Gemini Rendezvous Fully Successful

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30936, 17 December 1965, Page 17

Gemini Rendezvous Fully Successful

(N.Z. I‘rcKi Atnucialion— Copyright) HOUSTON, Dec. 16. Gemini VI is due to splash down in the Atlantic today after her meeting with Gemini VII.

Five ships and 21 aircraft waited in and over the Atlantic, 660 miles south of Bermuda, for the splashdown. The spaceship, carrying the astronauts Walter Schlrra and Thomas Stafford, is expected to fall Into the earth’s atmosphere 1025 miles east-south-east of Cape Kennedy at the beginning of its seventeenth revolution around the world. Gemini VI is expected to make its splashdown at 3.20 a.m. Friday, New Zealand time, after 25 hours and 52 minutes in orbit. Still Aloft Still aloft in space at that time and entering their fourteenth day in space, will be Gomlnl VII, carrying James

Lovell and Frank Borman. History was made when the four men and the two space ships made a five-hour rendezvous In space tonight. The Navy has rej/orted that landing conditions in the splashdown area are perfect. A visibility of at least 10 miles and waves of only three feet are predicted. Formation Flying Gemini VI and Gemini VII, with 100,000 miles of tight formation flying to their credit, parted company after America's most amazing space feat. Space officials were Jubilant after the feat. The rendezvous mission showed clearly the high degree of sophistication of the American rockets, spacecraft, guidance and electronic equipment. Gemini VI and Gemini VII

were in close rendezvous for about six hours in their unprecedented "siationkeeping." Both Schirra and Borman found the task of staying together much easier than expected. Finally, Gemini VI pulled back a few miles, and all four astronauts were told they could go to sleep after a husy, successful day.