29, 1961, 3 hours and 22 minutes after launch. The capsule was spotted by a P5M search airplane at an altitude of 5,000 feet. The ships Stormes and Compton were contacted and they moved into position from a distance of 30 miles away. The "Stormes" arrived in the area 1 hour and 15 minutes after landing and hauled the capsule aboard via its lanyard, cracking the onboard window. Enos, the orbiting chimpanzee fared well. He withstood a peak of 6.8g during booster-engine acceleration and 7.6g with the rush of the sustainer engine.

MR-1 Mercury-Redstone 1 Project Mercury Uncrewed Missions 10

Mission: Mercury-Redstone 1 Launch Pad: LC-5 Vehicle: Redstone (1) Crew: Unmanned Milestones: Not applicable Payload: Spacecraft number 2, Launch Vehicle MR-1 Mission Objective: Qualify spacecraft/Redstone combination Orbit: Altitude: 0 statute miles Orbits: 0 Duration: 0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 2 seconds Distance: 0 statute miles Launch: November 21, 1960 Landing: Not applicable Mission Highlights: Mission was as a failure.

MR-1A Mercury-Redstone 1A Project Mercury Uncrewed Missions 11

Mission: Mercury-Redstone 1A Launch Pad: LC-5 Vehicle: Redstone (2) Crew: Unmanned Milestones: Not applicable Payload: Spacecraft number 2A, Launch Vehicle MR-3 Mission Objective: Qualify systems for suborbital operations Orbit: Altitude: 130.7 statute miles Orbits: 0 Duration: 0 Days, 0 hours, 15 minutes, 45 seconds Distance: 235 statute miles Velocity: 4,909 miles per hour Max Q: 560 psf Max G: 12.4 Launch: December 19, 1960 Landing: Not applicable Mission Highlights: Mission was successful. Weightless time 5 minutes 30 seconds.

MR-2 Mercury-Redstone 2 Project Mercury Uncrewed Missions 12

Mission: Mercury-Redstone 2 Launch Pad: LC-5 Vehicle: Redstone (3) Crew: Ham the Chimp Milestones: Not applicable Payload: Spacecraft number 5, Launch Vehicle MR-2 Mission Objective: Primate suborbital and auto abort. Orbit: Altitude: 127 statute miles Orbits: 0 Duration: 0 Days, 0 hours, 16 minutes, 39 seconds Distance: 422 statute miles Velocity: 5,857 miles per hour Max Q: 575 psf Max G: 14.7 Launch: January 31, 1961 - Launch Complex 5/6 Kennedy Space Center, Florida Landing: Touchdown was at 12:12 p.m. with the capsule about 60 miles from the nearest recovery ship, the destroyer Ellison. Some 27 minutes after landing, a P2V search plane sighted the capsule floating upright alone in the Atlantic. The Navy dispatched helicopters from the next closest ship, the LSD Donner. Wave action after impact punched two holes in the titanium pressure bulkhead and caused the capsule to capsize. Water entered an open relief valve and allowed 800 lbs of sea water aboard before the spacecraft was recovered at 2:52 p.m. The chimpanzee Ham was recovered in good condition. Mission Highlights: Spacecraft was successful. The launch vehicle was only partially successful.

MR-BD Mercury-BD Project Mercury Uncrewed Missions 15

Mission: Mercury-Redstone Booster Launch Pad: LC-5 Vehicle: Redstone (4) Crew: Unmanned Milestones: Not applicable Payload: Boilerplate spacecraft, Launch Vehicle MR-5 Mission Objective: Perfect Mercury Redstone Booster Operations. Qualify booster for manned operation. Orbit: Altitude: 113.5 statute miles Orbits: 0 Duration: 0 Days, 0 hours, 8 minutes, 23 seconds Distance: 307 statute miles Velocity: 5,123 miles per hour Max Q: 580 psf Max G: 11 Launch: March 24, 1961, 12:30 a.m. EST, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida Landing: Not Applicable Mission Highlights: The mission was fully successful.

