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Releases / 3 / NASA-UAP-D022

Gemini 9 Debriefing, 1966

File
NASA-UAP-D022
Type
Document, 78 pages
Agency
NASA
Date
June 3-6, 1966
Place
Low Earth Orbit
Released
Release 3, June 12, 2026

The government's description

Gemini IX (renamed Gemini IX-A) was the seventh crewed flight of the Gemini series, launched on June 3, 1966. The mission’s primary objectives included a spacewalk and multiple scientific and medical experiments. This document, dated June 16, 1966, is a transcript of a NASA debriefing of astronauts Thomas Stafford and Eugene Cernan. Pages 2-5 of this document contain the astronauts’ accounts of their observations of “flashing lights” and “sparkles” during the mission.

Full text

Text taken from the war.gov PDF; 11 of the 78 pages are scans read by OCR software, so expect misread words. Blacked-out parts of the original stay blank, and pages with no readable words, like photos, are left out. Check anything important against the original.

Page 1

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Page 12

7 /6/66
Memorandum to the File
From: J. R. Gill
Subject : Experiments Debfiefing of Gemini IX held in Bldg . 4, MSC at
8:30 A.M. June 16,1966 .
Gemini IX ' s performance on the 0SSA experiments was impressive .
The guiding
performed for S011 and S001 was the best that has yet been done on a manned
spacecraft .
In all 40 usu.able pictures of the airglow were made with the
2- filter (split field) arrangement attached to the wide angle Maurer lens
( NRL' s experiment) .
8 ee1 : was done inside the capsule since it was not possible to attempt it
during the EVA .
THey got pictures of the zodiacal light and the Milky Way
and the guiding was good even for the 30 sec sweeps .
On Tri-X these are the
best pictures yet of the zodiacal light surpassing the results achieved on
Gemini V.
S011; About 40 usable pictures of the airglow were obtained.
of the same star fields pictured in S00l.
THese contain some
Guiding was very good even though
Cernan had to do the experiment from a very awkward position .
Hemenway showed several pictures which were enlargements (up to 35 , 000
exposed
times) . Only a small portion aJf the/ surface has been a.na.lyzed, but on this portio
S012 :
portion 9 impacts are recorded .
Hemenway is investigating possible "contamination
between experiments before sending the individual sections to guest investigators .
On the biological experiments where the results come ou:b faster (a) 3 swabs
taken inside the s/c
re- flight were dirty ; post-flight these same areas
were sterile . ( b ) the T-4 bacteriophages and t he penicilliumspeciroens

Page 13

2.
survived the spaceflight; two other sp eciment.
The 30-day report on this
experiment will contain more results, but the full micrometoerite analysis
will take some time.
S-5 and S-6: These experiments were not officially carried, but nonetheless it
was done as "operational procedure."
In all some 300 color pictures were taken
with the Hasselblad and Maurer cameras both of which were carried (for the first
time.
The Maurer is eventually planned to replace the Hasselblad, but this has
been slow in evolution.)
excellent.
A strip was taken over Peru where the weather happened to
Features show up in these pictures which do not appear on any existing
map; for example, a glacial lake in the Ange~ which do not appear on any existing
maps.
The Peruvian Embassy has been informed of this lake which may portend
an avalanche hazard for villagesilocated below,
military p-l,ane into the area to investigate .
The Peruvians have sent a
THis indicates the possible current
use of such pictorial information .
THe AMU exercise was unsuccessful.
present arrangements.
It proved to be too Im.lCh "work" under the
It takes two hands just to control the body peeitionang .
Hand-held photography during EVA for experiments looks "out of the question"
at pres ent.
J oc elyn R. Gill

Page 17

OPTtONA.L FORM NU. 10

•

MAY INZ. EDIT(ON
GSA P'PMR (,t CFR) t01-11 .f.

-

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT

Memorandum
TO

SM/ DirectoJ , ~ ~
Manned Fli k-'t' 1~ periments Office

FROM

SM/Jocelyn R. Gill

SUBJECT:

Report on Gemini 9

DATE:

June 21 , 1966

\)

Gemini 9 -

n~e,ct:xon on our experimen

was impressive .

a

S-1 - Zodi~al Light Experiment (N ) - This was done inside
the capsule . Pictures were taken of the zod~cal light and
the Milky Way . Guiding was quite good even for the 30 second
sweep . Tri - x film was used , and best pictures yet of the
zodi~cal light .
S-11 - Airglow Horizon Photographic Experiment (Koomf n) Naval Resear ch Laboratory - About 40 us~ble pictures of
the airglow with a split field picture were obtained . Some
of the same star field were shown in S-1 . Guiding was very
good even though Cernan had to take pictures in a very
awkward position .
S-12 - Micrometeorite Collection (Hemenway) - Showed several
pictures which were greatly magnified - enlargement of the
micrometeorite experiment . Only a small portion of the
exposed surface has been analyzed . Nevertheless 9 important
ones are recorded on these films . Hemenway is investigating
possible contamination between experiments before sending
individual portions to guest experimenters .
Biological Experiments - Results of these come . out faster .
Part A: 3 swabs were taken inside of spacecraft .
Preflight were dirty .
Postflight : Some areas were sterile .
Part B: Penicillium and T- 4 bactericidal specimens survived
the spaceflight . Two other specimens did not .
30 day report
may have more results but micrometeorite experiment will
take some time .

Buy U.S. Savings Bonds Regularly on the Payroll Savings Plan

Page 18

2

S- 5 & s - 6 - These were not officially carried , but Stafford
and Cernan took over 300 colored pictures using the Hasselblad
and Maur er camera .
A photographic strip was taken over
Peru where weather was excellent . Some features show up ,
for example , glacial lake in the Andes which do not show on any
existing map . Peruvian embassy has been informed of this lake
which may portend for avalanch hazard to villages located below
this lake . Military plane was sent into area to investigate .
AMU - This was unsuccessful .
Proves to be " too much work"
under present arrangements during EVA .
It takes two hands
to control the body positioning . Hand held photography during
EVA for experiment looks out of the question at present time .

Jocelyn R. Gill

Page 19

U . S . NAVAL RESEARCH L AB O RATORY
WASH INGTON , D. C. 20390

Code 7020
21 June 1966
Dr . Homer E. Newell
Associate Administrator
Space Science and Applications
National Aeronautics and Space Ad.ministration
Washington, D. c. 20546
Dear Homer :
Fir st, in behalf of the NRL- GSFC collaborators in Gemini Experiment S- 9,
I want to express deep gratification at t he strong int erest in and conc ern for
the success of our experiment shown by you and by Dr . George Mueller . The
substantial help that both of you and your associates in NASA have given us
is much appreciated.
The proposal to include two high- altitude orbits in the flight plan for
Gemini mission XI has been carefully examined by physicists at MSC Houston,
as well as by our joint NRL- Goddard group . At a meeting in my office yester­
day with officials from NASA Headquarters and from MSC , Houston, we agreed
that the S- 9 experiment would not be hurt if the flight plan included t wo
elliptic orbits bavine an altitude of 75 0 nautical miles at apogee (approxi ­
mately over Australia ) during the 26th and 27th orbits . Our emulsion stack
apparatus would be retrieved from the retroadapter se ction during the first
EVA , and stored inside the Gemini capsule in a manner suggested by Messrs .
Joseph Lill and Peter Higgins of MSC, with an orientation that would minimize
the effect s of background radiation incident on the window face of the package .
In short, we believe that the proposed high- altitude orbits are compatible
with the S- 9 experiment .
May I digress t o say that we in the NRL group are looking forward to
favorable consideration by the Manned Space Flight Experiments Board of our
recent Apollo proposals for cosmic- ray studi es outside the magnetosphere , and
for observations of cosmic y- rays in earth- orbiting Apollo vehicles .
With warm regards ,
Sincerely,

J.><urice

1:!

3 h ief Scientist

Laboratory for Cosmic Ray Physics
Principal Investigator, s- 9)

P . S. A list of those attending the meeti ng in my office yesterday is attached.
In an earlier meeting several weeks ago , we benefited from participation by ✓
Astronauts Charles Conrad and William Anders .
)\ ~
I

~ff'
cc : Dr . George Mueller
Mr . Leroy To.y

~

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,

Page 20

In attendance at meeting in Dr . Shapiro ' s office
U. S . Naval Research Laboratory

,

20 J une 1966

NASA Headquarters, Washington
Eldon W. Hall
Vearl N. Huff
MSC , Houston
Wyendell B. Evans
Joseph C. Lill
Peter W. Higgins
GSFC , Greenbelt
Carl E. Fichtel
Donald V. Reames
U. S. NRL
Maurice M. Shapiro
Bertram Stiller
Francis W. 0 1 Dell
Rein Silberberg
Chen- Hsiang Tsao

Page 21

LABSTRACTS
No. 23

U. S. NAVAL RESEARCH LABORATORY, WASHINGTON , D.C.

USRL Joins

RL

June 10, 1966

Chair of Cosmic Ray Physics Established

Effective July 1 the Navy Underwater Sound Ref­
erence Laboratory (USRL) in Or land o, Florida,
will be disestablished and become a di v i s i o n of
NRL. It will be designated as the Underwater Sound
Reference Division (USRD) . As a division of NRL,
USRD, in its program of standards and instrumen­
tation development for imderwater sound measure­
ment, will be re-enforced by the spec i a 1i zed
capabilities of related elements of the NRL research
staff. The f i n an c i a 1, management, and support
services requirements will be backed up by the
service organizations of NRL.
The new division will continue under the imme ­
diate supervision of the Chief Scientist, Mr. O. M.
Ows ley. Mr. Owsley will report directly to Capt
T. B. Owen, Director of NRL, for the management
of the operations and the effective prosecution of
the program. He will be guided as appropriate and
in their resp ective areas, by NRL's Director of
Research, Director of Support S e r vi c e s, and
Comptroller.
continued - page 2

