/

'"' THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT OF THE GEMINI

zage #1

Haney: This is Gemini COntrol - The weather in the Cape Area at _!_ s_?c_uled
lift-off time of 9 AM EST is predicted to be partly czoud_ with sc_vtered
and broken clouds conditions , winds of l0 mph from the SE, visiability of seven
miles. W:ave height s in this Cape area expects to be 2 to 4 ft. and the temperature
predicted for lift-off is 68 degrees. In the down-range recovery area the Weather
is also meported as satisfactory° In the prime recovery area at the end of the
third orh i_ winds are running 15 to 20 MPH, the waves 3 to 5 fro the visibility
lO miles_ Back-up pilots Walter M. Schirra Jr. and Thomas P. Stafford spen_ the
night last night in the ready room at pad 16. They retired shortly after dinner
which they had with the prime crew, Gus Grissom and John Young in the Manned
Spaceflight Operations Building on nearby Merritt Island. After dinner last night
Grissom and Young review ed their flight plan, and went to bed about 9 PM. They
were awakened at 4:40 All this morning by Donald K. Slayton, Assistant Director for
Flight Crew Operation_ Manned Spacecraft Center. They had br, akfast with the
following pe°pl_ - these people w_r_ th_ _?c:_!!y invited guests of the crew:
Mr. Bastian Ha_.lo, Progam Manager of the Martin Co., Col. Richard Dineen, Gemini
_rogram l_anager, Air Force Space Systems Division, responsible for the preparation
an_ launch of this Titan-I! _--_ *_._cle. Dr. Robert R. Gilruth, Director of
the Manned Spacecraft Center, Walter C. Williams, Vice-President of Aero-space
Corporation, former operations director Zhrough out the project Mercury manned
flights., Walter BUrke, Vice-President, McDonnell Aircraft Corp. makers of the
Gemini spacecraft. (-? _topher COlumbus Kraft, Mission director for Gel_ni 3
mission., Dr. Charles Berry, in charge of the Medical effort here in Gemini, Mr.
JJ So McDonnell, the Board Chairman of McDonnell Aircraft, and Alan Bo Shepard,
fellow astronaut, Donald Slayton, Mr. Charles Mathews, Gemini Program Manager
for the Manned Spacecraft Center, Mr. Merritt Preston, Deputy Director of the
Kennedy :Space Center°

The crew breakfasted with their guests on the following menu_ They had:
Tomato j:_ice, cantelope, scrambled eggs, a 2 lb porterhouse steak_he crew
specified theirs to be medium rare - toast, jelly and coffee or milk at their
pleasure_ Grissom asked for milk, John Young stuck with his tomato juice and
had nothing additional. Following breakfast, and after receiving good wishes
from their guests, Grisso m and Young drove to pad 16 in a two-car motorcade and
arrived thereat approximately 6:02 AM. Immediately the suiting-up process began
which activity was completed by 8:45 AM and in your TV monitors now you should
be able to see the crew under Way leaving Pad 16 and headed for pad 19o I am
advised they !eft pad 16 about 7:05 AM EST. And the truck is making the turn -
· !, ( its approximately 400 yds. from pad 16 to pad 19 ........ the ramp, at which time
Grissom and Young will walk to the elevator ........... leading the party, Grissom
in the rear I believe, followed by the two suit d_essers, Joe Schmitt and A1 Rochford.
There goes the elevator lifting off, appropriately at 7:09, proceeding to the llth
level.
 Page #2 _:_

Astronauts Gus Grissom and John Young has entered their spacecraft - they
entered at 7:12 AM EST° They are running approximately 5 to 10 minutes ahead
of schedule° This has been the course of the action this morning - all events
checking out very nicely and if anything the crew running alittle bit ahead of
time° They took some kidding about their early arrival from the spacecraft test
director George Page. He suggested that - he wondered if they might have missed
breakfast - they assured him they had not, they had, in fact, eaten a 2 lbo porter-
house steak° The count at this time - T-103 minutes _ and counting. This is
Gemini Control _

OUr status is green and go at this time° We had no problems on the mange or
here at Cape Kennedy° And the board - the status board - for the individual stations
around the world is completely green° The storm that was developing off the north
west coast of Austrialia yesterday has shifted so it no longer poses a threat to our
Carnamv°n station located on exactly the northwest point of Austrialia. Interestingly
the Storm was detected by Tiros satellite in a pass yesterday morning, it had hitherto
been unrecorded, Another satellite is playing a very important part in this first
manned Gemini space flight - that satellite is Syncore II - that is hovering in a figure
8 pattern over the Indian Ocean0 Signals will be relayed to SyncOre II from the Coastal
Sentry Quebec, a ship located half way between Austrialia and South Africa° This is
Gemini Control.

The countdown proceeds at an excellent pace. Flight Director Chris Kraft has
approved an early hatch closure° The hatches are going to be closed momentarily some
12 to 13 minutes ahead of schedule. Around the network the sto_ V is very much the
same - everybody reading everyone else loud and clear and the equipment check_ng out
in excellent shape° This is Gemini Control.

At 7:34 AM EST the hatch is closed on the Gemini 3 spacecraft some 11 minutes ahead
of the scheduled count time. This has been the pattern this morning trying to get in
events a little bit early - to give them a little more time in the checkout phase.
Since the hatch is closed a rather full communications check has been run with each
pilot - Grissom sounding off in his deep, crisp, base voice -- Young, a voice slightly
higher in pitch and revealing a trace of his Georgia Tech schooling and his Florida
upbringing0 But both of them sounding loud and clear. Here to witness this first
Gemini manned flight is a press contingent that tops any previous manned Mercury flight.
We have nearly 1,000 news media here at the Press site and advised there are thousands
more people from all over the state of Florida lining the beach to witness this event.
This is Gemini Control - the count T-76 minutes and counting.