Gemini-1

Pad LC-19 () Titan-II (1) Milestones: Payload: Mission Objective: Demonstrate GLV performance; flight qualify subsystems, Determine exit heating of GLV and spacecraft. Demonstrate structural integrity of GLV and spacecraft; Demonstrate GLV and ground guidance systems performance in achieving proper orbital insertion; Monitor, evaluate GLV switchover circuits. Secondary Objectives included: Evaluate operational procedures for GLV trajectory and cutoff conditions; Verify orbital insertion by tracking C-band transponder in spacecraft; Demonstrate performance of launch and tracking networks; Provide training for flight controllers and prelaunch and launch crews and facilities. Launch: April 8, 1964 11:00:01.69 am EST. Orbit: Altitude: 320km x 160.3km Inclination: xxx degrees Orbits: 64 Duration: 4 Days, hours, min, seconds Distance: km Landing: April 12, 1964 Mission Highlights: Successful orbital test of the Titan-II launch vehicle, spacecraft structural integrity and launch vehicle spacecraft compatibility. Unmanned, no plan to recover. Mission terminated after 3 orbits and spacecraft disintegrated 3.5 days after launch). All primary and secondary objectives achieved.

Gemini-X

Pad LC-19 () Titan-II (10) EVA Crew: John W. Young Michael Collins Backup Crew: Alan L. Bean Clifton C. Williams, Jr. CapCom: L. Gordon Cooper Jr. (Cape, Houston) Edwin E. Aldrin (Houston) Milestones: Payload: Gemini-X capsule Mission Objective: Primary objective was to rendezvous and dock with Gemini Agena target vehicle (GATV-5005) launched as TLV-5305 from Complex 14 on 7/18/66. Secondary objectives included: Rendezvous and dock in 4th revolution. Rendezvous with Gemini Agena target vehicle GATV-8 using Agena propulsion systems, Conduct EVA, Practice docking, Perform 14 experiments, Perform system evaluation on bending-mode tests; docked maneuvers; static discharge; monitoring; post-docked Agena maneuvers; reentry guidance; park Gemini Agena target vehicle (GATV) in 352km (190.3 nm) orbit. Spacecraft weight: 3763kg. GATV weight: 8097kg Launch: July 18, 1966. 5:20:26.648 pm EST Orbit: Altitude: 753.3km (412.2 nm) Inclination: 28.85 degrees Orbits: 43 Duration: 2 days 22 hours 46 min 39 seconds Distance: km Landing: July 21, 1966. 4:07pm. Landing was at 26deg 44.7min North and 71deg 57min West. Miss distance was 6.2km (3.4 nm). Mission Highlights: 1 hour, 29 min. EVA. All primary objectives and most secondary objectives were met. The practice docking secondary objective and some experiments were canceled due to insufficent fuel reserves.

Gemini-XI

Pad LC-19 () Titan-II (11) Crew: Charles Conrad Jr. Richard F. Gordon Jr. Backup Crew: Neil A. Armstrong William A. Anders CapCom: Clifton C. Williams Jr. (Cape) John W. Young (Houston) Alan L. Bean (Houston) Milestones: Payload: Gemini-XI capsule Mission Objective: Primary objective was to rendezvous and dock with Gemini Agena target vehicle (GATV-5006) which was launched 9/12/66 from Launch Complex 14 as TLV-5306 in 1st revolution. Secondary objectives included: Practice docking, Perform EVA. Conduct 11 experiments, Maneuver while docked (high apogee excursion), Conduct tethered vehicle test, Demonstrate automatic reentry and Park GATV-10 in 352.4km orbit. Spacecraft weight: 3798kg. GATV weight: 8097kg Launch: September 12, 1966 9:42:26.546 am EST. The launch was postponed twice; On September 9 due to a small leak in the first stage oxidizer tank of the GLV; and on the 10th due to a suspected malfunction of the autopilot on the GLV. On the day of the launch there was a 16 min hold due to a suspected leak around the command pilot's hatch. Orbit: Altitude: 1368.9 km (739.2nm) Inclination: 28.83 degrees Orbits: 44 Duration: 2 Days 23 hours 17 min 8 seconds Distance: km Landing: September 15, 1966. Landing was at 24deg 15.4min North and 70deg 0.0min West. Miss distance was 4.9km (2.65nm). Recovery ship USS Guam (crew onboard in 24 min). Mission Highlights: All Primary objectives and most secondary objectives were achieved. Experiment D-16, Power Tool Evaluation was canceled when the EVA was terminated early. During EVA, astronaut Gordon tethered the two spacecraft together with a 30-meter line. Automatic reentry was successful.