NRL Signs Labor Contract
for Guard Unit
The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and Colum­
bia Lodge No. 174 of the International Association
of Machinists and Aerospace Workers have nego­
tiated a comprehensive agreement covering all non­
supervisory security guards in the Laboratory's
Security and Administrative Services Division.
Following a grant of exclusive recognition to the
Union on January 19, 1966, negotiations began on
March 31, 1966, and were concluded on May 26.
The Laboratory's negotiating team was beaded by
Capt J. C. Matheson, Director of Support Services,
and inc luded LCdr J . H. DalPian, Se c u r i t y and
Administrative Ser vices Officer, and Mr. T. F.
Garnett, Jr., of the Personnel Division . The chief
negotiator for the Union was Mr. R. W. Fauntleroy,
Business R epresentative of Columbia Lodge No .
174. Mr. Fauntleroy was assisted by Mr. R. E.
Bunner and Mr. H. B. Brooks, both members of the
Laboratory's guard force.
The completed agreement was signed at 3:00
p. m. on Wednesday, June 1, in the Office of the
Director of Support Services. The effective date
of the agreement is June 2, 1966. It is anticipated
that the agreement will remain in effect for one
year with the possibility of its subsequent extension
continued - page 2

Effective May 11 the Laboratory established a
Chair of Cosmic Ray Physics for Dr. Maurice M.
Shapiro, who recently r esigne d from the Superin­
tendency of the Nucleonics Division after 12 years
in the latter position. The post of Chair of Science
was c r eat e d by the Laboratory to confer special
recognition on the incumbent as a distinguished
scientist of exceptional accomplishment.
The staf.f of the former Cosmic Ray Branch,
which Dr. Shapiro organized and led since 1949,
will constitute the L ab oratory for Cosmic Ray
Physics , with Dr. Shapiro as Chief Scientist.
The Laboratory for Cosmic Ray Physics is en­
gaged in studies of the primary cosmic radiation­
its composition, energy spectra, and other proper­
ties. This group of physicists composing the Lab­
oratory has become especially well-known for its
significant contributions to our knowledge of the
helium component and the heavier primary nuclei
of the cosmic radiation, as well as for its earlier
work on elementary particles. Dr. Shapiro is also
Principal Investigator for the Gemini Cosmic Ray
Experiment S-9, a collaborative enterprise of the
Laboratory and the Goddard Space Flight Center.
The emulsion stack designed for this experiment
was lost on the ill-fated Gemini VIIl but, the ex­
periment is re-scheduled to be flown on Gemini
Flight XI.

Savings Bond Campaign Extended
The Federal Savings Bonds Chairman, Postmas ­
ter General Lawrence F. O'Brien, has announced
that he is extending the 25th Anniv er sary Savings
Bonds Campaign for F ederal Employees through
continued - page 2

Page 22

2
USRL - continued

As a part of NRL, the new division's work will
remain essentially unchanged. Its mission, now
incorporated into the mission of NRL, is to conduct
research and development furthering the science of
underwater sound measurement, to provide to other
naval activities the resulting scientific knowledge,
new or improved t e c h n i q u e s , and standardized
instrumentation, and to provide facilities and ser­
vices for the accurate calibration of standard in­
strumentation and the wibiased determination of
performance characteristics of development, pro­
totype, or operational underwater sound devices
used by the Naval Establishment.
Several of NRL's key personnel, including Capt
T. B. Owen, the Director, and Dr. C. E. Cleeton,
the Associate Director of Research for Electronics,
have visited tbe facility to arrange for the transition.
The 10. 5 acres of LabOratory ground occupied
by USRD are located alongside Lake Gem Mary,
one mile south of the city limits of Orlando. It has
a personnel complement of 98 people: 97 civilian
and 1 military.
The Laboratory extends a hearty "Welcome
AbOard" to its new staff members and looks forward
to publication of articles about the new di vision.
CONTRACT SIGNED - continued

for one additional year. Significant provisions con­
cerning promotion, s c he du ling of annual leave,
hours of work, and a grievance procedure with pro­
visions for advisory arbitration, are among the
seventeen articles included in the agreement.
This is the second agreement covering Labora­
tory employees negotiated within the framework of
the F e d e r al Employee-Management Cooperation
Program as set forth in Executive Order 10988.
The first agreement, covering all wigraded non­
supervisory employees at the Washington complex
of NRL, became effective on December 21, 1964.
Re-negotiation of the latter agreement is expected
to begin in the early fall of this year.
SAVINGS BOND CAMPAIGN - continued

June. He said that the additional month is needed
to assure that every civilian and military employee
of the Federal Government throughout the world is
given an opportunity to sign up for regular pur­
chases of Savings Bonds through the Payroll Savings
Plan.
The Postmaster General expressed confidence
that the campaign goal of 75 percent participation
by Federal employees will be achieved.
So far in NRL' s Savi.n gs Bond Campaign 94 people
have i n c r ea s e d their Bond allotments, and 157
people have signed up for Bond deductions, making
a total of 1,628 Bond savers. The Laboratory's
percentage of participation is now over 50.
This extra month affords you the ex c e 11 en t
opportunity of signing up for Bonds. Why not jump
on the "Bond Wagon" today?

NRL LABSTRACTS

Elected Fellow of the
American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Dr. Richard Tousey, Head of the Rocket Spec­
troscopy Br an c h, Atmosphere and Astrophysics
Division, was elected a Fellow of the American
Academy of Arts and Sciences at the Academy's
186th Annual Meeting held May 11 in Boston, Mass.
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences,
was founded in Boston in 1780 by John Adams and
other revolutionary leaders of the Massachusetts
Bay Colony. Among the prominent members of the
past have been George Washington, Oliver Wendell
Holmes, Horace Mann, Sir Winston Churchill, and
John F. Kennedy.
Dr. Tousey, who is a member of over a dozen
major scientific and professional societies, is now
a Fellow in four of them. Previously he had been
elected Fellow by the American Physical Society,
the Optical Society of America, and the American
Geophysical Union. Moreover, Dr. Tousey's work
here has earned him numerous special honors and
awards, including the Navy Award for Distinguished
Achievement in Science (1963), the Henry Draper
Medal of the National Academy of Sciences (1963),
and the Frederic Ives Medal of the Optical Society
of America (1960) .

Scrap Material Wasn't Scrapped
The following items were evidently mistaken for
scrap material and were picked up in Building 49.
The equipment should be returned so that formal
transfer procedures may be followed.
•Pulse Generator, H.P . Mod. 212A, Ser . 549,
P.A. 243091
• Pulse Generator, H.P. Mod. 212A, Ser. 4496,
P.A. 248572
• Flow Meter,Burton,Mod. 200, Ser. 200-6069,
P .A. 245683

Page 23

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- * |
UD base 2s oe

WOTICE HAS BEEN RECEIVED THAT THE GEMINI XI CREW WILL HAVE A
WORKING SESSION AT THE MOREREAD PLAWETARIUM, CHAPEL HILL, ORTH
CAROLINA, OM JUNE 22-23, 1966. ‘THIS SESSICH WILL BE USED TO REFINE
PROCEDURES FOR THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE FLIGH?‘'S ASTRONOMICAL
If I8 RE VESTED THAT THE £-11, S-13, 5-29, &-30, AND IF ASSIGHED,
THE 8-20 INVESTIGATONS SE BOTIFIED OF THE TIME AND PLACE OF THIS
SESSION.
DR. GILL GF THE MANNED FLIGHT EXPERIMENTS OFFICE URGES TOUR
SUPPORT OF THIS BRIEFING SESSION AT MOREHEAD PLANETARIUM‘.

P ’ (2

, > ee

WILLIS B. POSTER, DIRECTOR
é =

6/T/G6 3:00 p.x.

UNCLASSIFIED

Page 37 · OCR

= —_—— = —_—— = =e ee
465A Head GARTERS
Mi. MARTIN J. KOOMER
, U.S. HAVAL RESEARCH LABORATORY
WASHINGTON, D.C.
B. KASS S. es
Ry _ Pie 4
DEPUTY y DIRDETO, AEROMOMY DIVIET HE
a i SCIERCE wRVICKS ADMINICYRATION
DS. EPBARD P. BEY
psc oF . ia aie
MR. ELAICT C. MORRIS
U5. GEOL SOGICAL § EVE :
“ APY, ARTTOBA
ee: 8G/Mr. Dubin
sm/Dr. G412
Mec /Mr. Piland
wsc/Mr. Slayton
r=
SM: JRGILL:KBY 20611 6/7/66
Dr. Jocelyn B Gill 3} 6/7/66 3:00 pom.
Memned Flisht Experiments Office x £0611
UNCLASSIFIED

Page 38

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Page 39

~ HQ£729
PP MS:KSCF

OE NASAHQ 162
ZNR UUUUU
P 072027Z

.

FM NASA HEADQUARTERS ~ASHDC
TO KENNEDY SPACE CENTER FLA
NASA

BT

.

.

.

UNCLAS SM•162. GEtHNI IX ASTROOAUTS LT COLONEL
- LT C<llfMANDER E:UGENE CERNAN ASTRONAUTS . OFFIC!;
.
TALK ABOOT AN ACE !N THE HOLE••• CONGRATULATIONS TO GEMINI IX ~~
CARRYING OUT A r~osr DIF£ICU~T AND T~YING MISSICN. YOUR PATIENCt