This is Gemini Control. The count at this time is T-69 minutes and proceeding. We
are still running 10 to 12 minutes ahead of time on most of our functional tests-everything
continuing to checkout in excellent shape. To recap a bit for some of the newcomers at
the Press Site, Grissom and Young were awakened this morning at 4:40 AM - they started
breakfast at 5:15 with Some 12 guests in the Crew quarters on nearby Merritt Island. They
left the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building at shortly before 6 o'clock, proceeded to
the Cape Kennedy ready room adjacent to Pad 19 and by 6.45 AM their sensors were in place
on their chests, their suits were on and checked out and they were ready to leave for the
short drive over to pad 190 This is Gemini Control.
 Page _._

...... .o0_.All systems continuing to check out in good shape. The most recent
major systems check has been completed on the cabin and environmental suit system.
The complete oxygen breathing system checked out very well. Meanwhile Vice-Pre6ident
Humphreyj a visitor here at the Cape today, is at the Control center;included in his
party are Dr0 Robert Seamens, Associate Administrator of NASA, General Bernard
Schriever, Commanding General 9 The Air Force System Division, Dr. Ed Welch, Executive
Secreta:ry of the National Space Council, Congressmen Olin Teague of Texas and many
other notables° This is Gemini Control.

This is Gemini Control. Were are at T-q5 minutes and counting. Since the
Astronauts entered the capsule, Dr0 Berry flight surgeon here in the Gemini Control
Center has been watching their heart Pate and their respiration rate very carefully
on a scope immediately in front of him. He advises 'that the bio-medical data is
exactly normal and completely within the expected rates. The weather here in the
Cape a2.ea - this is the all important camera coverage is very optimistic at this
point, We have one reading on cur camera position in Melbourne_ 20 miles south
cf the Cape indicating 50%. The other five positions in the Cape area read very
nearly 100 per cent and this is probably one of the most outstanding camera
covera_ge reports we have had at this particular time prior to a Gemini launch° From
down range we have been talking with the Public Affairs Officer on the Intrepid -
he advises that there _ some 700 miles southeast of the Cape, that the weather is
scatte]?ed clm,,Hg, only 2 to 3/10ths cloud cover_ about a 20 to 23 knot wind blowing t
the waves r_.._ir& _ it, He advises that the Navy has given a go for that recovery
area, weather looking quite bright and good down there. This is Gemini Control.

This is Gemini Control. The count is T-38 minutes and proceeding_ however, from
the blockhouse, we have an indication that there a may be a leak in an oxidizer
line in the first stage of the TitanII booster. And the mission director Chris Kraft
has de".ided to hold this countdown at T-35 minutes, approximately 3 1/2 minutes from
: now_ _nd to evaulate the situation clearly and to understand exactly what the nature
of this problem is. Again I repeat we suspect there is a leak in an Oxidizer line
i in the first stage of the Titan II booster. This is Gemini Control.

This is Gemini Control. We have been holding the last two or three minutes
while a group of pad technicians investigated a leak in the oxidizer line on the pad.
They located the source of the trouble - a valve on an oxidizer line - a wrench was
applied to the valve - it was given approximately one turn until -- and the leak was
ellminated, I repeat, the leak has been eliminated. The line now shows no leakage.
We are preparing to pick up the count within a very few minutes. We are holding -
still holding, presently, at T-35 minutes preparatory to resuming the count at any
moment now. This is Gemini Control.
 Page #4

This is Gemini Control° We are standing by momentarily for the start of the
erector lowering - the White Room area has been secured - the White Room being
that portion surrounding the spacecraft which is used as a port of entry into the
hatches of the spacecraft0 The pad crew reports at this time the erector itself
and the pad area pretty well clear0 We are standing by to start - Gus Grissom
confirms that the _ everything is in readiness to iower _ the erector° This is Gemini
Control°

o 0 _ momentarily to pick up the count° We're still holding at T-35 minutes°

However, we have take n advantage of the hold to go ahead and proceed with the
erector lowering. 'It iS down - the launch vehicle standing on the pad still linked
up with the umbilical lines to th e umbilical tower. Everything aboard stillchecking
out very nicely° Grissom reporting his communications aircuits workin_ excellently.
Deke SlaytOn, the Assistant Director for Flight Crew at the Manned Spacecraft Center,
advises that he has talked to Betty Grissom at her home in Houston, Gus' wife° He
tells me that Betty is go, and he says that he's now trying to reach Barbara Young
to check on her status. This is Gemini Control.

We've resumed the count at T-35 minutes and proceeding0 The count was resumed
at 45 minutes after the hour. Meanwhile, Vice President Humphrey is on the floor of
the Control Centem with DP. Seamans° He is chatting with Chris Kraft, Mission
Director, on the status of this mission and giving him a message of encouragement
and complete confidence° It's quite an animated scene. This is Gemini Control.

