National Geographic Documentaries

Expeditions to the Edge: Lost in Space (2005x4)

: 30, 2005

On March 16, 1966, Neil Armstrong and David Scott launch into space aboard the Gemini 8 capsule. The mission is to rendezvous and dock with the Agena space module , a critical step in reaching the moon. Gemini 8 successfully docked with Gemini Agena target vehicle GATV-6 hours 34 min after liftoff. Because of problems with the spacecraft control system, the crew was forced to undock after approximately 30 min. The spacecraft-target vehicle combination had begun to encounter increasing yaw and roll rates. The crew regained control of their spacecraft by using the reentry control system, which prompted an early landing in a secondary landing area in the Pacific. No EVA was performed. The failure was caused by an electrical short in control system. Docking and re-rendezvous secondary objectives were not achieved due to the shortened mission.