NASA Documentary: The Gemini Titan 12 Mission Part 1 of 2

Part 1 of the official documentary on the flight of Gemini 12. Gemini 12 (officially Gemini XII) was a 1966 manned spaceflight in NASA's Project Gemini. It was the 10th and final manned Gemini flight, the 18th manned American flight and, including X-15 flights over 100 kilometres (62 mi), the 26th spaceflight of all time. Launch was originally scheduled for November 9, 1966 but was postponed on November 8, 1966 when a power supply in the Gemini-Titan II secondary autopilot malfunctioned. The suspect equipment was replaced, and the launch was rescheduled for November 10, 1966. Another malfunction in the secondary autopilot of the Gemini-Titan II was detected during testing on November 9, 1966 which resulted in an additional one day delay in the launch as the suspect equipment was replaced and tested. The Gemini 12 Gemini Agena Target Vehicle (GATV) was launched as the second stage of an Atlas-Agena rocket at 2:08 p.m. EST on November 11, 1966 from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 14. The GATV launch occurred about 98 minutes prior to the launch of the manned Gemini 12 spacecraft. As the Gemini 12 spacecraft began its approach to the GATV, the radar system used as a rendezvous tool failed, and the crew completed a manual rendezvous that was achieved at a mission elapsed time of 3 hours, 46 minutes. The Gemini 12 spacecraft docked with the GATV about 28 minutes later. At a mission elapsed time of 19 hours, 29 minutes the hatch was opened, allowing astronaut Aldrin to stand in his seat with his upper body outside the Gemini 12 spacecraft. During this "stand-up" spacewalk, Aldrin completed a number of scientific and photographic observations, including photography of a total solar eclipse. The hatch was closed at a mission elapsed time of 21 hours, 58 minutes. Like Gemini 11, the re-entry of the Gemini 12 capsule was controlled automatically by computers after the first retro-rocket firing. The Gemini 12 capsule splashed down less than three miles from its primary recovery target area.