DOUBLE RENDEZVOUS PLANNED

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31115, 19 July 1966, Page 17

DOUBLE RENDEZVOUS PLANNED

The astronauts, John W. Young and Michael Collins, will be aboard the Gemini X spacecraft when it takes off from Cape Kennedy in the first afternoon launching in the United States manned space flight programme. The dotted line in the diagram below shows their flight path on the first four orbits. On the fourth orbit

they overtake and dock with an Agena space engine that was launched 101 minutes before their own launching. For the next several hours they practice docking and disengaging manoeuvres.

Agena VIII, a space engine launched in March, 1966, with Gemini VIII, is shown in black in its higher parking orbit While in the docked

position and using the thrust from Agena X’s engine, the joined craft swing into a higher orbit (dotted line in right diagram) in pursuit of the orbiting Agena VIII (black). When a few miles from Agena VIII, Gemini X disengages from Agena X and closes in on Agena VIII. Collins will then open

his hatch cover, stand on his seat and. with the upper part of his body protruding Into space take pictures of the earth, moon and certain selected stars. The object is to obtain pictures free of atmospheric distortion. Later Collins will leave Gemini X and, using a hand propulsion device, propel himself across the

intervening apace to the Agena VIII. The purpose of his visit is to retrieve a box from the side of the dormant craft that has been collecting space dust for the last three months. Scientists expect to learn much about space hazards from this sample During his space walk Collins will be on a 50ft safety line.