Gemini Missions (1965 - 1966)

Spacewalks by the Gemini 4 Crew
Gemini 4 Launch: June 3, 1965 Gemini 4 Landing: June 7, 1965
Spacewalker: Edward White
Gemini 4 Crew: CDR James McDivitt <> PLT Edward White
Gemini 4 Spacewalk 1 White performed the first American spacewalk on Gemini 4's third orbit. He tested the Hand-Held Maneuvering Unit. An overglove escaped from White's open hatch, and burned up in the atmosphere a few months later.
June 3, 1965
36 minutes

Spacewalks by the Gemini 9A Crew
Gemini 9A Launch: June 3, 1966 Gemini 9A Landing: June 6, 1966
Spacewalker: Eugene Cernan
Gemini 9A Crew: CDR Thomas Stafford <> PLT Eugene Cernan
Gemini 9A Spacewalk 1 Cernan conducted the first complex spacewalk. He had trouble moving down Gemini 9A to the Astronaut Maneuvering Unit (AMU). Cernan's actions overloaded the cooling capacity of his spacesuit, fogging his faceplate. Cernan donned the AMU by touch, but was called back inside by Stafford.
June 5, 1966
2 hours 9 minutes

Spacewalks by the Gemini 10 Crew
Gemini 10 Launch: July 18, 1966 Gemini 10 Landing: July 21, 1966
Spacewalker: Michael Collins
Gemini 10 Crew: CDR John Young <> PLT Michael Collins
Gemini 10 Spacewalk 1 Collins conducted a standing spacewalk to perform photography. He used a 70-mm camera to snap 22 pictures of the southern Milky Way in ultraviolet, and a color plate to test the accuracy of colors captured by film in space.
July 19, 1966
49 minutes
Gemini 10 Spacewalk 2 Collins demonstrated translation between two spacecraft - Gemini 10 and Agena 8 - across open space. He moved to the Agena 8 spacecraft to replace a micrometeoroid package. Problems with moving between the two spacecraft prevented Collins from installing a replacement micrometeoroid package.
July 20, 1966
39 minutes

Spacewalks by the Gemini 11 Crew
Gemini 11 Launch: September 12, 1966 Gemini 11 Landing: September 15, 1966
Spacewalker: Richard Gordon
Gemini 11 Crew: CDR Charles Conrad <> PLT Richard Gordon
Gemini 11 Spacewalk 1 Gordon demonstrated the ability to perform a complex spacewalk. However, poor planning caused problems for Gordon's spacewalk. He managed to attach a tether between Agena 11 and Gemini 11 for an artificial gravity experiment. Then Conrad ordered Gordon back inside Gemini 11.
September 13, 1966
38 minutes
Gemini 11 Spacewalk 2 Gordon conducted a standing spacewalk to perform ultraviolet astronomical photography and Earth photography. Both astronauts took a nap during a pass over the Atlantic - demonstrating the relaxed pace of this spacewalk.
September 14, 1966
2 hours 8 minutes

Spacewalks by the Gemini 12 Crew
Gemini 12 Launch: November 11, 1966 Gemini 12 Landing: November 15, 1966
Spacewalker: Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin
Gemini 12 Crew: CDR James Lovell <> PLT Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin
Gemini 12 Spacewalk 1 Aldrin performed a standing spacewalk to familiarize himself with the spacewalking environment. He conducted ultraviolet astronomical photography and Earth photography, and removed a micrometeoroid package from behind the cockpit. Aldrin also installed handrails for the next spacewalk.
November 12, 1966
2 hours 18 minutes
Gemini 12 Spacewalk 2 Aldrin performed the first successful complex spacewalk. Secured by waist tethers, he was able to attach a tether between Agena 12 and Gemini 12 with ease. Aldrin moved to two different workstations to perform different tasks. The spacewalk proved that with the proper restraints all tasks attempted were feasible.
November 13, 1966
2 hours 9 minutes
Gemini 12 Spacewalk 3 Aldrin performed the final spacewalk of the Gemini program - a standing spacewalk to discard refuse and to conduct ultraviolet astronomical photography. The Gemini 12 spacewalks also proved that underwater simulation very closely duplicated the actual spacewalking actions and reactions.
November 14, 1966
1 hour 11 minutes

Key
CDR Commander
PLT Pilot

Return to the Index of Spacewalks by Manned Space Program

Updated - January 11, 2007