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NAIIC)NAL AER
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FOR RELEASE:
 FRIDAY A.M.MARCH ii
,
 1966R
E
LEASE N
O
. 86-52
PROJECT:
 GEMINI 8(To
 be launch
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 Mar
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, 1966)
CONTENTS
GENERA
L
 R
EL
EASE ................................... 1-
5
PREFLIGHT ACTIVITIES AND INTEGRATED COUNTDOWN ..... 6-8Launc
h
 Vehicle Countdown ....................... 9-11MISSION D
E
SCRIPTION ............................... 12Launch ......................................... 12-13Rendezv
o
u
s
 ..................................... 14-16Docking Checks ................................. 16-17
E
xtrave
h
icular Activity ........................ 17-19Re-Rendezvous .................................... 19-21Final Separation ............................... 21Agena A
c
t
i
vi
t
ie
s
 F
ol
l
o
w
in
g Re
n
dezv
ou
s .......... 21-22Retrofire ...................................... 22Orbits - Revolutions ........................... 22-23Gemini 8 Maneuvers ............................. 24Agena Maneuvers ................................ 25EX
P
ERIMENTS ....................................... 26Scientific ..................................... 26-30Technological .................................. 30-33Medical ........................................ 34Operational Tasks .............................. 34-
3
6CR
E
W
 P
ROV
I
SIONS AND TRAINING ...................... 37Craw Training Background ....................... 37-38Gemini 8 Suit .................................. 38-39Extravehicular Life Support System (ELSS) ...... 40Extravehicular Support
 P
ack (ES
P
) .............. 40-41Umbilical Tether ............................... 41-42Hand-Held Maneuvering Unit ..................... 42-43-mo
r
e-
 
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70MM Hasselblad Camera ......................... 4416MM Maurer Movie Camera ....................... 44-45Water Measuring System ........................ 46Food ........................................... 46Gemini 8 Flight Menu ........................... 47-49Medical Checks ................................. 50Body Waste Disposal ............................ 50MANNED SPACE FLIGHT TRACKING NETWORK .............. 51Gemini 8 Mission Requirements .................. 51Tracking ....................................... 52-55Agena Target Vehicle ........................... 56Acquisition Systems ............................ 56-57Mission Message Requirements ................. "-57Spacecraft Command System ...................... 57-58Spacecraft Communications ...................... 58-59Spacecraft Systems Support ..................... 59-60Ground Communications .......................... 60Network Responsibility ......................... 61-62Network Configuration .......................... 63ABORT AND RECOVERY ................................ 64Crew Safety .................................... 64-65Planned and Contingency Landing Areas .......... 65Gemini Parachute Landing Sequence .............. 66Atlantic Re
c
overy Area Communications .......... 67Planned Landing Areas .......................... 68Contingency Landing Areas ...................... 68SPACECRAFT AND LAUNCH VEHICLES .................... 69Gemini Spacecraft .............................. 69-70Electrical Power System ........................ 70-71Propellant ..................................... 71Rendezvous Radar ............................... 71Liquid Rocket Systems General Arrangement ...... 72Thrust Chamber Arrangement ..................... 73Maneuvering Control ............................ 74Spacecraft Responses to Orbit Attitude ......... 75RCS Function ................................... 76Status Charge Device ........................... 77Gemini Launch vehicle .......................... 78-79Agena Target Vehicle ........................... 80-82Atlas Launch vehicle ........................... 83-85HISTORY AND CONTRACTORS ........................... 86Crew biographies ............................... 86-89U.S. Manned Space Flights ...................... 90Previous Gemini flights ........................ 91-94Project Officials .............................. 95Spacecraft Contractors ......................... 96-97Abbreviations and Symbols Frequently used ...... 98-99-end-
 
NEWS
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FOR RELEASE:
 FRIDAY A.M.March ii, 1966RELEASE NO: 66-52GEMINI 8LAUNCH SETFOR MARCH 15The National Aeronautics and Space Administration willattempt to achieve the first rendezvous and docking of twospacecraft in Earth orbit during the Gemini 8 mission sched-uled for launch no earlier than March 15 from Cape Kennedy, Fla.The Gemini 8 is scheduled to be launched at ll:40 a.m. EST,100 minutes after the Gemini Agena Target Vehicle (GATV).,a modi-fied Agena D, lifts off the pad at Cape Kennedy at l0 a.m.Flight crew for the three-day missi'on is Neil A. Armstrong,command pilot, and David R. Scott, pilot. Armstrong is a ci-vilian and Scott is an Air Force major. Backup crew is NavyComdr. Charles "Pete" Conrad, command pilot_ and Lt. Comdr.Richard F. Gordon, pilot.Gemini 8 will be boosted into orbit by the two-stage TitanII Gemini Launch Vehicle which generates 430,000 pounds ofthrust. The Gemini Agena Target Vehicle will be launched byan Atlas booster which develops 390,000 pounds thrust atliftoff.-more- 3
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