Gemini-XII

Pad LC-19 () Titan-II (12) Crew: James A. Lovell Jr., Commander Edwin E. Aldrin, Pilot Backup Crew: L. Gordon Cooper, Jr. Eugene A. Cernan CapCom: Stuart A. Roosa (Cape) Charles Conrad Jr. (Houston) William A. Anders (Houston) Milestones: Payload: Gemini-XII capsule Mission Objective: Primary object was rendezvous and docking and to evaluate EVA. Secondary objective included: Tethered vehicle operation, perform 14 experiments, rendezvous and dock in 3rd revolution, demonstrate automatic reentry, perform docked maneuvers, practice docking, conduct system tests and to park Gemini Agena target vehicle GATV-12 in 555.6 km (300nm) orbit. Launch: Nov 11, 1966 3:46:33.419 pm EST. Orbit: Altitude: 301.3km (162.7nm) Inclination: 28.78 degrees Orbits: 59 Duration: 3 Days, 22 hours, 34 min, 31 seconds Distance: km Landing: Nov 15, 1966. Landed at 24deg 35min North 69deg 57min West. Miss distance was 4.8km (2.6nm) Mission Highlights: EVA time 5 hours, 30 min. All primary objectives and most secondary objectives were met. Docked maneuvers were canceled due to a propulsion anomaly during Gemini Agena target vehicle (GATV) insertion. The GATV was not placed in a 555.6km orbit because its attitude control gas was depleted by earlier maneuvers.

Gemini-2

Pad LC-19 () Titan-II (2) Milestones: Payload: Gemini-2 capsule Mission Objective: Demonstrate reentry heat protection during maximum heating reentry; Demonstrate structural integrity of spacecraft; Demonstrate satisfactory performance of major subsystems; Demonstrate checkout and launch procedures; Evaluate backup guidance steering signals through launch. Secondary objectives included: Obtain test results on fuel cell and reactant supply, cryogenics, and communications sytems; Demonstrate and further flight-qualify GLV and spacecraft from countdown thru insertion. Train flight controllers and qualify ground communications tracking system. Launch: January 19, 1965 9:03:59.861 am EST The Titan II/Gemini launch vehicle had to be dismantled to protect it from 2 hurricanes in August and September of 1964. The 2nd stage of the vehicle was taken down and stored in a hanger on 26 August 1964 in preparation for Hurricane Cleo, but the entire launch vehicle was dismantled and removed from Pad 19 in early September before Hurricane Dora passed over the Cape on September 9th. The Gemini launch vehicle was erected for the final time on Pad 19 on 12 September 1964 Gemini-II had been scheduled for launch December 9, 1964. On that date the countdown reached zero and the stage one engines were ignited. The launch vehicle's Malfunction Detection System detected technical problems due to a loss of hydraulic pressure and shutdown the engines about one second after ignition. Orbit: Altitude: 171.1 km (92.4nm) Inclination: xxx degrees Orbits: suborbital Duration: 0 Days, 0 hours, 18 min, 16 seconds Distance: 3422.4km (1848 nm) Landing: January 19, 1965 9:22:14; Landed at 16deg36m North Latitude and 49deg46m West in Atlantic ocean. Miss distance from planned landing point 62.9km. Mission Highlights: All primary mission objectives were achieved. All secondary objectives except fuel cell test were achieved. Fuel cell deactivated before liftoff.

