Gemini 5: Eight Days in Space or Bust

The third book in the Gemini mission series focuses on the flight that simulated an eight-day Apollo mission to the Moon, building confidence for longer missions and paving the way for Apollo 8. It highlights the challenges of the Gemini 5 mission, including equipment failures and difficult living conditions, as well as its significance in space exploration.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 427 pages
Publication date: 20 January 2023
Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG

The third installment in the captivating Gemini mission series delves into the remarkable flight that replicated the duration of an eight-day Apollo mission to the Moon in Earth's orbit. Following the successful proof-of-concept test flights Gemini 1, 2, and 3 (as documented in GEMINI FLIES!), as well as the remarkable achievements of the first American EVA and the four-day U.S. mission (GEMINI 4), NASA garnered the confidence to gradually extend the mission time spent in orbit. This groundbreaking book stands as the first known work to solely concentrate on the captivating Gemini 5 mission and the formidable challenges it faced, including equipment failures and challenging living conditions. The mission's primary objective was to double the endurance of its predecessor, making it a crucial stepping stone toward an even more audacious endeavor four months later. By attempting the eight- and then fourteen-day durations, America had the opportunity to surpass the Soviets in space exploration and achieve a significant milestone. Notably, this mission accomplished the remarkable feat of flying to the Moon and back three years before Apollo 8 accomplished the same journey without a lunar landing, marking a significant advancement in space exploration.

Weight: 857g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783031113772
Edition number: 1st ed. 2023