AND COURAGE WERE REWARDED. WE ARE PLEASED THAT YOO WERE ABLE TO

CA"'tRY our MOST OF.THE EXPERIMENTS AND LOOK FORWARD EAGERLY TO IHE
·RESULTS. TriANK YOO so· r1ucH F~ YOlJR OUTSTANDING COOPERATION Ai1D •
EFFOH iN ·THIS REGARD. A S~tCIAl.. · MESSAG:: TO ·THE PILOT FRQ.'tl
DR. JCCEL YN GILL, A FELLOW PR 0V IS OITE WHO PRECED£0 HIM BY A -FEW
YEARS, WARM CONGRATULATIONS ON THE LOOG SPACE W-ALX..-.. IT · w.AS
EXPECTED OF couqsE THAI PRC1JISO CO{Jti) ACC0.'1:?LISH It.
/S/ WILLIS B FOSTER: DIRECT CR. MANNEP' FLIGHT EXPERIMENTS

ar

Page 40

PRECEDENCE
NAME t>F AGENCY
ACTION,
u
IORI'l'Y
------ - - - - - - i r~UNCLASSIFIED
INFO.,
TYl'E OF MESSAGE
[ii SINGLE
I-AC_C_OU_N_T_ING_QASS_IF_IO._TI_ON
__
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _"7
Y ClASSIFICATION
STANDARD FORM IA
□ BOOK
□ MULTl•AOORESS
REV . MARCH 15, 1957
GSA REGULATION 2-IX-203 .0<1
1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . . . L . - = = - - - - - - - - - - - - t '"-303
'IHIS lllOCIC FOR USE OF COMMUNlCATIONS UNIT
TELEGRAPHIC MESSAGE
1.,66 JUN 7
20 27
OFFICIAL BUSINESS
U. S. GOVERNMENT
THIS COL. FOR AGENCY USE
MESSAGE TO BE TRANSMITTED (UM> double ,.p ocing ond otl capital letters)
GEMINI IX ASTRONAUI'S
Ilr. COLONEL THOMAS STAFFORD
ILr. 00.MMANDER
ENE CERN.AN
ASTROnn,,,.,_..., OFFICE
SPACE {;""E.N'.""""f""'ER..,
CENTER, FLORIDA
...
TALK ABOUI' AN ACE IN THE HOLE!
COl~OBS TO GEMINI IX ON
:li!
; C
"'
OUT A MOST DUFICUUl' AND TRYING MISSION.
~
...~
""-U......-"1
WERE REWARDED.
YWR P.ATIE?~CE
WE ABE PIEASED THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO
Cl
; CARRY OlJI' MOST OF THE EXPEBIMEN'1'S
<
S
BESUill'S.
t;
THANK YOO' SO· MUCH FOR Y
EWORT IN THIS REGARD.
LOOK FORW
EAGERLY TO THE
OUTSTANDING COOPERATIO
AND
A SPECIAL MESSAGE TO THE PILC.r FROM
DR. JOCELYN GILL, A FELUlW PBOVISOITE WHO PRECEDED HIM
YEABS, WABM CONGRATUIATIOBS ON THE I£>NG SP
A FEW
WAI.K--IT W.AS
EXPEm'E]). OF COURSE THAT PROVISO COULD ACCOMPLISH IT.
WILLIS B. FOOTER, DIRECTOR
MANNED FLIGHT EXPERIMENTS OFFICE
PAGE NO.
1
NAME AND Til\.E Of ORIGINATOR {Type/
Dr
Jocelyn R. Gill
ORIGINATOR'S TEL. NO.
DATE A.NO TIME PREPARED
x206ll
I certi.fr fhal lhh mes10ge is official bu1i11ou, b 1101 penonol, ond is in the interest of lhe Govern mont.
UNCLASSIFIED
*
u . • . GOYERHMltH.t Pfl:INTING o.-,.,cEl.. &fll..Q,._..7....
1

Page 41

PRECEDENCE
N.AMEOF AG&K:Y
ACTION,
INFO.,
tl
TYPE OF MESSAGE
t-AC_C_OUN--Tt-lG--a.AS--Slf_lCA_T_ION------------------1
Iii SINGLE
□ IIOOIC
CLASSIFICATION
STANDARD FORM U
REV . MARCH
15, 1957
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __.__□
__
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _,.14-303
MUlTI...-.DORESS
GSA REGULATION 2 -IX-203 ,04
THIS 81.0CK FOIi USE Of COMMUNICATIONS UNIT
TELEGRAPHIC MESSAGE
OFFICIAL BUSINESS
U. S, GOVERNMENT
THIS COL FOR AGENCY USE
MESSAGE TO BE TRANSMlmo (Use double spacing and all copltal letters)
..-
.,
.~,,
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0
...
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~
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II)
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ORJGl!-IATOR'S ru. NO.
NAME AND Tlll.£ Of ORIGINATOR (1-J
(Signolu,e)
~
....
0
z
0
0
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Page 42

cc:
Dr. Roacb/ESS/Boulder
Mr. Dunkel.man/GSFC
Mr . Piland/MSC
Mr . Smistad/MSC
Eaton/MSC
Mr . Slayton/MSC
Mr .
206ll 6/6/66

Page 43

OPTIONAL fOI.M NO, I 0
M.AY 1'62 fDITIOH

GSA PPMI: U.I Cfl) IOl-11.6

U !TED STATES GOVERNMEN

Memorandum
TO

SM/Director, Manned Flight Experiments Office

FROM

SM/Manned Flight Experiments Office

SUBJECT:

Sci entific Experiments carried out oh Gemini IX

DATE: J une

6, 1966

~

The Gemini IX mission carried the following OSSA experiments :
S -10 Agena Micrometeorite Collection
S -11 Airglow Horizon Photography
S - 12 Gemini Micrometeorite Collection
In spi te of a slight flurry last Friday night to t brow in additional
experiments as a possible backup in the event of failure of the .ATDA,
no new experiments were introduced . Thi s was a consequence of the
decis i on to i ntroduce no additional film packs which could have
acconnnodated some moreexperimental activity. (Ref . TWX to Dr .
John Clark re S- 28 support for Gemini IX, 5/27/66 and TWX to 4
experimenters and their directors re S- 5, S - 6, S-28 and S-29, 5/31/66) .
Nonetheless , i t is anticipated that some photographs will have been
taken for S-5 and S -6 (Synoptic Photography) on the operational film
carri ed - even though this experiment was not scheduled for Gemini IX .
As of Sunday, June 5th at ll : 30 e . d . t . telephone contact with
Norman Foster ' s office indicated the following on experiments .
{Talked with Ed Ze itler, MSC both Saturday and Sunday . He i s the
editor on the experiments status report) .
The efforts to di slodge the shroud from the .ATDA, (called by
Tom Stafford as "an angry alligator, ") were in vain so docking with
the ATDA was scrubb ed from the mission . At this point there was
some concern over the fuel supply and a thought that i t might not be
poss ible to carry out all the experiments . The status of sci entific
experimental activity is given below .
1.

S-10, Agena Micrometeorite Collecti on, Dr . C. Hemenway, Dudley
Observatory

The S- 10 was carried on the .ATDA, but it was impo ss i ble to get
near i t or to retrieve i t . The S- 10 was also ca rri ed on the Agena
and there was no activity with it ei ther . The S -10 i s still on the
.ATDA and conceivably could be retrieved on a later mi ss i on .

l

.$010-101

Buy U.S. Savings Bonds Regularly on the Payroll Savings Plan

Page 44

2

2.

S-11, Airglow Horizon Photograpby, M. Koomen, Naval Research
Laboratory

The astronauts made 3 night passes on this experiment and reported
bno problemshso it is assumed that the experiment went off as planned .
They may be able to devote 1 more night pass to it during the mission .
They are still planning the 2 - 1/2 hour EVA . At the start of the
experiments they had 50 lbs . of fuel left and at the end, so it is
reported, they still had 50 lbs ! ! ( GET 27 hrs , 29 hrs , 31 hrs for
S - ll ).

3. S -12, Gemini Micrometeorite Collection, Dr . C. Hemenway, Dudley
Observatory
The collection box was activated and had five hrs~ exposure before
closing it so jets could be freely used . The decision was made to
reactivate it during the astronauts 10 hr . sleep period . It was
closed again and retrieved by Cernan during his space walk . So S -12
collection box is being returned in the Gemini IX capsule . (The
experimenter was asked whether it would be safe to try a second
exposure and asked whether the astronauts could recall whether the
closing cycle on the box had taken about 30 secs . They apparently
could not hear it and so could not make this determination . )

* (GET 12 to 17 hrs . )
S-5 and S- 6, Synoptic PhotograJ?hl, Dr . Paul Lowman and K. Nagler
There is no word on how many pictures have been taken . The
newspapers have made reference to a picture of Baja California, and
since there was a good deal of operational film aboard, it is expected
that there may be quite a few . Cernan during EVA was asked whether
he had the Hasselblad camera outside and the reply was 11 yes , 11 In
talking with Dr . Lowman I learned that this is probably the wide - angle
(90 deg . ) Hasselblad and may very well produce some spectacular pictures .
From the standpoint of our experiments this seems to be a good mission.
We should have results from S -12 and S- ll as well as S - 5 and S - 6 .
Many more pictures for the successive volumes of the Earth Atlas .
~a.~

'R. ~

Jocelyn R. Gill
Manned Flight Experiments Office

Page 45

..
NASA ROUTING SLIP
CODE
r+~~JUL
1.
ACTION
NAME (if lltWid ,Y)
u
2.
APPltOVAl.
~ONCURRENCE
L1 FILI:
INFORMATION
INVESTI GATE AND ADV ISE
NOTE ANO FORWARD
3.
NOTE ANO RETURN
,.
PER REQUEST
RECOMMENDATION
SEE ME
5.
SIGNATURE
REPLY FOR SIGNATURE Of,
6.
7.
REMARKS :
~
FROM:
I
CO0E ,
' NAME ,
ASA for m 26 ( Rev. Jan. 1963 )
G~
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'
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-----
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Page 46

6/6/66
Memo to PolJt
J'_;romJ
JI
Subj ct.
. Gill
ieo.tifl.o
er1mcit
ee1on carr1
11g•aa
1111.cro
t
Carri
out on Gemini lX
following OSSl
ta:
eorite Oollectton
u Airglov nzon fhoti>itra:ntIV
12 Gemini Miej;Vll•~:iurite COllection
ln spit ot aalight flurry last h14'V Di
to throw in
t1olial experiments
u e. po 1ble ~ in th event ot f'ailure o't the A
~ no new e:x;per:lmmta
1ntroctuc-e4, ~ia vaa a con.eequ ce ot th deo1 ■ion to~troduce no
&dditio
tum...--- vhich coul.d have acco
:t acne mre a:perlm.ental
actt'rltity. ( flt. 'NX to :Dr,Jobn C1&:l'k re s-28 aupport tor G9min1 ll.~5/'ZT/66
d 1WX t:O 4 ~ t e r s and their directors re 8-5 1 8-6,S-28 and S-29,-/.5/'31/66
nethelea , it ia anticipated that ao
tographe vil1 hav
been taken ~r
S-5 and -6 (Synoptic fhotograpbY) o th operational tum carried•• even
thougb th1
en,er:1.mtm.t was no
schedul.ed tor Oe:m1n1 IX,
Aa ot tNDDAY Juue 5th at lls30
te1~one contact with nl!ID. Poster's
offl.e 1n41cat
e i'olloving on lll!rl'~U!llll!m::ta.(
ed. with
Zeitler,MBC
both Sat/and Sun• Re ia the editor on the ~ t a statue report).
Ettorte to d1tllodge the ebroud
the ATDA,f~• by Tom st.ttora "en angry
al11ptor~ wen in vain o ocldng with th AT!». vaa Scrubbed... bom. t
mission.
At th1AI point there vu aome concern over the f\iel aµppl.y and 'DDCIWD:(1; tbat
it might not be po aible to carry, CNt all the ~imeilta. 'Iha atatua of
■cientUic
e.rimental activity 1• given bel.ow.
1. S - ~ ~ Ml~eortite C llect1on, Dr. C. H
, J>u.dl.97 Observatory
on tiil ATJi( 1 fut it vaa µp,aa1ble to
near it
or to retrieve it. ('Die S.-1.0
alao cur1.e4 on the Ageoe.
there was no
activity with tt either •• lM1---=-----edn11 The S-10 1a still on the
ATD&
conceivably coul.d be
eved on later saion.
ib vu carH

Page 47

- . . ..