Gemini-3

Pad LC-19 () Titan-II (3) Crew: Virgil I. Grissom (2), commander John W. Young (1), pilot Backup Crew: Walter M. Schirra, Jr. Thomas P. Stafford CapCom: L. Gordon Cooper (Cape) Roger B. Chaffee (Houston) Milestones: Payload: Gemini-3 capsule Mission Objective: Demonstrate manned orbital flight; evaluate two-man design. Demonstrate and evaluate tracking network. Demonstrate OAMS capability in orbital maneuvers and in retrofire backup. Demonstrate controlled reentry and landing. Evaluate major spacecraft subsystems. Demonstrate systems checkout, prelaunch, and launch procedures. Demonstrate and evaluate recovery procedures and systems. Spacecraft weight: 3225kg. Secondary objectives included: Evaluate flight crew equipment, biomedical instrumentation, and personal hygiene system. Perform 3 experiments. Evaluate low-level longitudinal oscillations (Pogo) of the GLV. General photographic coverage in orbit. Launch: March 23, 1965 9:24:00.064 am EST. There was one brief hold on launch day while a sensor on an oxidizer line was adjusted. Orbit: Altitude: 224km Inclination: 33.0 degrees Orbits: 3 Duration: 0 Days, 4 hours, 52 min, 31 seconds Distance: Landing: March 23, 1965. Landing at 22deg26m North and 70deg 51min West. Miss distance from landing zone 111.1km (60nm). Recovered by USS Intrepid. Crew onboard in 70 min. Mission Highlights: All primary objectives were achieved except the controlled reentry objective was only partially achieved. The angle of attack during reentry was lower than expected. Secondary objectives were only partially achieved. The personal hygiene system was only partially tested, Operating mechanism failed on S-2 - Synergistic Effect of Zero Gravity on Sea Urchin Eggs Experiment and the photographic coverage objective was only partially successful because of an improper lens setting on the 16mm camera.

Gemini-IV

Pad LC-19 () Titan-II (4) 1st NASA EVA Crew: James A. McDivitt (1), Commander Edward H. White II (1), Pilot Backup Crew: Frank Borman James A. Lovell, Jr. CapCom: Clifton C. Williams, Jr. (Cape) Virgil I. Grissom (Houston) Milestones: Payload: Gemini-IV capsule Mission Objective: Evaluate effects of prolonged space flight. Demonstrate and evaluate performance of spacecraft and systems in 4-day flight. Evaluate procedures for crew rest and work cycles, eating schedules, and realtime flight planning. Spacecraft weight: 3574kg. Secondary objectives included: Demonstrate and evaluate EVA and control by use of HHMU and tether. Stationkeep and rendezvous with second stage of GLV. Evaluate spacecraft systems. Make in-and-out-of plane maneuvers. Further test OAMS retro backup capability. Perform 11 experiments. Launch: June 3, 1965 10:15:59.562 am. Orbit: Altitude: 296.1 km (159.9nm) Inclination: 32.5 degrees Orbits: 62 Duration: 4 Days, 1 hour, 56 min, 12 seconds Distance: km Landing: June 7, 1965. Landing was at 27deg 44min North and 74deg 11min West. Landing was 81.4km from attempted landing zone. Mission Highlights: Gemini-4 was NASA's 1st Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) operation. EVA time 36min All but one primary objectives were achieved. Computer controlled reentry in the demonstration and evaluation of spacecraft systems objective was not flown because of inadvertent alteration of computer memory. All secondary objectives were met except one. The secondary objective of stationkeeping and rendezvous was only partially successful because separation and rendezvous was not attempted due to fuel consumption.

