#SpaceSaturday: #Gemini 2, or Gemini-Titan 2, the second launch of the Gemini #spacecraft aboard the #Titan II #rocket. This is the spacecraft from that suborbital flight meant to test the #heatshield. After finding its performance satisfactory, the Gemini program went ahead.
The Air Force #USAF remained interested in Gemini while #NASA moved on to Apollo.
They launched the same spacecraft from #GeminiTitan2 on top of a mockup of the Manned Orbiting Laboratory, a crewed spy satellite, to test the potential of putting a hatch in the heat shield.
After recovery, its performance was found to be satisfactory, but uncrewed spy satellites were found to be cheaper.
The spacecraft is on display at the Air Force Space and Missile Museum at Cape Canaveral.
#GeminiSpacecraft, #GeminiProgram, #MannedOrbitingLaboratory, #HumanSpaceflight, #CapeCanaveral, #AirForceSpaceAndMissileMuseum, #Photograph, #Photography, #Photo
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