--

1t so Jet• could be ~ uaed. The '901tion vu 111114• to reactivate it
during the utroDliuta 10 br. aleep perl.~. It vu cloae4 again and retriffed
by Ceman during bi• apace~- So 8•12 collection bOK 1■ being fflUl'l1e4
1n the GBad n1 IX capaw.e. (the ~ e r vu uk
Whether i t wa14 be
Mfe to tr,r a ■ ecoii4 ax:poauie in4 Uked ¥lwther ~ utlal&Ut• could recall
whether the closing cycle
the box bad taken about 30 ■ee.. Th~ appenrrtl.1'
could not hear i t and 80 coul.4
make ~ determination.) The ftrat ~
■tart
at
12
cl.osed. at 17 hra.
tL,.ancl s.6; ~ i c ~ , D . r.. Paul Lolman Zr. and IC.
er.
le DC> r4 on bcnr
iat
;v
t en.
D9'w4-P9ff Dade rwt,
to a picture or
a Calitomia, but tnc there vu a good deal ot opcational
tum a'boia.r4, it 1
e<:tid that tbere
be quite a f•• Ceman during WA vaa
h had the Buaelblad c:amera out41de
tbe
~ vu 'Y•.
aillked vhet
In aJJdng with J)r. Lc,wman J a&nili4 that th1 1•
'tably the vide-angle(90 deg.
Hanel
very.
ll produce aoae ~ pictures
Pl'0Jll the ~ t ot
eaq,~• w.a aeema to
a good miaaion. wa ahould
S-12 and S-11
Yell U 8•5 and S-6.
Dm'tt pic:turee
vol
ot tli Karth ATl.u.

