Gemini IV

By Nancy Atkinson - June 22, 2009 at 3:34 PM UTC | Space Exploration
Gemini-4-launch.jpg

[/caption] The second mission of Project Gemini was Gemini IV. The mission launched on June 3, 1965 at 10:15 am local time, from Cape Canaveral in Florida. The two astronauts on board were James A. McDivit, Commander and Edward H. White II, Pilot.

A Titan rocket boosted the

Gemini

capsule to an altitude of 296.1 km. McDivit and White made 62 orbits, and the duration of their flight was 4 Days, 1 hour, 56 min, 12 seconds. The Gemini spacecraft weighed 3574kg.

[caption id="attachment_33207" align="aligncenter" width="580" caption="Ed White during his EVA. Credit: NASA"]

[/caption] The highlight of the mission was an EVA (extra vehicular activity) by Ed White, where he climbed out of the spacecraft and while tethered, floated for 23 minutes, not nearly long enough for White. He later said the spacewalk was the most comfortable part of the mission, and said the order to end it was the "saddest moment" of his life.

White was attached to the capsule by a 25 foot umbilical cord. He initially used a gas powered gun held in his hand to maneuver. After the first three minutes the fuel ran out and White moved around by twisting his body and pulling on the cord.

The other main objectives of the mission were to evaluate the effects of prolonged space flight which included checking out the performance of a spacecraft during a four-day mission, and evaluating the procedures for crew rest and work cycles, eating schedules, and realtime flight planning.

Secondary objectives included attempting to stationkeep and rendezvous with second stage of Gemini Launch Vehicle and perform 11 experiments.

All the primary objectives were achieved except one: computer controlled reentry was not able to be used because of inadvertent alteration of computer memory. All secondary objectives were met except that due to excess fuel consumption, all the stationkeeping and rendezvous maneuvers were not able to be done.

Gemini IV splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean on June 7, 1965 27 degrees 44 minutes North and 74 degrees 11minutes West, about 81.4km from attempted landing zone.

More images from Gemini IV

NASA's history page on Gemini IV

Nancy Atkinson

Nancy Atkinson

Nancy Atkinson is a space journalist and author with a passion for telling the stories of people involved in space exploration and astronomy. She is currently retired from daily writing, but worked at Universe Today for 20 years as a writer and editor. She also contributed articles to The Planetary Society, Ad Astra (National Space Society), New Scientist and many other online outlets.

Her 2019 book, "Eight Years to the Moon: The History of the Apollo Missions,” shares the untold stories of engineers and scientists who worked behind the scenes to make the Apollo program so successful, despite the daunting odds against it. Her first book “Incredible Stories From Space: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Missions Changing Our View of the Cosmos” (2016) tells the stories of 37 scientists and engineers that work on several current NASA robotic missions to explore the solar system and beyond.

Nancy is also a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, and through this program, she has the opportunity to share her passion of space and astronomy with children and adults through presentations and programs. Nancy's personal website is nancyatkinson.com