Jun 3
"Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford, command pilot of the Gemini-9A spaceflight, is photographed during the Gemini-9A mission inside the spacecraft by astronaut Eugene Cernan, Gemini-9A pilot."
Date: June 3, 1966
NASA ID: S66-38080
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"Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford, command pilot of the Gemini-9A spaceflight, is photographed during the Gemini-9A mission inside the spacecraft by astronaut Eugene Cernan, Gemini-9A pilot."
Date: June 3, 1966
NASA ID: S66-38080
We were kidding before But not any more Get your, uh, selves into space, Or we'll take your place.
A poem for the crew of Gemini 9, written by the backup crew, Jim Lovell & Buzz Aldrin
February 28, 1966 — Astronauts Elliott See and Charles Bassett are killed in a plane crash
See and Bassett were scheduled to spend three days in orbit in May 1966, during which they would dock with the Gemini-Agena Target Vehicle. Bassett would perform an EVA. However, they were attempting to land in inclement weather in St. Louis, Missouri when their T-38 Talon struck the roof of the McDonnell Aircraft building where their spacecraft was located.
Read more about the original Gemini 9 crew here
image sources: NASA | St. Louis Post-Dispatch archive
Since my Apollo patch poll ended up getting more attention than I expected, how about everyone's favorite Gemini patch?
Chose based on patch design alone, not your favorite mission in general. Images below
Gemini 3
Gemini 4
Gemini 5
Gemini 6
Gemini 7
Gemini 8
Gemini 9
Gemini 10
Gemini 11
Gemini 12
Remembering the original crew of Gemini 9, NASA astronauts Elliot See and Charlie Bassett, who died 55 years ago today on February 28, 1966. Talented, brilliant, dedicated men who gave their lives in pursuit of the moon. Their names are on the lunar surface, now and forever. El and Charlie are still dearly missed and loved by their families, friends, and admirers. May their memories be a blessing.
“I knew him as a child knows her father. He was fun-loving, smiled a lot, rode horses with his children on Saturday mornings, built a tree house for his kids, loved a television show called ‘Bonanza,’ and was very principled. I wished for his smiling eyes, and I got them. I remember little things about him, but I didn’t have the opportunity to grow into a larger understanding of the man.” -Elliot’s eldest daughter, Sally
“I have glimpses, shadowed memories of Dad’s smile, the feel of his arms, his whiskers on my cheek… Dad loved talking to school kids about space, encouraging them to be curious and study hard. He’d step up at every chance to advocate education (science and the arts and humanities) and he loved watching Nureyev and Fonteyn dance and reading To Kill a Mockingbird as much as he loved studying astronomy, physics and geology. A day doesn’t go by that my family doesn’t miss his warmth and humor and eagerness about it all, and his dedication to the cause.” -Charlie’s daughter, Karen
Here’s some smiley Geno to brighten your day
Thomas Stafford (born 17 September 1930)
Gemini 9 astronaut Gene Cernan becomes the third human to walk in space, June 5, 1966.