Blue Gemini

Pat Flannery wrote:
No, all the manned and unmanned Gemini missions were launched by the
Titan II ICBM, with the unmanned test of the Blue Gemini prototype
spacecraft* with its heatshield hatch that was done as part of the MOL
(Manned Orbiting Laboratory) development tests; it was launched by a
Titan IIIC.

* This was a rebuilt version of Gemini 2 capsule which had flown a
unmanned suborbital flight on January 19, 1965.

Two flights on the same capsule? Was that a first?

Also do you have photos or links to photos of the Blue Gemini Titan IIIC launch?

Dave

On 8/13/2011 10:41 AM, David Spain wrote:
Pat Flannery wrote:
No, all the manned and unmanned Gemini missions were launched by the
Titan II ICBM, with the unmanned test of the Blue Gemini prototype
spacecraft* with its heatshield hatch that was done as part of the MOL
(Manned Orbiting Laboratory) development tests; it was launched by a
Titan IIIC.

* This was a rebuilt version of Gemini 2 capsule which had flown a
unmanned suborbital flight on January 19, 1965.

Two flights on the same capsule? Was that a first?

AFAIK it was.

Also do you have photos or links to photos of the Blue Gemini Titan IIIC
launch?

Yeah, it has a mock-up MOL under the capsule also:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ti...i-B-Test_3.jpg
The black and white stripes on the MOL mock-up were to allow the
resolution of ground-based space tracking cameras to be checked.
Here's some photos of the Gemini B* heatshield hatch that would allow
access to the MOL crew area from the Gemini via a pressurized tunnel:
http://www.ninfinger.org/models/vaul...s/MOLhatch.JPG
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ge...de_Hatch_1.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ge...de_Hatch_2.jpg
Here's the heatshield of the Gemini used for the test on display:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3045/...cc3e3dcc02.jpg
Note how far the ablation pattern on the heatshield is off-center due to
the lifting reentry profile.
The really strange Gemini is this thing:
http://www.astronautix.com/craft/winemini.htm
Which would have allowed the capsule to maneuver during reentry to get
cross-range before deploying its chute or parasail for landing.

*I confused Gemini B with Blue Gemini, which was a separate type spacecraft.

Pat

On Aug 13, 7:14*pm, Pat Flannery wrote:
On 8/13/2011 10:41 AM, David Spain wrote:

Pat Flannery wrote:
* No, all the manned and unmanned Gemini missions were launched by the
* Titan II ICBM, with the unmanned test of the Blue Gemini prototype
* spacecraft* with its heatshield hatch that was done as part of the MOL
* (Manned Orbiting Laboratory) development tests; it was launched by a
* Titan IIIC.

* * This was a rebuilt version of Gemini 2 capsule which had flown a
* unmanned suborbital flight on January 19, 1965.

Two flights on the same capsule? Was that a first?

AFAIK it was.

Also do you have photos or links to photos of the Blue Gemini Titan IIIC
launch?

Yeah, it has a mock-up MOL under the capsule also:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ti...i-B-Test_3.jpg
The black and white stripes on the MOL mock-up were to allow the
resolution of ground-based space tracking cameras to be checked.
Here's *some photos of the Gemini B* heatshield hatch that would allow
access to the MOL crew area from the Gemini via a pressurized tunnel:http://www.ninfinger.org/models/vaul...de_Hatch_2.jpg
Here's the heatshield of the Gemini used for the test on display:http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3045/...cc3e3dcc02.jpg
Note how far the ablation pattern on the heatshield is off-center due to
the lifting reentry profile.
The really strange Gemini is this thing:http://www.astronautix.com/craft/winemini.htm
Which would have allowed the capsule to maneuver during reentry to get
cross-range before deploying its chute or parasail for landing.

*I confused Gemini B with Blue Gemini, which was a separate type spacecraft.

Pat

the 2 flight capsule was on display at museumn adjacent to KSC last
time i was there

In David Spain writes:

Pat Flannery wrote:
No, all the manned and unmanned Gemini missions were launched by the
Titan II ICBM, with the unmanned test of the Blue Gemini prototype
spacecraft* with its heatshield hatch that was done as part of the MOL
(Manned Orbiting Laboratory) development tests; it was launched by a
Titan IIIC.

* This was a rebuilt version of Gemini 2 capsule which had flown a
unmanned suborbital flight on January 19, 1965.

Two flights on the same capsule? Was that a first?

How high does a flight have to be? Mercury spacecraft #2 flew
on MR-1 and MR-1A, but MR-1 only reached an altitude of about four
inches, which certainly qualifies as 'suborbital' but not so much as
'flight', at least to me. I want a spaceflight to get higher than I
can jump up from a standing start.

--
Joseph Nebus
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Did anyone notice that in this image

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ge...de_Hatch_1.jpg

at the top of the seat it has "THIS FACE AFT" but it is facing (to my
mind) forward?

On 8/16/2011 10:44 PM, Obviousman wrote:
Did anyone notice that in this image

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ge...de_Hatch_1.jpg

at the top of the seat it has "THIS FACE AFT" but it is facing (to my
mind) forward?

Yeah, that is strange, isn't it? It's atop the headrest of the starboard
ejection seat.

Pat

On 8/17/2011 9:54 AM, Pat Flannery wrote:

Yeah, that is strange, isn't it? It's atop the headrest of the starboard
ejection seat.

Is it some sort of attachment for hoisting the seats out of the spacecraft?

Pat

At first I didn't think so; I thought it was where the drogue chute for
the seat would be attached to. Looking at images with the seat fitted in
the spacecraft, though, there is nothing attached to that point so I
thought you are right.

http://www.space1.com/About_Us/In_th...12_seat600.jpg

http://www.space1.com/Museum_Exhibit...V_hatchway.jpg

I then found the diagramme in the handbook from the NTRS:

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/ca...1967019706.pdf

See figure 3 on page 42 (page 50 in the PDF document). It says it is the
rocket catapult attachment point.



Is it some sort of attachment for hoisting the seats out of the spacecraft?

Pat

On 8/17/2011 11:01 PM, Obviousman wrote:



I then found the diagramme in the handbook from the NTRS:

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/ca...1967019706.pdf


See figure 3 on page 42 (page 50 in the PDF document). It says it is the
rocket catapult attachment point.

I found the same drawing, but with no reference to what it was for:
http://www.space1.com/Spacecraft_Dat...tion_seat.html
In this article on the seats, the third photo link shows the seats being
readied for a abort test, and there is something hooked up to the trunnions:
http://www.ejectionsite.com/gemini.htm
http://www.ejectionsite.com/ejctpic/gemini_test.jpg

Pat

Originally Posted by Pat Flannery

On 8/17/2011 11:01 PM, Obviousman wrote:



I then found the diagramme in the handbook from the NTRS:

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/ca...1967019706.pdf


See figure 3 on page 42 (page 50 in the PDF document). It says it is the
rocket catapult attachment point.

I found the same drawing, but with no reference to what it was for:
http://www.space1.com/Spacecraft_Dat...tion_seat.html
In this article on the seats, the third photo link shows the seats being
readied for a abort test, and there is something hooked up to the trunnions:
http://www.ejectionsite.com/gemini.htm
http://www.ejectionsite.com/ejctpic/gemini_test.jpg

Pat

Hi I am new to the forum I want to know that what is this forum all about... which flights are being talked about... I did not get anything about the given details..