This is Gemini Control. The count,T-26 minutes and proceeding. At this time,
Mission Director Chris Kraft has just completed a status check with his flight
controllers - or shortly will in a very few minutes° Everything checking out very
:.. well so far° You may have noticed the striping around the spacecraft° This is
a slightly different pattern than you have seen in earlier Gemini flights0 Those
black stripes were added to Paise the temperature slightly in that equipment adapter,
which houses most of the major systems onboard, such as the maneuvering system fuel,
the environmental control system, Water boiler, radiator, and other major items.
It includes the battemies_ the temperature varies from point to point in the equipment
adapter, at the lower end of it in space it runs approximately 100 de_ees below
zero° Meanwhile, the Vice President made about a five minute visit here on the floor,
talking with the Mission Director° He then chatted briefly with Astronaut Wally
Schlmrao He also talked to Astronaut Gordon Co,peP, the capsule communicator here
in the Control Center for this mission, and he met Astronaut Gene Cernan, as well
as a number of other flight controllers0 He's returning to the viewing area of
the Control Cente&- from which point, we understand, he plans to observe the flight.
This is Gemini Control.

This is Gemini Control. The count is T-20 minutes and counting. At this time
we are standing by for a check of the reentry control system propulsion rings,
located about the neck of the spacecraft. Each of the thrusters will be blipped.
There was the first blip. About 20 milliseconds burst from the B-ring thrusters.
_ach thruster will be taken in sequence around - there are eight thrusters in each
ring - the rings are duplicated, completely redundant, giving us 16 thrustems, which
will control the attitude during the reentry phase of _he mission. This is Gemini
Control o
 Page #5

This is Gemini Control. We're still continuing here the tests - thrusters
about the spacecraft - the smaller thrusters, 25 lbs of thrust each, up in the
reentry control section have been tested. We're now working on the thrusters in
the equipment and in the retro portion of this spacecraft. Each of these thrusters
has a capacity of 100 lb thrust. Each of the aft firing thrusters m that is and
we have two thrusters which fire in a forward direction - they have a capacity of
85 lb thrust° Spacecraft Test Conductor George Page is working with Astronaut Gus
Grissom in these tests, giving him a countdown list - or a checklist, as it were,
to assure that the right switches are in the right positions before actuating these
thrusters. The count at this time is T-12 minutes and proceeding. This is Gemini
Control.

This is Gemini Control. The count at this time is T-lO minutes and counting.
We have just completed a status check here in the Control Center, the Mission Director
polling the flight surgeon t the guidance, navigation and control officer, the capsule
communicator, tank pressure monitor, the booster systems engineer, retro-fire officer,
flight dynamics officer, the guidance officer, network and the electrical environmental
and communications systems officer. Ail are in a go status. The Board is green around
the Range and we are looking very, very good at this time. The count T-9 minutes. This
is Gemini Control.

The status is go. This is Gemini Control.

This is Gemini Control. Count - T-2 minutes and counting. This is Gemini
Control with a cross conversation going between Gus Grissom and John Young on the
various light position. Everything in a go condition. The count - T- 1 minute
and 20 seconds . This is Gemini Control.

This is Gemini Control. We're at T-1 minute , T-60 seconds and counting.
T-45 seconds and counting. The range holding a final status check. T-30 seconds.
Recorders have gone to fast speed. Twenty seconds. Fifteen seconds. Ten, nine,
eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, zero. Ignition. And we have a
lift-off. We ha_e a lift-off at 24 minutes after the hour. Rising very nicely.

\t/_ ,Cabin pressure climbing°

_ _' 7he count 60 seconds -- T+60 seconds. That booster is flyin_ at a speed of
--_7_ /658-- miles per hour. The crew is pulling approximately 2Gs.They are now going through
/ _ _ / the area of max 0_ Maximum dynamic pressure exerted on the vehicle. Controllers
/report here that all systems looking fine. We have three jets in the area here at
_the Cape photographing this flight and at a very short time you will probably hear
_a sonic boom if you haven't already as these jets accelerate in excess of Mach 1
in otker words the speed of sound. We are two minutes into the flight. The velocity
of the vehicle right now is approaching 3,000 miles an hour, the G forces building to
3.3 Ga. The crew reports they are in fine shape and everything looks green in the
Control Center. We are coming up on staging or booster engine cutoff. We have a
staging report_ We have can confirm staging. We have second stage ignition and
second stage thrust looks fine. We are three minutes into the flight. The speed
of the spacecraft at this time is nearly 5500 miles an hour and accelerating .G forces
drop off at booster engine cutoff. They are now building again. The crew is now
undergoing about 1.5 Ga. Mission Director Chris Kraft has given the crew a tentative
go. Three minutes and twenty seconds into the flight.
 Page #6 j/_

There are _ few reports from the pilots. They are simply identifying their :*
flight plan very carefully. Four minutes into the flight, Gcr_on Cooper _ust _ld
Grlssom that he is looking mighty _ec_ Gus Rave him a very reassuring lauRh,
A very calm pilot in command of that spacecraft,

Four minutes and 35 seconds i_o _he mission. The velocity of the spacecraft
now approaching 12,000 miles per hour G _orces in the range of approximately 3.5 Gs,
The flight dynamics officer reports excelienr steering on this vehicle, We
remain in the primary guidance phase all the way, We are getting a little bit of
distortion on some of Grissom's reports, but they are all very affirmative sorts
of reports. I think its in the communications system itself, We are at 5 minutes
and 20 seconds in and we are rapidly approac?ing sustainer engine cutoff point,
We are at 10 seconds from SECO or sustainer engine -- second sta_e sustainer engine
cutoff. Standing by for confirmation of SECO, Mission Director advises that they
have asked Gordon Cooper to tell Gus Grissom that he is go. Molly Brown reports
its v._y happy about that go,

Jack said that Grissom has separated from the booster at this time --
he is' in orbit, Momentarily wewill have the numbers on that orbit. It took him
some 15 to 16 seconds to separate from his booster. He is in excellent shape at
this _ime out over Berm.uda. I believe we have the flight tapes ready from slightly
before liftoff, I believe it begins at approximately minus 1 minute and at this
time we would like to play those flight tapes for you.

