On June 3, 1965, a Titan II rocket launched this spacecraft, Gemini IV, carrying astronauts James McDivitt and Edward White into orbit. The flight lasted four days and included a historic space walk by White, the first by an American, early in the mission. Ten weeks earlier, Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov had become the first human to "walk in space." NASA broadcast the audio from White's 22-minute "extra-vehicular activity" (EVA) live; he enormously enjoyed the experience.
The flight plan also included a rendezvous with the discarded second stage of the Titan II rocket. It was aborted, however, after pilot Jim McDivitt experienced unexpected difficulties reaching the booster because he had not been properly trained in rendezvous techniques. Other experiments during this flight included Earth photography, space radiation measurements, and medical effects of prolonged weightlessness. In 1967 NASA transferred the spacecraft to the Smithsonian.
Display Status
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
Object Details
Brief Description
The Gemini program provided a critical bridge between the one-person Mercury program and the sophisticated Apollo missions to the Moon. During the Gemini IV mission, astronaut Ed White ventured out of this spacecraft to complete America's first "space walk."
Country of Origin
United States of America
Type
SPACECRAFT-Crewed-Parts & Structural Components
Astronaut
Edward H. White, II
James A. McDivitt
Manufacturer
McDonnell Aircraft Corp.
Dimensions
3-D: 95.3 × 39.4 × 127cm, 55.8kg (3 ft. 1 1/2 in. × 1 ft. 3 1/2 in. × 4 ft. 2 in., 123lb.)
Storage (Rehoused on aluminum pallet with three other objects): 152.4 × 152.4 × 83.8cm, 150.6kg (5 ft. × 5 ft. × 2 ft. 9 in., 332lb.)
Materials
Aluminum Alloy
Titanium
Rene 41
White Metal Alloys
Glass
Fabric
Insulation Materials
Asbestos
Velcro
Nylon
Silicone
Rubber and Plastic Coated Electrical Wires
Adhesives
RTV Rubber
Paint
Steel
Plastic
Fabric Adhesive Tape
Foam
Unknown Putty
Inventory Number
A19670209004
Credit Line
Transferred from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.