Joe~ ft. G ll
ed nigh! ~ t • Ottiee

Page 48

• NASA HEADQUARTER
-
ROUTING SLIP
,....ACTION
CODE
NAME (if n«tssary)
APPROVAL
CONCURRENCE
I~
A
/ '(-:..Mv..
-
1.
FILE
J
2.
INFORMATION
INVESTIGATE AND AD VISE
NOTE AND FORWARD
3.
N O TE AN D RfTURN
PER REQUEST
"·
RECOMMENDATION
SEE ME
5.
SIGNATURE
REPLY FOR SIGNATURE OF:
6.
7.
f~ ~ . 4 ~ "J...
~-~ ~ - ~ - t . .
REMARKS:
~~~~1¾
fr'-~ 1t ~ 1--i
f,t'.
oP!
ROM: I CODE,
6/' G
I NAMf:
N ASA form 26 ( Rev. July 19,9)
' DATE~ /
u s
GOv t:• N»IN J f'■ 1 NT1NG
olrtccl. '"' 0, - 1 1.iol &

Page 49

,.

....

H S733

PP WO

z

SA HOUMSC
7722 1512235

AH

uuuuu

P 3t2229Z

r

ASA H

TO

~ASHI GTON DC

TECYWU S WEATHER

UREAU S TF.LLITE CE TER SUITLA 1D MD

NA SF'C/ GOODARD SP ACE FLI HT CENTER GR E BELT MD
ONASA/U S

OLOGICAL SURVEY BRA CH OF' ASTROGEOLOGY FLAGSTAFF ARIZONA

HOU SC/MANNED SPACECRAFT CENTER HOUSTON TEX
IS
BT
U~CtA S -7722. ATT
ATELLITE CE TER-DIRECTOR CMA
INFO KENNETH NA LER
'
/ S- 6/ ATTN GSFC- DI RECTOR CM A INFO L RRY Dt KELM AN S- 28 AND DR PAUL
LOW A JR S- 5 ATTN US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY-DIRECTOR CM A INFO ELLIOTT
ORRIS S- 29 ATTN MSC-DIR ECTOR.
AT 16. :10 EDT CMA FRI AY CMA MAY 29 woRD CAME TH ouaH TO xr
MANNED FLIGHT EXPERIME TS OFFICE CM
OSSA TOR ADY
EXPERIMEt-TTS S-5 CMA S-6 CMA S-?.8 CMA A 1D S-29 FOR FLIGHT S
PA'RTI AL B CKUP OJ THE GEM I NI IX- A MISSION IN THE
EVENT OF AN ATDA FAILURE. TH£ EXPERUlENTERS CON-

CERNED WERE PR

PTLY INFORMED BY TELEPHONE AND THEY

PAGE 2 RUEDHQA7722 UNCLAS
PREP~RED TO COMPLY . ITH NY BRI FIN
RE, IREMENTS AT
TH
CAPE OR FOR REAL-TI E MISSION PL NI G AT MSC.
OVER THE !EEK D THF. Pt~ . TO S THES ADDITIO t
EXP RIMENTS AS A PART OF TH
AC UP FOR THE GEMINI IX- A
MISSIO
~AS ALTERE
TH RE IS
JND RLINED CHA NGE TO
EE MADE I 1 THE FILM PACKS CA, IE
H... JCE ~a AD ITIONAl
PHOTOG PHIC EXP
IMENTS C
ACCO 1PLISHED. IT IS

C JCEIV

L

TH T SOME PHOTOS FO

-T A 1D S-6 MAY BE

TAKEN O A PP ORTU ITY BASIS
OPERATIO AL FIL
CARRI D. THt ~ UEST FOR THE FOU SI
CT EXP RIMENTS

FOR GEMINI IX- A IS THEREFOR
OFrICI Alt Y WITHDRA N AT THIS
THE. THE FOUR EXP RIM Et TERS A D TH EIR A SOC! ATES
.
VIZ. DR LOWM A CM A JR. CM A M NAGLER CMA MR DU KEU~ AN CM A

MR MOR~IS CA ARE TH NK D FOR THEIR
LLI G}ESS TO C I PLY
VITH THIS su_
RE UEST. IT ts RE~ -T.ED THAT
IC
IE C WAS CAUSED E CH OF YOU OV R HIS HOLIDAY
WEEK
S D HOMER E NEWELU ASSOC! ATE A
BT

S ACE SCIENCE AND APPLICATIONS/ SI

/

Page 50 · OCR

HOST 33
PP woNaSA HOUMSC
DE NASAHG 7722 15129235
ZNP ULTTY
P 3192292
FM NASA HQ WASHINGTON Dc
TO RUFCYW/0) S WEATNER BUREAU SATELLITE CENTER SUITLAND MD
NAGSFC/ GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER GREENBELT MD
WONASA/U S GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BRANCH OF ASTROGFOLOGY FLAGSTAFF ARIZONA
HOUMSC/MANNED SPACECRAFT CENTER HOUSTON TEX
NASA |
8T |
UNCLAS SM=7722, ATTN SATELLITE CENTER-DIRECTOR CMA INFO KENNETH NAGLER
/S=-6/ ATTN GSFC-DIRECTOR CMA INFO LARRY DUNKELMAN S-28 AND DR PAUL
LOWMAN JR S-S ATTN US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY=DIRECTOR CMA INFO ELLIOTT
MORRIS S-29 ATTN MSC-DIRECTOR,
AT 16,30 EDT CMA FRIDAY CMA MAY 29 WORD CAME THROUGH TO THE
MANNED FLIGHT EXPERIMENTS OFFICE CMA OSSA TO READY
EXPERIMENTS S-5 CMA S-6 CMA S<o8 OMA AND $29 FOR FLIGHT AS
PARTIAL BACKUP ON THE GEMIND IX-A MISSION IN THE
EVENT OF AN ATDA- FAILURE. THE EXPERIMENTERS CON-
CERNED WERE PROMPTLY INFORMED BY TELEPHONE AND THEY
PAGE 2 RUEDHQATT22 'UNCLAS
PREPARED TO COMPLY: WETH ANY SRIEFING REQUIREMENTS AT
THE CAPE OR FOR REAL-TIME MISSION PLANNING AT HSC,
OVER THE WEEKEND THE PLAN TO USE THESE ADDITIONAL
EXPERIMENTS AS A PART OF THE BACKUP FOR THE GEMINT IX-A
MISSION WAS ALTERED. THERE IS NO UNDERLINED CHANGE ‘TO
BE MADE IN THE FILM PACKS CARRIED, HENCE NO ADDITIONAL
PHOTOGRAPHIC EXPERIMENTS CAN BE. ACCOMPLISHED, IT-IS
CONCEIVABLE THAT SOME PHOTOS FOR S#T AND S-6° MAY BE
TAKEN ON AN OPPORTUNITY BASIS ON OPERATIONAL FIL
CARRIED, THE REQUEST FOR THE FOUR SUBJECT EXPERIMENTS
FOR GEMINI IX+A IS. THEREFORE OFFICIALLY WITHDRAWN AT THIS
TINE, THE FOUR EXPERIMENTERS AND THEIR ASSOCLATES
VIZ DR LOWIAN CMA JR, CMA MR NACGLER CMA BR DUNKELM AN CMA
MR MORRIS OMA ARE: THANKED. FOR THEIR WILLINGNESS TO COMPLY
WITH THIS SUDDEN REQUEST... IT IS REGRETTED THAT
INCONVENIENCE WAS CAUSED FACH OF YOU OVER THIS HOLIDAY
WEEKEND,
SCD HOMER E NEWELL/ ASSOCIATE ADMIN SPACE SCIENCE AND APPLICATIONS/ S/
BT
NNNN

Page 51

NAME Of AGENCY
PRECEDENCE
s
ACTION,
PRIORITY
t - - -- ~~
~ ~ ~ - - - - - ; T~
INFO.,
1 -_
............_.__.__...;__..,,..._;s.__
_ _ _ __ _ __ ____, TYPE Of MESSAGE
□ SINGLE
ACCOUNTING CLASSIFICATION
8 61 Q• 211 Q
~ MULTI-ADDRESS
Y
□ BOOK
CLASSIFIC ATION
REV . MARCH IS , I 957
STANDARD FORM 14
t----=-='-=--':a.__-=-=:.:..;,a___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _,1,,,,,.;=-- - - - - - - - - - - 1 1
GSA
REGULATION 2- IX- 30 I .00
14- 304
THIS BLOCK FOR USE OF COMMUNICATIONS UNIT
TELEGRAPHIC MESSAGE
OFF ICIA L BUSINESS
U. S. GOVERNMENT
MESSAGE TO BE TRANSMITTED (Uie double spocing and all capitol letters)
TH IS COL. FOR AGENCY USE
Director, Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt , Maryland
Director, u.. . Weather Bureau
Satellite Center
Suitl nd, Maryland
Director, U. S . Geological Survey
Branch of Astrogeology
Flagsta~ ,faizona
Director,
anned Spacecraft Center
Houston, Texas
w
Mr . Larry Dunkelman
(S-28)
Goddard Space Flight
Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
Dr . Paul Lowman, Jr. (S-5)
Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
Mr . Kenneth Nagler (S - 6)
U.S . Weather Bure u
Satellite Center
Suitland, Maryland
z
.,,:::;
i:
....
0
z
~
w
CD
w
C)
.,,<
1r . Elliott Morris
:fl
(S-29)
~
Branch of Astrogeolog ~
U.S. Geological Surve ~
Flagstaff, Arizona
o
0
AT 16:30 EDT, FRIDAY, MAY 29 WORD CAME THROUGH TO THB
MANNED FLIGHT EXP RIMBNTS OFFICE, OSSA TO READY
EXPERIMENTS S-5, S-6, S-28, and S- 29 FOR FLIGHT AS
PARTIAL BACK P
ON THE GEMINI IX-A MISSION IN THE
EVENT OF AN ATDA FAILURE.
THE EXPERIMEtTE
CON-
CERNED WERE PROMPTLY INFORMED BY TELEPHO E AND THEY
PAGE NO.
NO. OF PAGES
1
NAME AND nnE Of ORIGINATOR (Type)
Dr . Jocelyn R. Gill
Manned Fli ht Bx eriments Ofc.
ORIGINATOR"S TEl . NO ,
DATE AND TIME PREPARED
206ll
SECURITY CLASSIfICATION
5/31
I certify thot th is message i• officio! business, is not personal, ond is in the in terest of the Government.
(Signature}
• U $
GOVP;;RNM£NT PRUH t NG on tCl
, 19'4 0-/24 -4.75
4:30 p . m.
2

Page 52

..
NAME OF AGENCY
PRECEDENCE
C
ACTION ,
u
R
I
f-'--.c..c...L.......__.......u........,...........___ _----; T
NASA - S M
TYPE OF MESSAGE
□ SINGLE
J-A- , -,o-u-=--:NT:.:..ING=C..:..LA_SS-IFI_CA_TI-ON-- - -- - -- - ----,
Y
□ BOOK
ClASS1f1CATION
STANDARD FORM I•
REV . MARCH 15, 1957
1--..:::8~6:..:!l:.::0~--!2~1~1.!!,o_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___.__@.,,l=--u-u_,._Aoo_R_Ess
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ ~;~3~:GUlATION 2- IX- 301 .00
THIS BlOCK FOR USE OF COMMUNICATIONS UNIT
TELEGRAPHIC MESSAGE
OFFICIAL BUSINHS
U. S. GOVERNMENT
MESSAGE TO BE TRANSMITTED (Use double spacing and all capitol letters)
PREPARED TO COMPLY WITH ANY
THE CAPE OR FOR REAL - TIME
TH IS COL. FOR AGENCY USE
RIEFING REQUIRE ffiNTS AT
IS ION PLANNING AT MSC .
OYER THE WEEKEND THE PLAN TO USE THESE ADDITIONAL
EXPERIMENTS AS A PART OF THE BACKUP FOR THE GEMINI IX-A
MISSION WAS ALTERED .
THERE IS NO UNDERLINED CHANGE TO
BE MADE IN THE FILM PACKS CARRIED.
HENCE NO ADDITIONAL
PHOTOGRAPHIC EXPERIMENTS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED .
IT IS
CONCEIVABLE THAT SOME PHOTOS FOR S• S and S-6 MA
BE
TAKEN ON AN OPPORTUNITY BASIS
CARRIED .
OPERATIONAL FILM
THE REQUEST FOR THB FOUR SUBJECT EXPERIMENTS
w
.,,5
...
:i:
C
z
~
w
...
w
C)
<(
.,,.,,
~
FOR GEMi I IX - A IS THEREFORE OFFICIALLY WITHDRAWN AT THI ...
Tif.fE .
THE FOUR EXPERIMENTERS AND THEIR ASSOCIATES
0z
0
VIZ. DR . LOWMAN , JR ., MR . NAGLE~, MR . DUNKELMAN,
C
MR . MORRIS, ARB THANKED FOR THEIR WILLINGNESS TO COMPLY
WITH THIS SUDDEN REQUEST.
IT IS REGRETTED THAT
INCONVENIE CE WAS CAUSED EACH OF YOU OVERT I
HOLIDAY
WEEKEND .
(J
HOMER E. NEWELL
NAME ANO TITlE OF ORIGINATOR (Type)
ORIGINATOR'S TEl. NO .
{Signotu1'1)
~
U. S. GOVERHM£N r PRINT I NG O,F l Cl
1961 0 -7 ZC - 47S
PAGE NO.
DATE ANO TIME PREPARED
NO. OF PAGES

Page 53

NASA HEADQUARTERS ROUTING SLIP
1.
2.
ACTION
NAME (,f n«maf')')
CODE
SM
Mia .
APPROVAL
CONCURRENCE
¥o s t er./L8,/
Fll.E
INFORMATION
s
Dr . Newell
INVESTIGATE AND ADVISE
NOTE AND FORWARD
3.
4.
NOTE AND RETURN
SM
Kathy
PER REQUEST
(last)
ltECOMMENDATION
SEE ME
s.
SIGNATURE
REPlY FOR SIGNATURE OF,
6.
7.
REMARKS:
.
Request for attendance of
Mr . L . Dunkelman at Gemini IX
Experime n ts Debriefing , MSC
Subject :
k! l¼( ?-'-I,, rC(tJ
d)i_ kle~le TL
~
~~
~·
FROM: I CODE,
~1,1
I N ~~
N ASA form 26 (Rev. July 19~9)
~rt_/
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r.i 11
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Page 54

MAY 2 5 1966
M-(J
T
!rector.
F OM
/A
S
U J•CT:
oc
Odda.rd Sac
t
li
t C nt r
dm1n1 trator for
p l cation
ce Science
e ue t for
at G
ni IX
t n ance or ir. Lawreno
xp ri
t
D briefing.
lman
nned Sp c craft Center
,1ni IX Exp ri