All reports still looking excellent from their spacecraft

as they proceed across the Atlantic Ocean. At this time we are in
a position to play these tapes for you, I regret the technical
difficulty as far as thei_ being played earlier. This tape will
begin at approximately minus 30 seconds and proceed through the
power stage of flight_ The recorders have now been reversed and
we're now in a position to play the booster phase of the flight
for you_

This is Gemini control, At this time Gus Grissom and John

Young have just crossed the coast of northwest Afrlca. They're in
voice communication with +he Canary Island station . They've been
running through a status check of the environmental sys_pm and the
communication system, Everything checking out very nicely. The
flight proceeding° We're 20 minutes into the flight. This is Gemini
Control°

this is Gemini Control° We're 25 minutes into this mission.

And everything is doing very nicely. Over the Canary Islands. The
command pilot_ Gus Grissom, performed control mode checks in all roll,
pitch D yaw maneuvek_s very nicely_ He updated his clock, He activated
the sea urchin experiment twice° Meanwhile John Young performed
communications checks wi_th_the Canary station, took a blood pressure
reading, pumped up the c"e_ on his left arm; he did an orbital
update on the computer and he performed a suit integrity check on
his suit° We're in good condition at this point. We're over the
Kano_ Nigeria site and the voice is being remoted back here _o the
Cape, Gordon Cooper is in conversation with Gus Grissom at this
time. This is Gemini Control_
Page J!7

This is Gemini Centrol_ Mission Director advises we have a

completely nominal mission at this noint_ The Retrofire Officer
has just suDp]{_d,
...........
,h_ n,,mhers on the _]ements_
........ _ this orbit and
they are the following: 87 nautical mi]es (which translates to
100 statute_ miles), that's tb.__ Perigee--_,
9 the apogee is approximately
142 statute mi!es_ or 121 nautical miles, This is Gemini Control.

This is e-,emini Contro!_ We're 38 minutes into the mission_

At this time the spacecraft just off th.e southeast co_st of Africa.
We say again mn our orbital numbers - the periflee a-op_._c'ximately
100 miles, apogee 140 miles -_ tb.ose are statute values _- a very
nominal o_bit_ The neriod we would gauge to be ai- _i i__, -[_.utes.
In the Canary_s n_. and checking out the systems Zrissom reported
later after the C_nary_s pass to the Kano station some small
difficulty in the yaw thruster -- that is_ the yaw, the yaw i_fft
thruster -- in apparently the electronic elements there are
several circuits of electronics avai]ab]_e; this was in the
secondary electronic circuit, The orollem is not considered a
serious one and we are goin_j to make another evaluation over the
eoastal Sentry Quebec which is positioned in the middles of the
Indian Ocean in a very few minutes_ This is Gemini Control_
This is Gemini Control_ The Coastal Sentry ship in the middle
of the Indian Ocean is still in communication with h_m_ a surgeon
advises that the data on both pilots is excellent throughout t_e
flight; the respirations and the heart rate completely within %he
normal range° The systems are being checked again through the
Coastal Sentry_ We_ve updated the computer and within a very few
minutes the Coastal Sentry should lose contact and within a very
few minutes after that our Carnarvon station where Astronaut Pete
Conrad is located should be in contact, At 49 minutes into the
mission° This is Gemini Control.,

This is Gemini Contro!_ _4ission Director Chris Kraft_ !':._

[_ust advised the Australian station that he_s completely satisfied
with the system performance at this time° HeYs told them to give
the c:?ew a "go" for the second orbit_ Grissom in conversation
which I'm hearing through another ear with Pete Conrad advises
he al:so is "go" and this mission is "go" for a second orbit, 51
minut.,=s into the mission, This is Gemini Control°

This is Gemini Control, 56 minutes into the mission and the

Carnarvon Capsule Communicator Pete Conrad is still in touch with
Gus Grissomo Among the fir._t things Grissom reported during his
pass over the Carnarvon station was that he could see quite
clearly the lights of Perth that other astronauts have seen in
the past° Much of the pass has been spent checking the telemetry
systems,the various readings,_ The pilots have also gone through
an extensive update of their clocks and their times for the
computers to compute the various retrofire positions if needed°
They"ye also put into the computer a precise reading, a request
for a forty-eight foot per second b_.2rn over Texas on this first
pass° The extent of this burn will be for 73 seconds_ I repeat
it will be a forty-eight foot per second burn for the duration
of 73 seconds° This will have the effect of bringing our orbit
Page #8

down to a very near circular 100 mi]es G This is Gemini Control°

This is Gemini Control° We're one hour; eight minutes into the
mission , the flight of Gemini-3_ The spacecraft moving across
the southwestern Pacific Ocean at this point. Vice President
Humphrey has left the Gemini Control Center here° He left
approximately five minutes ago with Dr. Seamans. He plans to
visit several other locations on the nearby Merritt Island
facility of NASA and according to plans will return to the
Control Center a little later in the mission° We're in a "go"
status; we've had a "go" for second orbit. This is Gemini Control.

This is Gemini Control. The conversation between pilot and

ground so far in this flight has larKely been confined to the normal
type of test pilot talk that you would expect. It's a rundown of
verification of systems; on the ground the flight controllers
and in orbit from either John Young or Gus Grissom. We've heard
almost nothing from John Young. The one non-test pilot item that
is fresh in our memory __ a st=tement from Grissom and he said "I
can see very clearly the lights of Perth." That's as his space-
craft started across the Australian continent° This is Gemini
Control.