Gemini-V

Pad LC-19 () Titan-II (5) Crew: C. Gordon Cooper (2), Commander Charles Conrad, Jr (1), Pilot Backup Crew: Neil A. Armstrong Elliot M. See, Jr CapCom: Virgil I. Grissom (Cape) James A. McDivitt (Houston) Edwin E. Aldrin (Houston) Neil A. Armstrong (Houston) Milestones: Payload: Gemini-V capsule Mission Objective: Evaluate rendezvous Guidance and Navigation system with REP. Demonstrate 8-day capability of spacecraft and crew. Evaluate effects on weightlessness for 8-day flight. Spacecraft weight: 3605kg. Secondary objectives included: Demonstrate controlled reentry guidance. Evaluate fuel cell. Demonstrate all phases of guidance and control system operation needed for rendezvous. Evaluate capability of both crewmen to maneuver spacecraft to rendezvous. Checkout rendezvous radar. Execute 17 experiments. Launch: August 21, 1965; 8:59:59.518am EST. A launch attempt on August 19 was postponed due to weather conditions and problems with loading cryogenic fuel for the fuel cell. Orbit: Altitude: 349.8 km Inclination: 32.61 degrees Orbits: 120 Duration: 7 Days, 22 hours, 55 min, 14 seconds Distance: km Landing: August 29, 1965. Landing was at 29deg44min North and 69deg 45min West. Miss distance was 170.3km (92nm). Navy divers from the backup recovery ship USS DuPont (DD-941) recovered the crew and transfered them via helicopter to the USS Lake Champlain (crew onboard in 89 min). Mission Highlights: During the mission, problems developed with the fuel cell that precluded rendezvous with the radar evaluation pod (REP). Primary rendezvous G&N system with REP objective was not achieved. REP rendezvous was not attempted due to a decision to power down fuel cells. Secondary objective to demonstrate controlled reentry guidance was not achieved due to incorrect navigation coordinates transmitted to the spacecraft computer from the ground. This caused an 89mile overshoot of the landing zone. Experiment D-2, Nearby Object Photography was not conducted when REP rendezvous was canceled.

Gemini-VII

Pad LC-19 () Titan-II (6) Crew: Frank Borman (1), Commander James A. Lovell (1), Pilot Backup Crew: Edward H. White II Michael Collins CapCom: Alan L. Bean (Cape) Elliot M. See Jr. (Houston) Eugene A. Cernan (Houston) Charles A. Bassett II (Houston) Milestones: Payload: Gemini-VII capsule Mission Objective: Primary object was to conduct 14-day mission and evaluate effects on crew. Secondary objectives included: Provide target for Gemini VI-A. Stationkeep with Gemini VI-A and with second stage of GLV. Conduct 20 experiments. Evaluate lightweight pressure suit. Evaluate spacecraft reentry capability. Conduct systems tests. Spacecraft weight: 3663kg. Launch: December 4, 1965 2:30:03.702pm EST Orbit: Altitude: 327km (177.1 nm) Inclination: 28.89 degrees Orbits: 206 Duration: 13 Days, 18 hours, 35 min, 1 seconds Distance: km Landing: December 18, 1965. Landed at 25deg 25.1min North, 70.6deg 7min West Miss distance was 11.8km (6.4nm). Mission Highlights: All primary and secondary objectives were achieved.

Gemini-VI-A

Pad LC-19 () Titan-II (7) Crew: Walter M. Schirra Jr. (1), Commander Thomas P. Stafford (1), Pilot Backup Crew: Virgil I. Grissom John W. Young CapCom: Alan L. Bean (Cape) Elliot M. See (Houston) Eugene A. Cernan (Houston) Charles A. Bassett II (Houston) Milestones: Payload: Gemini-VI-A capsule Mission Objective: Primary objective was to rendezvous with Gemini-VII. Secondary objectives included: Perform closed-loop rendezvous in fourth orbit. Stationkeep with Gemini VII. Evaluate reentry guidance capability. Conduct visibility tests for rendezvous, using Gemini VII as target. Perform 3 experiments. Spacecraft weight 3546kg. Launch: Dec 15, 1965 8:37:26.471 am EST. Due to a Gemini Agena target vehicle (GATV) propulsion failure on 25 Oct, 1965 the mission was rescheduled. The Agena target vehicle Gemini Agena target vehicle GATV-5002 and TLV 5301 with which the Gemini-VI-A was to rendezvous and dock, failed to go into orbit. A launch attempt on Dec 12, 1965 failed because of a minor launch vehicle hardware problem. Orbit: Altitude: 311.3km (168.1 nm) Inclination: 28.89 degrees Orbits: 16 Duration: 1 Day, 1 hour, 51 min, 24 seconds Distance: km Landing: December 16, 1965. Landing was at 23deg 35min North and 67deg 50min West. Miss distance was 12.9km (7nm). Recovered by the USS Wasp (crew onboard in 66min). Mission Highlights: All primary objectives were achieved. Secondary objective on experiment D-8 Radiation in Spacecraft because stationkeeping with Gemini-VII interfered with the experiment.