nt
ed "p o er ft Ce t r
1
ill be
approx1.
1
ld
t th
nine (9) d ya
followwg recovery. I t
1 te sts of continuit 1 the
o-Astronom1cal Ob rv ion Program. Dr . ill
eked
th t
c Dunk
an be permitted to
rt1c1p
has
n of co
derabl
1st
c
in
since th days of the Ad oo Committee an4 h
n
m.ont
b n in tru ntal in formul ting solid
n
well a vi ual ta k.
Yo
coo r tion in arran 1
eatl appreo! t
.
!'or his p rt1o1pat1on will. be
Original Signed by
Homer E. Newell
•
Sp c
Concurrence:
cc:
:11
drn1n1strator for
Scienc
!tJif/4.~
S/Newell
Subject File: GT-9 file
SM Reading Files
SM:JRGill:kby 20611 5/13/66
rewritten: SM:WBFoster:kby 35886 5/19/66
nn
Applic tion

Page 55

.. NASA HEADQUARTE
ROU11NG SLIP
I/ ACTION
NAME (if ntmsary)
CODE
APPROVAL
CONCURRENCE
Ir"~..
1.
2.
FILE
INFORMATION
INVESTIGATE AND ADVISE
NOTE AND FORWARD
3.
NOTE AND RETURN
l'fR REQUEST
-'·
RECOMMENDATION
SEE ME
5.
SIGNATURE
REPlY FOR SIGNATURE OF,
6.
7.
REMARKS:
"
r-~ ~ fr
~
FROM: )
"
~
~.
CODE :
I NAM\ A t i
N ASA For m 26 {R~v.July 19S9)V
e
\J
' DAYE :
J-/ ,-.,.;,6
u.s GOVUt NW(HT P' IU til TI NG OPfl C[ : ltSI or- suou

Page 56

.,
.
. #NASA HEADQUARTE
CODE
1.
.
.
ROUTING SLIP
ACTION
NAME (if ntmsary)
APPROVAi.
CONCURRENCE
Foster
flLE
X
2.
V
)NFORMATION
INVESTIGATE ANO ADVISE
NOTE ANO FORWARD
3.
NOTE ANO RETURN
PEit REQUEST
"·
RECOMMENDATION
SEE ME
5.
SIGNATURE
REPLY FOi SIGNATURE Of,
6.
7.
REMARKS:
Mr . Dunkelma.n suggests that a simple
communication on this single item might be helpful
in taking care of' the "next crisis" on the horizonthe Gemini IX Debrei!fing which will come about
near the end of Mey'. The 29th,Sunday , is the
earliest date.
re Dunkel.man in general : he says that Townsend
is ta.king the problem "up the line." I interpret
Townsend
this to mean that he/is communicating the content
of your telephpne call with Townsend to the
Direc"t·"'r
Perhaps •re 'ill hear further on Monday .
FROM:
CODE ,
' NAME,
'
NASA form 26 (Rev. Jul)• 1919)
J. R. Gill
I
OATE,5
/13/66
US GOVUIHlillNT PJIIH"TrKG o,r,c1
I Ht OP'-111011

Page 57

May 20 , 1966
re telephone call to Mr . Eaton , MSC
Only scientific experiment affected by scrub is S- 10 ,
Micrometeorite Collection on the Ageaa . ATDA does not
have capability to be placed in a parking orbit . Therefore ,
its life expectancy is quite low compared to Agena orbit .
Plans to retrieve S- 10 .
ot to be activated)r Another problem
1s stowage within reentry vehicle .
The other scientific experiments remain unaffected .
Camera
equipment
Will be reload prior to launch on 31 May .
.....~
-,.
r
'Y'"o,-
w,l'l1l
CJ
Mr . Eaton plans to call you again the first of next week with
additional information .
J,
I•
'•
.
r-
M
~
...)
crJ~·
~
~
I
+u -c
, !{')~

Page 58

...

-·

May 20, 1966

re telephone call to Mr . Eaton , MSC
Only scientific xper1ment a fected by scrub is s.1O ,
crometeor1te Collection on the A aa . ATD does not
have capability to be placed in a park1n orbit . Therefore ,
its life expectancy 1s uite low compared to A en orbit .
Plans to retrieve y-10 . Not to be activated . Another probl m
1s stowage within reentry vehicle .
The other scientific experiments r n in unaffecte·d . Ca r
equipment removed .
1111 be reload prior to launch on 31 r ay .

Mr . Eton plans to call you again the first of next week with
additional information .

Page 59

GT-§

•BM/Dir- ctor,
Manned J'ligbt Experiments ottice
BM/Maimed Fllgbt Experlmeuts Office

ttect OD Sci. title Bxperlnlenta OD Gemini IX
of' t.allure of ~ IX.

saion. as a reaul.t

The tollowing OSSA e:z:perimG'ts are a siped to Gem1n1 ll:
-ll, and S-12. :Detail ■ f'ollaw:

S-11 ZOd1acal. Light PhotoPflq,

8-1,

-l.O,

. Bey1 uninni.tz of Minn BOta

o chaug 1a xp cted 1.n tbis experlllent. Provided that GT-9 la abl.e
to
through the planned INA, tbi• experiment ought to be &cCOIIPlia.bed
u written 1D t e miss~on plaa.
S~l.O,

.

c~~r1te Collecticm on the Agena, C. Hemenw.z1 DUdlez Observatory

The collection box attached to the Agena IX i.a lo■t. ~ back-up u'liit 1
at the Cape ready to be attached to the ATDA ( target 'fth:lcl.e). The
cant:lngency m1tus1on p.J.an written f'or tbe J!l'Ill C&l:l• tor t
bos to
retr1.eved 1n !!1£P!:ned condition. -Tb1a e,ms tbat collection of' pa.rtiele11
would be confined to the outaide portion Vh1ch waa planned for tbe 8-10.
(It 1a ■hieldecl on launch). The miasion plan call8 tor retrina-1 of the
box ud ■toring inside tbe Gali1ni apacecraft before reentry.
S-111 Airglow RoriEon PbotoE!Jlbl,

. Kocaen1 - aval. Bbe&rcb I.Al,orator,:

In the tllpt p,l.an for tbe ATDA, :tbere. u the poea1bU1ty of an increase
f'rom 3 t~ 4 niCht I'UD.8 for th1• uperiment. So 1t doea not ~ that
1 t :wUl. ■l.1ff'er.
crometeorlte Coll.ection on the Gem!l:d1 C.. H ~ Dud.lez Obsenatorz
'rhi_s QperiDlent abould be unaf'f'eete b7 the failvre o~ Age_,tja. 9. It 1a
planned to retrieTe the collection box after IISQlDe 8 hour of exposure and
to return 1.t 1.ui.de the Gemini. apa.cect'&ft.

1na1J7, it ie pointed out tl:at t e general ef'tect 1.a to place more concern.
on opel"&tional pro"bl.ema, po■ a1.bJ,y ehortening the time an ettort ror

exp r1mettt..
CONCURRENCES:

O FFICI III. FI i.£ COPY

SIGNATURE ► ····-········- ---- - - -·-········-····-··-·· --- ·-------·- ·····-·· ···· ·· · ----····--- - --- -· - - - · ---·-· ---- - -- -·· ············· ···
DATE ► ·········-···-· --···--· - - - --·· · · -· · ·· -··· · ••• ··•- - -- -- -- -- - -· ·-· __ • ··········---·· - - ·- ····-······ ····- -· · - --·-- --· - · ·······-····- ·
U .S. (;0V ll!fl:1'1-'ift 1 "AIIJIII TOI.G OFPICE

J. 6-77210-1

Page 60

OJlTICNAl F-O &M NO. I 0
MAY 1t,a (DITl°'1

..._

GSA f-lMl (41 Cf.ll 101 -11..6

UNITED STATES GO VE R MENT

Memorandum
TO

MEMORANDUM TO THE FILE

FROM

SM/ Manned Flight Experiments Office

SUBJECT :

Bulletin on S- 11 experiment for Gemini IX .

DATE :

May 13 , 1966

The extended timer-on the Maurer camera has failed . Will
operate the sequence manually .
The command pilot will mark
off the exposures for the pilot and the experiment will
proceed in this fashion . The principal investigator ,
M. Koomen , NRL , feels that the experiment will come off O. K.
The story is that one of the backup pilots using the flight
model in the simulator and the cable broke . Then Eugene
Ce r nan , the pilot , took the 11 flight backup " c amera and this
broke also . Needless to say this cable in the came ra is a
ve r y weak link ? R. T . Seal and M. J . Koomen were at t he Cape
while this was in progress .
In an effort to alleviate this problem for future Gemini
flight s , MSC is trying to develop a timer for the S- 13
experiment which will include the film advance . They feel
that it is comin g along well and that they will accomplish
this .

Jo c elyn R. Gill
~anned F li ght Exp eri ments Office

Etty U.S. Savings Bonds Regularly on the Payroll Savings Plan
.SOI0- 101

Page 61

--

uta Tho

IX

/~

ed

s St rrord

Cern
lay 12, 1966

light

A tro om.1.cal Phe o

t

nd Eu e

xperime ts Office
n

uring the Fli ht or

mn

IX.

clip e
y
clip
of
ceurr
4th at
hi 1
type of art1 l lunar
1c usu lly gos completely unnoticed
cause it 1
ly det ctable.
ut to we k later on
20th when t e
nular or rL
cli se oft e un will occur.
moon 1s new, an
ill e obs r~ d y cie t i t
dot er able to s
This
it.
occa ion t
11 b only p rtiallY cove d
byte
o aa to leav
bri t ri
nulus aroWld it.
Te

o

ar
pe

central clip~e pt
oes over orth Af'r-1
tot
sout
or Italy into t
t diterr
d ov r sout rn Gree c . It
will
din th USSR. Te
ill b se
t
over a
c w der ar a of: t
eart than t is
lt
1 ~os 1 le you mi t ee thi aspect. The cir
st
o~
thi ecl1 e are as follow·
Y.1T

at

gi.n ."""y2'o
cli se
gins
clipee
C tral clip e egin at local noon
Central Ecl.1pse ends
Ce tra1 cl1pse e dB

Ce tr 1

6:51

7:55

9 :52
11:23
12:27

ditions to observe t
T ere will be sev r 1 e
tio
h
1.1
event. Ao g thes 1
t r
S
and
r1 1n
KC 135 at 4 O
e
~ ational
also
ex d1t1o in
s
1
Ob
tory or Athen.
~011
to
c nferene
t the
a ground
die
olar problems.
he
sun during the ecl1 ~
arious radio
look d dif r
Jut a ted you to know
y t e
p n
to be fl
ky so wn t dar r in case you
time nd had occasion to otice it.

Page 62

2
, th
t
0
i
t1on
t
•
r
.
You
nclo ur
t
g to th
d
to
t
I sh
o tin
ood luc
at1 n
or
1
Jocelyn Rt
• Gill
cc :
4 glo sy
!
r1
t
~
11 ht
nt :
u
0
0
ri t
SM/Mr . Foster ../ MSC/Major Lehr ✓
ESSA/Jar . Roach ~ ,-,
GSFC/Mr . Dunkelman ✓ MSC/Mr . Slayton ✓ SC/Mr . McKee
MSC/Cdr . Carpenter v
sM$loM: kby
20611
5/12/66
•

Page 63

r
NASA ROUT
CODE
1.
Poster•
M~
r..;., ~
,1
MPltOVIJ.
--
CONCURRENCE
FILE
INfORMATION
I~
INVESTIGATE AND ADVISE
NOTE AND FORWARD
-
3.
ACTION
NAME ( if 11«,ssary)
SM
2.
G SLIP
/..__-c...,r"-{,t
"·
~
"'-j•-
£
' Vr----.x
I ·Li;· If»-
·-
r-=,
5.
NOTE AND RETURN
V
6.
PU REQUEST
ltECOMMENDATION
SEE~
StGNATUltE
REPLY FOR SIGNATURE Of,
7.
REMARKS:
Subje ct :
Tentative List of invitees to
attend Gemini IX Debriefi ng
nine (9) days f o ll o wing
r ecovery submitted by SM
at reque s t of John McKee ,
Crew Operations , MSC .
{)/ uJ¥-
l
CODf ,
FROM:
SM
I N ~,
N ASA Form 26 ( Rev. Jan. 1963)
J.R -
(1-1
11
I DATE,
l.J / ?n /h.h.
u.s.. GOY IUt NM f N T • •1N T IN G o,.,.,c, . ltU or-171845

Page 64

_