This is Gemini Control. At this time John Young has

activated and deactivated the blood experiment. It was open
approximately 20 minutes exposed to phosphorus 32 radiation source.
The pilots have also completed an RCS plume check. The RCS is the
Reentry Control System. They observed the thruster fire quite
satisfactorily from that RCS chamber. At this time the spacecraft
is rapidly approaching the Southwest coast of Mexico - one hour,
18 minutes into the mission. We say again we have a "go" for
second orbit° We expect to perform a translational maneuver over
Texas which should circularize our orbit, bring it down to approxi-
mately 100 miles circular. This is Gemini Control.

This is Gemini Control. Within the past few minutes the

spacecraft has been in contact with the Rose Knot Victor, a ship
stationed approximately 800 miles off the southwest cc asr of
California. They're in conversation now_ Meanwhile, over the
far eastern Atlantic trouble has developed aboard a C-54 which is
an air rescue Service plane.that reports back here to the Control
Center that it is having engine trouble, apparent engine trouble
with one engine, they already had another engine feathered° It is
a four-engine airplane. It is being diverted to Las Palmas airport
in the Canary Islands. It is expected to reach that airport in
apprcximately two hours. That airplane has been on station along
with a number of other aircraft around the world. This particular
station was a point some 12-1500 miles off the northwest coast of
Africa. It is proceeding toward Las Palmas with one engine
feathered, and apparent engine trouble in the second of its four
engines. This is Gemini Control.
Page #9

This is Gemini Control, At this time the Gemini-3 spacecraft

is directly over Texas. It is about to start its first major
tran.,:lational maneuver° This will involve firing the forward-firing
! _ru_:ters, specifically thrusters number 11 and 12o They will be
fired for a duration of approximately 7_.-76 seconds and the aim is
to circularize the orbit_ Whether or not that aim is achieved
will be confirmed in later conversations and radar sitings as the
spacecraft moves across the southeastern United States_ We are one
hour and 32 minutes into the mission_ This is Gemini Control°

This is Gemini Control° Within the last five seconds the

Molly Brown, Gemini-3 spacecraft has completed the translational
maneuver by firing their forward-firing thrusters_ 85 pounds each,
fop _;ome 75 seconds. The maneuver has apparently been a successful
one demonstrating the extraordinary steering capaiiiit¥ of this
spacecraft. We are now just coming into voice communication with
the spacecraft here at the Cape and we will play that transmission
for you liveo This is Gemini Contmol_

This is Gemini Control. We are one hour and g8 minutes into

the flight of Gemini-3 spacecraft now approaching the noPthwest coast
of Africa. We are iust thls moment establishing contact with our
Canary Island sta*_on duping their pass across the Cape and cut
across Bermuda° You heard the exchange between the pilots° During
that exchange the Mission Director advised here that he is completely
satisfied with the on-board systems° You recall in Project Mercury
it took about one orbit to get all the systems shaken down, as it
were_ and that's about what _t's taken today_ We had some small
difficulty in one of the e_ectronics modes early in the flight°
Another concern arose when :-_e had a slight pressure drop in mum
OAMS or maneuvering system, fuel pressure, source pressure on the
fuel that is and both of these concerns have settled down completely.
The maneuvering system fuel quanti_y has read a very steady pressure
since back in the first pass over the Canary Islands° You recall
the convemsation when the Gen_.ini-3 spacecraft was advised to look
for its booster° That would be the second stage of the Titan XI
which put it in orbit. The pilots will yaw around to be in a
position to look for that second stage as they start their swing
across the Indian Ocean° Ihey will be in the dark and the booster
will be in the light° They should be able to see it some twenty
miles below and behind them° We'll be standing by for further
reports on that° This is Gemini Control°

This is Gemini Control° This time the Kano station is in

contact with our spacecraft takingtelemetry data and other quantities.
We have, on the basis of radar data, been able to compute our new
apogee and perigee° They are as follows: 97 miles, perigee; apogee,
105 miles. That's 97 statute miles by 105 statute miles on top°
That's a reduction in the size of the apogee of approximately 35
mile.,; - a truly historic maneuver. Earlier, our apogee had been
100 .,;tatute miles by 140 miles in apogee° At the same time, we
reduced the period of the orbit by approximately 1/3 of a second -
the new orbital period 87 minutes and 2/3 seconds° That is an
approximation, but it is close° This is Gemini Control°
Page #10

This is Gemini Control. The aircraft that we reported in trouble

earlier in the eastern ...... is now nearing Las Palmas, its about
one hour out of Las Palmas, in the Canary islands has encountered
no further trouble, it has been met by a second aircraft and is be
escorted to the airfield at Las Palmaso The flight itself _ _e are two
hours and 8 minutes into the mission° The spacecraft at this time
is passing over the southeast coast of Africa and they should at just
about this time - we are r_ :r voice contact with the spacecraft
at this time - but they sh_uid be seeinfl the booster° One of the
prime reasons why they will be able see it unlike past Mercury
flights is due to the dramatic change in orbit, wherein they will
actually be passing under the booster° They will yaw around and
observe it flying some twenty to twenty five miles right over them
and they will probably get the best view of it when it is out well
behind them. This is Gemini Control.