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.

Gemini-IX-A

Pad LC-19 () Titan-II (9) EVA Crew: Thomas P. Stafford (2), Commander Eugene A. Cernan (1), Pilot Backup Crew: James A. Lovell Jr, Edwin E. Aldrin Capcoms: Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr. (Cape,Houston) Neil A. Armstrong (Houston) James A. Lovell, Jr. (Houston) Richard F. Gordon, Jr. (Houston) Milestones: Payload: Gemini-IX-A capsule Mission Objective: Primary objective was to perform rendezvous and docking and conduct EVA. Secondary objectives included: Rendezvous with ATDA (launched 6/1/66 from Complex 14) in 3rd revolution. Conduct systems evaluation and equiperiod rendezvous. Execute 7 experiments. Practice Docking, Rendezvous from above and to demonstrate controlled reentry. The original crew of Gemini-IX, Elliott M. See and Charles Bassett were killed in an airplane crash on February 28, 1966. The backup crew was named to the prime crew positions. Spacecraft weight: 3750kg. ATDA weight: 1088kg Launch: June 3, 1966 8:39:33.335 am EST. GT-9 was postponed when TLV 5303 with Gemini Agena target vehicle GATV-5004 malfunctioned on May 17. In its place, a substitute target was used for GT-9A; the Augmented Target Docking Adapter (ATDA) was launched by an Atlas on June 1, 1966 (TLV-5304) from Launch Complex 14; However GT-9A was not launched the same day as planned due to a guidance system computer problem. After a brief hold, the spacecraft was launched on the 3rd day. Orbit: Altitude: 311.5km (168nm) Inclination: 28.86 degrees Orbits: 45 Duration: 3 Days, 0 hours, 20 min, 50 seconds Distance: km Landing: June 6, 1966. Landing was at 27deg 52min N and 75deg 0.4min West. Miss distance .704 miles (.38 nm). Recovery ship USS Wasp (crew onboard in 52 min). Mission Highlights: Primary objective of rendezvous and docking was only partially achieved because the shroud on the ATDA failed to jettison. Instead GT-9A performed a number of rendezvous maneuvers, including a simulation of lunar module rendezvous. EVA time 2hours 7 min. During EVA maneuvers, Cernan's visor became fogged, and he was unable to test the Air Force maneuvering unit. Secondary objective experiment S-10, Agena Micrometerorite Collection experiment was not attempted because EVA did not take place near Gemini Agena target vehicle (GATV).

Apollo Soyuz The Spacecraft

The existing American Apollo and Soviet Soyuz spacecraft were used. The Apollo spacecraft was nearly identical to the one that orbited the Moon and later carried astronauts to Skylab. The Soyuz craft was the primary Soviet spacecraft used for manned flight since its introduction in 1967. A docking module was designed and constructed by NASA to serve as an airlock and transfer corridor between the two craft.

PROJECT GEMINI

The second U.S. manned space program was announced in January 1962. Its two-man crew gave it its name, Gemini, for the third constellation of the Zodiac and its twin stars, Castor and Pollux. Gemini involved 12 flights, including two unmanned flight tests of the equipment.

Skylab 1 May 14, 1973

Unmanned the station was launched into orbit by a Saturn V booster. Almost immediately, technical problems developed due to vibrations during lift-off. A critical meteoroid shield ripped off taking one of the craft's two solar panels with it; a piece of the shield wrapped around the other panel keeping it from deploying. Skylab was maneuvered so its Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM) solar panels faced the Sun to provide as much electricity as possible. Because of the loss of the meteoroid shield, however, this positioning caused workshop temperatures to rise to 52 degrees Celsius (126 degrees F). The launch of Skylab 2 was postponed while NASA engineers, in an intensive 10-day period, developed procedures and trained the crew to make the workshop habitable. At the same time, engineers "rolled" Skylab to lower the temperature of the workshop. Launch Vehicles: Saturn V