#62-12561

"The Gemini 6A prime crew goes through simulated flight test activity in the white room atop Pad 19 at Cape Kennedy, Florida. Astronauts Walter M. Schirra Jr. (left), command pilot; and Thomas P. Stafford, pilot, are preparing for a two-day mission in space. NASA will attempt to rendezvous the Gemini-6 spacecraft with the Gemini-7 spacecraft."

Date: December 8, 1965

Astronauts Thomas P. Stafford (left), and Walter M. Schirra Jr.

Original patch design for GT-6

Command Pilot: Walter M. Schirra Jr.

Pilot: Thomas P. Stafford

Launch Date: October 25, 1965

Vehicles: Gemini SC6, Titan II GLV s/n 62-12561, Gemini-Agena Target Vehicle (GATV-5002), Atlas-Agena (TLV-5301)

"The original Gemini 6 mission, scheduled for launch on October 25, 1965, at 12:41 pm EDT, had a planned mission duration of 46 hours 47 minutes, completing a total of 29 orbits. It was to land in the western Atlantic Ocean south of Bermuda."

"The Gemini-6 spacecraft (right) and the Agena Target Vehicle (left) on the Boresite Range Tower for the Plan-X docking exercise."

"The mission was to include four dockings with the Agena Target Vehicle. The first docking was scheduled for five hours and forty minutes into the mission. The second was scheduled for seven hours and forty-five minutes, the third at nine hours and forty minutes, and the fourth and final docking at ten hours and five minutes into the mission. The final undocking would take place at 18 hours and 20 minutes into the mission. At 23 hours and 55 minutes into the mission, while the spacecraft passed over White Sands, New Mexico, the crew was to attempt to observe a laser beam originating from the ground. The retrorockets were scheduled to be fired at 46 hours and 10 minutes into the mission over the Pacific Ocean on the 29th orbit."

"A schematic showing the rendezvous orbit geometry intended for the Gemini 6 mission. Units on this diagram are in nautical miles (1 nm = 1.852 km)."

"Diagram showing the final approach path of Gemini 6 after the Terminal Phase Initiation"

View at Pad 14 during prelaunch operations for the Atlas/Agena.

"On October 25, 1965, Schirra and Stafford boarded their Gemini 6 craft to prepare for launch. Fifteen minutes later, the uncrewed Atlas-Agena target vehicle was launched. Original mission plans also included the first live television coverage of the recovery of a U.S. spacecraft at sea from the recovery ship, the U.S. aircraft carrier Wasp. The Wasp was fitted with ground station equipment by ITT to relay live television, via the Intelsat I (nicknamed the 'Early Bird') satellite."

Launch of the Atlas/Agena vehicle for Gemini-6 (GT-6) at 10 a.m. (EST), from Launch Complex 14.

"After a successful burn of the Atlas booster, the Agena's engine fired to separate it from the Atlas. But immediately after the Agena's engine fired at the six-minute mark in the flight, telemetry was lost. A catastrophic failure apparently caused the vehicle to explode, as Range Safety was tracking multiple pieces of debris falling into the Atlantic Ocean.

The crew of the Gemini-6 spaceflight walk down the ramp at Pad 19 after the mission was scrubbed.

"After reviewing the situation, NASA decided to launch an alternate Gemini 6A mission, eight days after the launch of Gemini 7, which was scheduled as a 14-day long-duration mission in December. Gemini 6A would perform the first rendezvous of two spacecraft in orbit, using Gemini 7 as the target, though they would not dock. The crews also discussed the possibility of Stafford performing an EVA from 6A to 7, swapping places with Gemini 7 pilot Jim Lovell, but the commander of Gemini 7, Frank Borman, objected, pointing out that it would require Lovell to wear an uncomfortable EVA suit on a long-duration mission."

-Info from Wikipedia: link

NASA ID: S65-52015, S65-57967, S65-56188, S65-56161, S65-57964

Gemini-Titan 6 spacecraft (SC6) after removal from storage, being hoisted to the top of the launch pad at complex 19.

Photo released on December 5, 1965

Launch of Gemini 6 Titan II (SC6/GLV-6 12561) from Launch Complex 19. "The Gemini VI, scheduled as a two-day mission, was launched from Pad 19, carrying astronauts Walter M. Schirra Jr., Command Pilot, and Thomas P. Stafford, Pilot. Gemini VI rendezvoused with Gemini VII, already orbiting the Earth."

Date: December 15, 1965

"Insertion of astronauts Walter M. Schirra Jr. (foreground) and Thomas P. Stafford into Gemini-6A spacecraft prior to launch."

Date: December 15, 1965

The launch attempt of Gemini 6A Titan II (SC6/GLV-6 12561) from Launch Complex 19 at 9:54 a.m. (EST). "However, seconds after ignition the first stage engine of the Gemini Titan Launch Vehicle shut down due to a faulty release of a liftoff umbilical plug. Inside the spacecraft were astronauts Walter M. Schirra Jr., command pilot, and Thomas P. Stafford, pilot."

Date: December 12, 1965