This is Gemini Control. At this time the spacecraft is directly

over the Coastal Sentry Quebec in the Central Indian Ocean, we've
had to rely on Syncore II - a communications satellite hovering over
the Indian Ocean for contact with that ship_ We have to place
further reliance on it temporarily because we have lost communications
with our Austrailian Station, However we seem to excellent communi-
cations through ibe _e of Syncore Ii. At this time the spacecraft
should be performing a translational burn that will change the
flight path verv slightly - if entirely successful it will mean that
the spacecraft w_]l land at a point some 30 - 40 miles farther north
_: ar_ it would have _:-;d it followed the same ground track throughout
taia p_snned three orbital mission. We are at two hours 19 minutes
into the mission. This is Gemini Control.

This is Gemini Control. We have been advised that we are go for

a third orbit. Communications h_ve ?_r_ _>,_t :bout the last ten minutes
with the Ca:,narvon Station, however, _he moment that the station
acquires the spacecraft apnrox_mately two minutes ago the communications
including voice communications came back in. We are listening now to
a conversation which is relatively clear between Pete Conrad and
Gus Grissom. This is Gemin_ Control,

This is Gemini Control° We have just completed a pass over

Hawaii within the last two minutes. The spacecraft has been raised,
has come in contact with the Roseknot Victor ship off the southwest
c_-,_%st of the United States_ Charmc_ eristica2!y verv little conver-
sation going back and forth strictly p_lot talk, evaiua_'ng svste_.
Even Gordon Cooper, who t_ not noted as a loquacious pilot during his
22 orbit flight; has been moved to comment on the lack of comment by
Gus Srissom and John Young during this flight° They are entirely
satisfied with the operation of the soacecraft and our ground systems.
We are 2 hours and 57 minutes into this flight_ During the Hawaii
pass_ Nell Armstrong, a fellow astronaut, confirmed the flight is
go for the third orbit and at this point we are rapidly nearing the
Mexican Peninsula, During the check of his control systems over the
Pacific Oceanj Grissom noticed some drift in his eight ball, or flight
direction needle on his side of the spacecraft - he seems not unduly
concerned about it - apparently it is a slight drift and he is )_::
_?'}_
into it and I'm sure we will have it solved in very litZle time, 7':_?
is G,=mini Control.
P_ge-#11

Thlz is Gemini Control o You have been hearing for approximately

the last ten minutes a live transm_._4,._n from the Gemini 3 spacecraft
during the course of that cony_r=.. _=tion _ the subject c'=_e
.... un of a
slow leak which has caused plenty of questions out at the press site°
The answer to the question is - that the spacecraft does seem to have
a very s._.ight leak in the yaw thruster° The Mission Director advises
that it :is of the order of approximately a quarter of a degree per
second° It is not considered _ problem° Otherwise the spacecraft seems
to be poi*forming very nicely° D,;ring the Cape pass a digital command
was set up resetting clocks, updating computers _ everything performing
very nicely° Three hours and 16 minutes into the mission° This is
Gemini Control°

This is Gemini Control_ In the last five seconds the Coastal Sentry
Quebec in the mid-Indian Ocean has contacted the spacecraft and con-
versation is underway there° We have been advised by the Navy downrang, e
in the end of the thrid orbit landing area there is only 4/10 cloud
cover° This condition is confirmed by a picture from a Tiros satellite_ a
remarkably clear picture 9 which shows there is a nice sunny open stretch
of Ocean waiting for the Molly Brown spacecraft° John Young has been
controlling the Molly Brown Soacecraft throuKhout much of this orbit°
The times - the precise times of the pre-retro burn maneuver are being
forwarded to the spacecraft right now by the Coastal Sentry Quebec_
the signal being relayed by Syncom II_ The spacecraft is being advised
that the amount of the burn will be, this will be in blunt end forward
condition, its rate will be 000, in other words it will be exactly
horizontal to the earth with out right or left motion, asking for a
burn of 96 v per second._ The duration of the burn will be 1_49 '' and
this will have the affect of reducing the perigee of the Gemini 3
flight to approximately 50 miles° That maneuver - that Dre_retro
burn maneuver will be performed slightly east of Hawaiio The spacecraft
is now in contact with CSQ in the mid-Indian Ocean° One final happy
note on that airplane we reported in trouble much earlier in the flight
has landed some 12 minutes ago at Las Palmas without further difficulties_
The C-54 that had been in trouble is now safely on the ground° This
is Gemini Control°

This is Gemini Control ....... still carryin_ on a conversation

with Gus Grissom over Austrailia - an unusually long cass _ much
discussion back and forth, re_d_ng out fuel quantities o One particular
quantity that John Young reported was the fact that the spacecraft
still has 55% of its own fuel onboardo This shows very good management
of this particular system and this brought some very complimentary
nods from the systems people here_ The time to the retro fire is a
little more than 30 minutes_ 30 minutes away. Our precise lift_off
time this morning was 9._24 zero, zero _ that is 9:24 EST° This is
Gemini Control°

This is Gemini Control. T:,._..soacecra _+ i,_ _I',

Ha't._aiian Islands we expect to b:_ve contact momentarily there and within
a minute or two after -ontact wa will be followin_ very closely the
pre-retro manuevering system _,urnso Th_s is the burn described earlier
which will take approximately one minute 49 seconds at a rate of 96 ft.
per second° It will have the effect reducin K the perigee some 50 miles.
Another d__amatic reduction and another evidence of the considerable
maneuverabil__ty of this Gemini sp_cecrafto We are 4 hours 20 minutes
into the mission, We are some 12 minutes and 25 seconds to retro fire°
That maneuver will be performed over the California Coast. This is
Gemini Control.
Page #12

