SPACE-LIFE IS BUSY

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31109, 12 July 1966, Page 8

SPACE-LIFE IS BUSY

Next week, if all Is well, two American astronauts, Young and Collins, will ride Gemini 10 into space. One thing that can be said of the recent Gemini flights is that they hardly ever go according to plan. It is to the great credit of the astronauts themselves that they have brought their spacecraft back, but they have usually been unable to complete many of their mission objectives. On the last Gemini space-flight only three of the 10 in-flight experiments were even partly completed: this time 16 are to be performed. They range from photography of weather systems and noting

landmark contrast, to the collection of micro-meteorites. Twice Collins will work on experiments outside the cabin of the spacecraft Maybe this time all of the experiments will be completed during the planned three days in orbit, yet with two rendezvous and docking attempts to think about it seems that the astronauts are going to be busy. Too busy, perhaps. However with men of the calibre of the American astronauts it is sound psychology to give them plenty to do. There will be time enough for boredom on the long interplanetary voyages of the future without making spacelife too easy at this stage.