~~~~~ ~~~0~o, 1o
GSA fPMl U.1 CU) 101-11.6

U ITED STATES GOVERNMENT

Memorandum
AP 2 1966

TO

SM/Director ,
Manned Flight Experiments Office

FROM

S / Manned Flight Experiments Office

SUBJECT:

Tentative list of invitees to attend Gemini IX Debriefing
nine ( 9) days following recovery submitted by SM at request
of John Mc Kee , Crew Operations , MSC .

DATE:

In a telcon on 4/ 19/66 Mr . John Mc Kee requested a list from
SM of invitees to attend subject debriefing . The next day ,
4/20 / 66 , I submitted the following list by telephone as per
request . The names were : Dr . Franklin Roach,
Mr . L . Dunkelrnan , Mr . M. Dub in , Dr . Henry Smith , and
Dr . Jocelyn Gill .
Before p lacin g these names on the list I informed the
individual or his office of this action and the likely date
when this would happen . There is , of course, nothing binding
about the list and others may be added later .
•

~r?.f---U
Jocelyn R. Gill
Manned F li gh t
xperiments Office
Office of Space Science and Applications

l

.so,0-10,

Buy U.S. Savings Bonds Regularly on the Payroll Savings Plan

Page 65

SLIP
NASA HEADQUARTER
CODE
1.
2.
VESTIGATE AND ADVISE
3.
NOTE AND RHURN
PER REQUEST
"·
RECOMMENDATION
SEEM£
5.
SIGNATURE
REPLY fOR SIGNATURE Of,
6.
7.
REMARKS:
NAME :
DATE,
NASA Form 26 (Rev. July t9,9)
U 5 GO'tUtNM I NT PIIIMTI NG. 0
FROM:
CODE :

Page 67

-
. ;,
ctor,
e Fl
/ -ia.nn
peri
St tu.s of
t
t Ex eri
1 I
AP 27. 1966
Office
In
s
nt... Of f1c
el
t
1c Ex er
forte
to :
ents
IX J.11 1 t are :
l , Zodiacal Li
Photogr
11 , Airg
o
o
er
o
Colleo
l
1
er
or1te Collect
n
ayn
ton~ port d by t lco
t t e co dl.t1 ~ f t
u jct
tails follo .
ril 21 . 19-66
1 s ti factory .
ir .
t
S-1 :
out by
• C..
re satisf'·
units
r o t
• ap
io
00
f
e
( !J)
io
Thi
•
.1
nd
day
p
in
and
te
r
ing or
l
t.
t
n
rs
indfc t
t
e bri fin
or
conversation 11
t
it
r cently
no enclature}.
uni
d has seen tne fl
tra
g unit is that it
1
sh le. butt
i ntical tot
l
e
t
d
1
e
t
t
tot
e
"')
pl
1
as
d
1
tual filt
it
r
ra
d
c
traini
th
iff
1
ot
wi
1n t
y
ly a
(t
8
1n
1n
s
p
t
et to

Page 68

.
x
1ew b a.c e
been oonstru
Ok t
a
rim
atory. Thi n
, is 1ncor or
itn 1t.
tra1n1ng
sh
s
con
s
p
ot what
for four(~)
e uip .e t 1
for re 1.1 t
pal
orig a
rp thi t
d XII.
nt on
1ni IX in
nri
e u te
ntly, n
~-11
will
od. Th
e
ed
1g~t1
l
c e
d
s-10, u-12:
t
o
o
f
e
oad1.ng.
a e lso.
at
n
wh
IX th
e
S/C.
c eked out
fit-o eo
in d t
c
oy an upp
ht-h nd
t:1.on.
oth
ed o r
n
adv rte t
a.a then
w1
b
ked at the
rvatory or
rincip
n
t
rat
dl
Th r is '1c
room" s ac for Or. He n, y
f-1rs
-12
111
he
10 box
A
a
C
to
from
.;.,-10
ed
in
on
d fo
ocordin
tr1
-12 collection box
fir t
f'or th
1r t
SEDR
d to
r t
to th
d
w 11
om
there.
at t
for lo .............b
Dudl
r
er
d
11
d y of
1 eion.
In
ry,
1.
t
duled for Gemini I
(sci nt flo
BC
Vila 1
Office,
Th
req
r
ror
x erime
ei
our of X
or th tot
on
-1/2
t (8)
0
d t
cc
o.
0
C
st
~SC.
in l tli ht plan
at d a co •
oul
ad
on th
1oc..1yn
cc:
l
r1
SM/Foster/Calio
SM Subject Files: GT- 9
S-1., S-12., S-11
SM Reading Files
18th ad I have
n. ill
111
t
ri
t
fie

Page 70 · OCR

‘s
. Hew bracket, satisfactory to both and the expérimenter, ha
een constructed at the Naval Research Latoratory, inls new
bracket was seen at the meeting in St. Louls, is incorporated i
tue trainin unit, anc xs 18 well satisfied Lth. :233>

. f + =. = . a | . See
jog 541 investigator at Dudley Observatory; -
“i .. mi i" Y oo. ’

flirht loading. inhere 16 clean room” snace for Dr, Hemenwa

= i= a | Pas =

at the Uane also.

m Gemini iA the first activity will be to activate tne S<l2
which is Gone from inside the cabin, The second aetivity will be
| to open the -~lQ micrometeorite Yox on the Arena. he S-<-10 box
is fastened to the Agena by a velero patch, (Just whie wena
‘iil be approached is unknown at this time; 5-109 was attached tc

- " i . i ' _ dt rm + -
iD we OMlcg Of) iy (1S Lee eel WP [OT Li Cc ¢€ 72h ei LAs ne i ;
| “7 . 2 1 a - P a = :
iu Lio 35¢ i ‘Gule l L Or ited y « fi oa } j ivyne ne Tn L T¢)] J may 1a

ieccording to the resenc rnlan the S—-l2 colleetion box will be
retrieved first during the LY! lanned for the first day or the
mission,

[In summary, tiere are some eight (6) hours of experiments
(seientific experiments are only art of the total complement )
seheduled for Gemini lA and there are thy 4=1/2 hours in tote

ri gt = aa]
wh SL ce, sue
> Tt 4 Plicht 1A — 4 ; 1 4 3 sl
Lili H inal 2 li ae ie lan SfiowsLa OT am Tre 1. { | La le tL ie 1Te¢ T iV &
— i — m
requestea A Copy.
|
iSCeiyn L Gil
— oi
- ao : |

Page 71 · OCR

tej ook . UuUUSCRUECYH.
; i= alae Aa
,1G! ba HY ! pac,
wight ghd Be ee FLAGSTAFF: ARIZON
TE
+4 ya m= <r NEO KENNETH NARLE!
UNCLAS SM-7722. ATIN SATELL The CENTER=DERECTO INFO $. AND DF NAGLE]
FOCTOR C? 0 LARRY DUNKELHAN See 6.4
es%
=
EMINT IX a MISSI
PAGE 2 RUEDHQA7-722 UNCLAS
REPARED [0 aed ig WITH ANY BRIEF ING REQUIREMENTS AT
THE CAPE OR FOR REAL-TIME. MISSION PLANNING AT hg
VER THE WEEKEND THE PLAN TO USE THESE ADDITIONA
EXPER INENTS AS A PART OF THE BACKUP FOR THE GEMI —- IX-
MISSION WAS. ALTERED. THERE IS NO UNDERLINED CHANGE TO
RE MADE IN THE FILM. PACKS CARRIED. HENCE NO ADDITIONAL
PHOTOGRAPHIC. EXPERIMENTS. CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED. IT IS
CONCEIVABLE THAT SOME PHOTOS FOR S-T AND S-6 MAY BE
iL
AN OPPORTUNITY BASIS ON OPERATIONAL FILM
THE REQUEST FOR THE FOUR SUBJECT EXPERIMENTS :
NI IX-A IS: THEREFORE. OFFICIALLY WITH IDRAWN AT THIS :
ik FOUR EXPERIMENTERS AND THEIR ASSOCTATES
LOWMAN CMa JR. CMA -MR NAGLER CMA MR .DUNKELMAN CMA
S CMA ARE THANKED FOR THEIR WILLINGNESS TO COMPLY
THIS SUDDEN REQUEST. IT: IS REGRETTED THAT
VENIENCE WAS CAUSED EACH OF YOU OVER THIS HOLIDAY
SGD HOMER E-NEWELL/ ASSOCIATE ADMIN: SPACE SCIENCE AND APPLICATIONS/ S/

Page 72

..
.,
ACTION
NAME (if ,11, ma ry)
CODE
1.
G SLI P
NASA ROU
SM
APPIIOVAL
CONCURRENCE
liiH . :Post.err
fllf
~~
2.
3.
i/;.(1
I
M
"·
-ig,- 7
£JA
...-~
r
5.
INFORMATION
INVESTIGATE AND ADVISE
NOTE AND FORWARD
NOTE AND RETURN
PU REQUEST
llfCOMMfNDATION
SEE ME
SIGNATURE
REPLY FOR SIGNATURE Of:
6.
7.
REMARKS:
I SM
CODE,
AtOM,
I J .R. Gi ll : kby
NAME ·
N ASA For m 26 (Rev. Jan. 1963)
I DAT3/ 7 /66
U. S. G0\llfOi MI.NT P-ll HTI NG OPF ICI
ltU or-171145

Page 73

OPTION.Al fOI.M. NO. 10
MAY lf'2 fDffiOH
C SA fPMt (41 Cfl) 101-11.6

U ITED STATES GO ERNME T

Memorandum
DATE: March 7, 1966

TO

SM/Director, Manned Flight Experiment s Office

FROM

SM/Jocelyn R. Gill

SUBJECT :

Status of Scientific (OSSA) Experiments on Gemini IX
The following scientific experiments are scheduled for Gemini IX : S -l ,
Zodiacal Light Photography; S-10, Micrometeorite Collection on Agena;
S -11, Airglow Horizon Pbbtography; S -12, Micrometeorite Collection on
Gemini , related to S- 10; and Dim Light Photography being presented to
SSSC as S- 28 on Friday, March 4, 1966 . (L . Dunkelman, GSFC) .
S -l :

Zodiacal Light Photography, E . Ney, Univ . of Minnesota .

Astronaut briefing, Ney reports that one briefing has been held in
Houston and another will be scheduled for the Planetarium . Elliott See ,
Charles Bassett and James Lovell were present for the first briefing:
Tom Stafford was not . Under the circumstances , it is likely that the
briefing will have to be repeated ,
Equipment, The camera equipment is now at the Cape . Documentation has
presented some problems , mainly the insistence on a new serial number
for the camera since it now has a handle on it . The handle is mounted
with boles on the camera . Tri -X film will be used with and without the
window. With hatch open and using the spacecraft as an occulting disk,
the astronaut will place himself in the shadow of the s/c and see how
far out he can trace the extens ion of the solar corona . He will also
take 4 pictures of the airglow and a picture of the Milky Way .
The principal investigator commented that he was very pleas ed with the
enthus iastic reception from See and Bassett for the equipment and
experiment . They have been the most interested in this experiment of all
the astronauts who have been associated with it . Since Tom Stafford bas
been very cooperative in the experimental program, I personally have
confidence that he will pick up where See and Bassett have left off, and
that the experiment can go off as planned .
S- 10 :

l

so,0-101

Micrometeorite Collection on Agena .