This is .qemini Control. There ?:as very little ¢nnvers_tion

over that Hawaii nags which _,e just completed a =c_.... _nutes a_o
a very succ_ss_ul_ _=-_+_o:
.... ... burn wa_ _erformed. . The vissicn Director
advises that both the t_me and the rate about some 96 ft per s£c_nd
were achieved in that maneuver. The spacecraft now approachin_ the
Rose Knot Victor,should have access momentarily and we show 4 minutes
37 secon= to _etro fire Pilots have comoleted their Dre-retrofire
check llst. In the retrofire maneuver they will oitch down 16 degrees
their blunt end _7ill be forward, that is, they will flyinE with the
blunt end leading the flight. The retros with a thrust of 2500 lbs.
each will fire 1,2,3,4, fashion. They fire 5 1/2 seconds each. This
will decrease the velocity sufficiently to brink them in at the pre-
scribed landin_ point. Downrange r__-_
_ies that the helicopters have
started their engines in the prime landin K area. These are the search
helicopters. They will be launched at apDroximately one minute after
the hour. This is Gemini Control.

Thi_ is Gemini Control. We are coming up now on the final retro

maneuver. You can orobably hear the counting in the back_round, 6,5,4,
3, g, 1. fire. There is confirmation on one metro, we Eot a second
one. We have a good retro fire° We have completed it and all indica-
tlons are the attitudes were right on. We have an entirely satisfactory
retro fire. This is Gemini Control.

This is Gemini Control. Although communications are a little bit

spotty, we were able to hear velocity indications _ead out by command
oilot Gu,; Grissom. He indicated we achieved a 331 ft. per second re-
tardinM velocity. The downward vector was 105 ft Der second. The
attitude.,; were right on at 16 degree pitch down. This is exactly
nominal retro fire maneuver oroduct. This is Gemini Control.

This is Gemini Control. At this time the _olly Brown Spacecraft

is enteri[nf the blackout o-_- the oeriod of ionization. It is approximately
over the Florida Peninsula and some 17 seconds to go. John Youn_ should
have enerrized the commications exoerlment. The exoeriment where by water
will be released in oulses hoping to punch a hole in that sheet that
surrounds the spacecraft has it burns in through the atmosphere. We
are all fListeninM very closely here to see what results will come from
this exner'_ent. This is Gemini Control.

This is Gemini Control. We are still in the blackout period.

Gordon Cooper is following his end of the communications experiment.
Is broadcasting a long count, in other words a 1-2-3-4-count repeating
it time and a_ain so as to find out what the reception is at spacecraft
level. We have as yet heard nothin_ down here. This is Gemini Control.

Tbis i_ Gemini Control. Throughout much of this blackout oeriod

we have lPeceived C-band data, that is the data cominM in on a very
high fre,3uency. It has continued to come throughout most of this period.
The Mission Director is very much cheered by this. This is Gemini
Control.
 /

Page #13 --/'_

__f This is Gemini Control° Just three seconds ago we got a

! brief burst of a conversation from Gus Grlssom it sounded like
the end of a sentence. Obviously they have been broadcasting
also. We are through the blackout period and I believe momentarily
Gordon Cooper and Gus Grissom will establish communications°
Grissom sounds his usual husky deep voice° Cooper querying' him
again - are you reading - we get bursts back from Gus, they're not
too _ntelliglb_e, it is primarily a carrier problem° This is
Gemini Control.

This is Gemini Control° We just heard from Gus Grissomo

He estimates he will be approximately 25 miles short - that's 25
miles short - of the planned impact area° He is down now approxi-
mately -- there he reports the drogue chute° The drogue chute is out.
I'll listen carefully for the other events° This is Gemini Control.

This is Gemini Control° We have established radio contact from

the Carrier Intrepid with the Molly Brown° We are standing by for --
we have a communications drop out from this point -- ooops, there he
comes hack in. We should have a main chute momentarily° We show a
main chute indication here in the Control Center-_ _u_ light indicating
main chute is lighted but weQve not heard this from the ship or the
spacecraft. And the reoorts from the Intrepid and the spacecraft
now indicate that there is a good main chute , a good main chute
deployment. The Carrier is in solid communication with the
spacecraft° This is Gemini Control°

This is Gemini Control. We indicate a landing point of 70

degrees longitude, 22 degrees latitude° This is Gemini Control°

This is Gemini Control. An aircraft in the prime recovery area

is in voice contact with the spacecraft right now and we are assuming
he's on the deck and floating. Stand by one moment please°

..... some 25 to 30 miles north and west of the Carrier Intrepid.

We have had a visual siting by an aircraft in the area° We're stending
by for additional information. This is Gemini Control°

This is Gemini Control. Additional reports coming up from down-

range now giving us a new plot of some 60-65 miles northwest of the
Intrepid and our latest advisory says therets a Coast Guard cutter
called the Diligence within perhaps 10 miles of the spacecraft° At
this time we have only the one visual siting report from an aircraft
in the area. The Navy, of course, is very busy comparing plots, radar
information, on-board information, and within a very few minutes we
hope to have a little more solid information on how the spacecraft
looks for you° The general ground rule says that the pilots will
remain with the spacecraft until a ship comes alongside° Stand by
one, please.

This is Gemini Control° In the last few seconds we_ve had our
confirmation from downrange that one of the Air Rescue airplanes
circling in the area has deployed its paramedics, or its jumpers,
their purpose is to go down and secure the spacecraft with a large
Pa_e '_ 14

float__tlen c_!l_ re =_s:_i_=t it_ I sa), _gain, the swimmers have

been _.e_l_-,ed frem ar. =_i_t in The =',_a and they'r - -_w swimmin_
towar_i the c_sula. C_mmunic_tion_.. _ h_ve_'t_
.......
+5-_ v ....
_._ ceo- _ : ire
from downrange today h,ut the reports are gettin_ a little better
and a little more frequent no:_o This is Gemini Control. !

