#gemini 11

"The Gemini-11 spaceflight is concluded as the Gemini-11 spacecraft, with astronauts Charles Conrad Jr., command pilot, and Richard F. Gordon Jr., pilot, aboard, touches down in the Atlantic Ocean 1.5-2 statute miles from the prime recovery ship, USS GUAM (LPH-9). Gemini-11 splashed down at 9 a.m. (EST), to conclude a three-day mission in space."

Date: September 15, 1966

Concept art of a Gemini IX capsule rendezvous with the Pegasus 3 micrometeorite satellite.

"Gemini XI would see a dramatic increase in EVA complexity. The spacecraft would intercept the 10.5-ton Pegasus 3 satellite, which was due to be launched into low-Earth orbit on a Saturn I rocket soon after the GEPG submitted its report. Like its predecessors, Pegasus 3 was designed to assess the likelihood that spacecraft in low-Earth orbit would suffer meteoroid impact damage. To do this, it unfolded a pair of 4.3 meter wide by 29 meter long 'wings' containing a total of 400 meteoroid-detection panels.

Pegasus 1 shown during ground testing with its wings deployed

The Gemini Extravehicular Planning Group (GEPG) reported that discussions with NASA Headquarters and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center had already led to Pegasus 3 modifications for Gemini rendezvous and EVA mission. Pegasus 1, launched February 16, 1965, had achieved an elliptical 510-by-726-kilometer orbit, while Pegasus 2, launched May 25, 1965, had entered a 502-by-740-kilometer orbit. When launched on July 30, 1965, Pegasus 3 entered a near-circular 535-by-567-kilometer orbit. This made it a more readily accessible rendezvous target for Gemini spacecraft.

In addition, sixteen of Pegasus 3's meteoroid-detection panels had been replaced with removable aluminum meteoroid-capture panels and panels containing thermal control test surfaces. After rendezvous with the giant satellite, the Gemini XI spacewalker would use a Hand-Held Maneuvering Unit (HHMU) to jet over and remove the panels for return to Earth. The GEPG stated that '[d]etermination of the method of accomplishing this task. . .must still be accomplished.'"

HHMU

Due to setbacks and troubles with EVAs experienced by astronauts during Gemini IX and X, the ambitious plan to rendezvous with the Pegasus 3 and recover the meteoroid and thermal control test surface panels was cancelled. Instead, Gemini XI focused more on techniques for the Apollo missions. It performed the "first direct-ascent (first orbit) rendezvous with an Agena Target Vehicle, docking with it 1 hour 34 minutes after launch; used the Agena rocket engine to achieve a record high-apogee Earth orbit; and created a small amount of artificial gravity by spinning the two spacecraft connected by a tether." The Pegasus 3 satellite re-entered the atmosphere on August 4, 1969.

Posted on Flickr by Drew Granston: link

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NASA ID: link

Smithsonian Institute Archives: link

Gemini 11 Astronauts Pete Conrad and Dick Gordon step out of a Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King helicopter unto the deck of USS GUAM (LPH-9).

Date: September 15, 1966

Artwork by Gene Klebe; 1966

Crewmembers from USS GUAM (LPH-9) stand on deck to watch the recovery of command module of Gemini 11. The splashdown occurred only 2.7 miles from the recovery aircraft carrier.

Date: September 15, 1966

Artwork by Gene Klebe; 1966

"Astronaut Charles Conrad, Jr., command pilot of the Gemini 11 space flight, is hoisted aboard a recovery helicopter from the U.S.S. GUAM. Astronaut Richard F. Gordon, Jr., pilot, sits in a life raft below waiting to be picked up.

Date: September 15, 1966

Gemini-Titan 11 (SC11/62-12566) lifting off from Launch Pad 19, with Saturn V Facilities Test Vehicle (AS-500F) on LC-39A in the background.

Date: September 12, 1966