It employs the same bracket as S - 12 . This modus operandi has cost more
than a new design and has given much trouble . GSI ( government service
inspection ) has been a problem since i t was not written into the contract .
The problem is with the fairing with the handle in the open position .
Lubrication bas also been a problem since the contractor has applied it
in 11 glops 11 instead of following instructions . The experiment is all ready,
so far as equipment is concerned .

Buy U.S. Savings Bonds Regularly on the Payroll Savings Plan

Page 74

.

2

S -11 :

Airglow Horizon Photography, M. Koomen, NRL .

No difficulties in the schedule are anticipated. This is the first
flight of this experiment and the flight hardware is on schedule .
The equipment has passed environmental testing . The experiment is
mounted on a movable bracket and is 11 pointed 11 by the astronaut .
The first briefing of the astronauts (See and Bassett) has been held
and another is to be held later in the Morehead Planetarium. The
astronauts seemed "reasonably happy" with the experiment according
to the principal investigator .
S- 12 :

Micrometeorite Collection on Gemini S/C :

On schedule . No problems reported by the principal investigator . This
is the first flight of this experiment , having be en canceled out on GT - 6 .
S - 28 :

Dim Light Pbotograpl¾ L. Dunkelman :

This experiment was first carried on Gemini VII and VI -A as "operational
procedure . " Af'ter processing by SSSC and M3FEB this month, it is hoped
that it will assume full experiment status . It uses cameras already
assigned to the s/c and sensitive black and white film, already qualified .
Some further briefing will be required, probably at the Planetarium and
possibly can be accomplished at the same time as S- l ' s Planetarium briefing .

Jocelyn R. Gill

Page 75

BM/Director,. Manned Flight Experiments Of':fice

March 7, 1966

/JoceJ.yn B. Gill
Status or Scie t11"ie ( OOSA) Experiments on Gem:ini IX

The i'ollovi.ng scientii'ic ex:perim.ent are schedule for Gemini IX: S-l,
Zodiacal Li&}lt Photography; s-10, 1Ucrometeor1.te Collection on Agena;
S-ll, A1rglow Horizon Photography; S-l2, Mic:rometeorit Col.lect.ion. on
Gem.1111, rel.ated to S-10; and Dila Ligllt Photography being presented to
SSSC as S-28 on F 1day, Ma.rcb 4, 1.966. (L. Dunkel.man, GSJ'C).
S-1:

Zodiacal Light Pbotograpey,

tronaut briefing,.
7 repc,rts th t one briefing be. been held in
Houston and another will be scbedul.ed for the Pl.alletari\D. Elliot-t See,
Charles Bassett and J
s Lovell were present for t
first briefing:
Tom Stafford -wa not. U: er the circumstances, it is likel.T t t the
brl .t'1ng w:11..l have ta b

r

eated.

E uipaent,- The c
ra e uipaent is now e.t
e Cape. Documen a.Uon has
problems, mai.nq the insi.st nee on a l\eV erial number
for th c
ra since it now has a handl on it. 'l'be ba.mlle i.s mounted
with bole on the c
:l 'a. 'rri-X film will. be used with and without the
Yindo • With batch open nd
1ng the s cecraf't as an oceul.t~ di k,
the
tronaut vlll place b:1.mself int e shadow o-f the s/c
see how
:far out bi c
trace the exten ion of the solar corona.. Be will al.so
take 4 pictur
o:f' th a.irglow and a picture of the J0.1k;r Way.
Th priiicipe.11.ilvestigator commen
that he was very pl ased with th
entbuai tic reception fr
See end
ssett for the equipmen't end
• ' r i -... iment.
The7 have been tb
t in erested in bis eJI>eriment of
1.
been
sociated w1 th it. Since T
st-afford bas
been very cooper
in the experiment 1. pro
, I personal..ly ha
confi.dence that he vill pi k up Yb re S
d Bassett have l.ef't off, and
that t
experilllent c
go off e.s pl.anned.

It employs the same bra.ck.et
S-12. Th
modus o'1randi: has cost more
nev design and has given much trouble. GSI government service
inspection) has been
problem since it was not wrl. ten into the contraet.
The p:robJ.em is with tbe f ring w:1.t the b.endle 1n tbe open pcsit1.on.
Lubrication bas al.so been a problem since the contractor ha applied it
1 "g1o " inst ad ot follovi.ng instructions. The experiment is all reaccy-,
nt 1 concerned:.
o far s equi
tba

Page 76

•
s-111

Aiz:glow Bori~on l'hotoF:!JlbYt 14. Koomen, NRL.

o ditt1ault
flig):lt o t
Thee
n
mount

sc
antic
. 'l'll1s ie the f'int
t
gbt h
re 1 on schedtil.
d enviromnental testing. The experiment 18
c.
1.a 11.pointed" by 'the a.st onaut

The ~1.r ~ b:ie~ o th
atronauts (Se and Ba.saett)
s be n bel
and anoth r i to be held l ter in tn Morehead. Plane'tarium. 'rb
tronauts • em d "reasonably happ:,11 nth the x:periment a.cco:rding
to t
principal inveoti :tor.
8-12:

On

~ 1 sjo:

M1crometeor1t

chedul.e.

No probl

re

rted oy the principal. investiga o:r,

Thi

u the fir t fl~g}:l,t of t is e~riment, l1s,ving been cane led out on GT-6..

8-28:

Light Photog

plJi L. Dunkel.m&n:

r1ment was first o rr1
on Gemi,n1: vn
d Vl:-A a "-operational
procedur . 11 After processing by SC and MSFEB tb1i month, it 1.& ho d:
hat 1~ n l l a
e tu.l.l xperiment t t . It ua
cemeras already"
usigned to the s/c
ensit1ve bl ck and whit 1'1lm. alre dy qua11:f'1ed.
So
f"urtb r bri f'ing w1ll be re uir d, probably t the Planetari.ura an
possibl:y can be accompli hed at h
tim a B-1' s Plan tarium bri flng.

:Thi.•

Jocelyn lL Gill

cc :

MGS/Mr . Liccardi
MGS/Mr . Frandsen
MGS/Mr ~ Hall

SM :JRGill : kby 20593

3/7/66

Page 77

Cops . t o A.Liccardi, A Frandsen , Eldon Hall

DRAFT - exped~
l eady for final

!

-

3/3'/.66

Memo to

ill

From : J .

. G-ill

Subject :

Status of tibmti:Kixll

oster

cientif'ic tOSSA)

xperiments on Gemini IX

The f ollowing s cientific exper iments are scheduled for 'emini lX : S- 1 ,
Zodiacal Light Photogrophy; S- 10, icrometeorite Collecti on on gena ;
Horizon
S- 11, irglo /Photo .raphy ; -12 , · c rometeorite Collection on emini, r elated
t o S- 10; and Dim Light

hotography being presented to

SSC as S- 28 on

F'ri day , arch 4 , 1966 . lL. Dunkelman, USFC ).
S- l : Zodiacal Light Phot ography • . Ney . Oniv. of

inn .

Astronaut briefin , ey reports that one briefing has been held in
ouston and another ill be scheduled for the Planetarium . Elliott See ,
Chas . as sett and Jam~s L vell ere present or the f irst briefing : Tom
t fford was not . Under he circumstances , it is likely that the briefing
will have to be repeated .
·quipment , he camera equipment is now at the Cape . Do cumentat i on has
presented some problems , mainly the insistence on a new serial number f or the
camera since i t no, has a handle on it . 'l'he handl e is mounted vrith holes on
the c mera . l'ri- film will be us ed with and without t he , indov { ~.
ith hatch open and us·
the spa cec raft as an occulting disk , the astronaut
will pl ace himself in the shadow of the S?C and s ee how f;;r out he can trace
the extension of the sol ar coron . He ,. ill also take 4 pictures of the airc:-low
and a picture of the Ilky ay .
he principal investigator commented that he qas ver pleased with the
enthusiastic reception from ee and Ba ss ett for the equipaent and exper:iment .
l'hey have been t he most int~ested in this experiment of all the astronauts who
have been associated ·ith it . 1:>ince '1'om Stafford has been very cooperative
in the experimental pro ram, 1 personally have confidence th · t he will pick up
where ·ee and ~a ssett 1ave left off, and that the experiment can go off as planned .
- 10: Micro eteorite Collection on Agena . lt employs the ~
br acket as S- 12 .
This modus opera ndi has cost more than a new design and has given much trou ble .
USI (govt serve inspection) has been a problem since it was not v itten into the
contract . l'he problem is with thef iring with t he handl e in t he open position.
Lubricat ion has also been a problem since the contractor has applied i t in
11 lops" instea d of f ollowing instructions . l'he experiment is all ready , so
far as equipment is concerned .

Page 78

2.

irglow Horizon Photography.

. Koomen,

mt/.

No difficulties in t he

schedule are anticipated . L'his is the first fli ht of this experiment and ,he
l'he equipment. has passed environmental
f lia t hard11are is on sche ule .
testing . rhe exper ent is mounted on a movable bracket and is "pointed"
by the astronaut .
'he first briefing of the astronauts tSEE and ~assett) has been held and
another is to be held later in the o:r·ehe., a rlanetarium.
he astronauts
seemed "reasonably happy" vi.th the experiment accordin~ to the princi al
investigator .
· crometeorite Collection on

emini nkx:S/C:

On schedule . No problems reported by the principal investigator .
irst flight of this experiment , having been ~
T-6.
cancelled out on
- 28 : Dim Light Photography , L . Dunkel.man/.

his is the

his expe1·iment was first c.srried

on Gemini VII and VI-A as

11 operational procedure . 11
Aft er processiw:1 by SSSC
and
FEB thi s month , it is hoped that it ~~11 assume .fE.b!:_ experiment status .
It uses cameras already assifned to the S/C and sensitive bl ck and white film,
already qualified . Some further briefing will be required , robabl at the
Planetarium and possibly can be accomplished at the same t:ime as S-1 1 s Planetarium
brief ·

Joc elyn R. Gill

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