This is Gemini Control° Two swimmers are in the wa_er, nearing

the spacecraft right now° The C_rrler Intrepid estimates it will be
along:slde the spacecraft in approximately fifty (50) minutes. We
estimate the splashdo_,n of the spacecraft at 2:18. Eighteen minutes
after the hour_ Eastern Standard T_meo This is Gemini Control.

This is _emlni Control Our latest reports from downranFe

have heliconters in the area over the _olly Brown spacecraft_
Swim.ers have been deDioyedo A f!ota_ion collar now rinks the
spacecraft. I_s floatln_ very nicely° The latest estimate, and I'm
sorry _f there's confus3on over these estimates --we've tried to
relay them as fast as they've come ino They've come from many sources,
Our l_{test estimate places the spacecraft some 58 miles from the
Carrier. I'd llke to correct 8n earlier indication that the Carrier
would be alongside _n 50 minutes° I Think we should revise that To
more llke an hour and a half, an hour and 45 minutes. Again that is
only a tentative estimate_ When things are a little more secure we'll
pass that information Ono This is Gemini Control.

This is Gemini Control° Vice President Humphrey, who sat out

most Df This mlss_on in The Control Center is on his feet. He_s
beaming -- he_s con_ratulatlng Dro Gilruth, Director of the _{anned
Spacecraft Center, General Leighton I° Davis_ in charge of the DOD
forces supporting the Gemini mission, Dr. }_ueller, Director of the
Office of Manned Space Flight, NASA Headquarters, and no_._- on the
floor Chris Kraft has lighted his post-mission cigar - he's a very
happy man. In general, these people are a little bit tired but they're
awfully happy after a very successful mission, This is Gemini Control,

This is Gemini Controi_ The latest report from downrange says

this is a direct contact with an airplane in the area with the Molly
Brown pilot and command pilot° They advise the airplane That they
are staying in the spacecraft; however, they are removing their suits°
Apparently they are a little warm° Wegll try for an exact temperature
down there° I repeat - they are staying in the spacecraft but they are
taking off their space suits° This is Gemini Control.

This is Gemini Control° Our latest advisory from downrange

places the Carrier Intrepid 42 miles from the spacecraft. This w_ould
indicate an additional sailing Time of approximately an hour and 20
to 30 mirutes. Approximately 80 to 90 additional minutes before the
Inlr=-id.:. is alongslde_ We have an additional item on the crew -- they
mre reported to have opened their hatches, they're taking a nice
breath of air, giving a thuml_s uo signal To any and all passing airplanes
Yhis is Gemini Control.
Page #15

T_i_ _ e_,i ,C_,f..r_, _ _:,_ _t_st advisory from downrange

indicates that a bei_co_te_ ' :._ck up will be made of the crew and
the helicooters w_]l re.+.urn them to the ,Carrier Intrepid now some
40 miles from the soacecraft_, Meanwhile Vice President Humphrey
has been on the floor of the Control Center the past 10 minutes,
He has _st. -_n _ ._l]_ the _:[_bt__. controllers, I think shaking the
hand of each one° Very pleased about the mission. We now can
confirm that the Astronauts are in the helicopters, both astronauts
in helicopters that are =,elng returned to the Carrier at this time.
This is Gemini Contrci_

This is Gemini Control° The two Astronauts are presently riding

in o_le helicopter and o_P©cee'!in_ toward the Carrier Intrepid and
should be onboard momen_az_ik_ro _'_eanwh[le a flight surgeon in the
helicopter has r,ast the messaKe to the Intrepid. they have relayed
it back to me -_the message ,is _-All is wello _- This is Gemini
Control o

This is Gemin_ Contvcl_ Erom the deck of the Carrier Intrepid

our Public Affairs Officer onloard advises - the helicopters are
expected at the half hour in about 8 m_nutes they should be on
the deck of the Intrepido Th_s is Gemini Control°

/'his is Gemini Ccntr_io 7he helicopter bearing Gus Grissom and

John Young is now over the deck of the Carrier Intrepid° Momentarily
it will touchdown and the red carpet has been spread out on the deck
of tile Intrepld_ Ivm advised literally thousands of white suited
sailors are deployed around the deck ready to cheer the arrival of
these two spacemen_ This is Gemini Control°

This is Gemini Control_ Gus Grissom stepped out of the helicopte_

only moments ago aboard the Carrier° He was described as having
a big smile on his face_ waving to a crowd of sailors, who are thronging
around the helicopter_ John Young following several steps behind him.
Both of them obviousl _3 quite happy_ Looking great after a splendid
3 orbit mission° This is Gemini Control.

This is Gemini Contrci o Our _ two Astronauts were met on a red

carpet by RADM Donald _o Whil:e and other ranking officers of the Intrepid.
They are being escorted at this time to the Admiral"s cabin° This is
Gem ir_i Control_

This is Gemini Contr, olo The President of the United States is

now x,eportedly talking to John Young. He has just finished a conver-
sation with Gus Grissom on the Carrier Intrepid° On the way in to get
that phone call. Grissom made two statements to Public Affairs Officer
onboard, he said "it was a _reat flight" and then he added with a big
smile "I'll be ready to _ke GT=4"° We have a report from the Doctors
onboard based on the first few minutes of their physical examination.
They indicate to us Both pilots appear to be in excellent condition.
That physical will conzlnue shortly_ This is Gemini Control.