TAKING AIM ON AGENA VIII

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31117, 21 July 1966, Page 15

TAKING AIM ON AGENA VIII

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) CAPE KENNEDY, I July 20. j Gemini X astro- i nauts, John Young I and Michael Collins, I today take aim on the I most difficult naviga- I tion feat in space I history, still handi- I capped by a severe | fuel shortage and un- . solved problems in ’ their oxygen system. . They will seek rendezvous with a ghost spaceship—the lifeless Agena VIII target—] while trying to conserve enough fuel to let Collins take a one-hour walk outside] the cabin. j Collins’s “space-stand” yes-; terday was abruptly ended after 45 minutes when pungent ammonia-like fumes set both astronauts’ eyes burning and watering. Young reported “we couldn’t see,” and admitted that he had not informed mission control of the same problem several hours earlier because “I figured I’d just be a sissy.” The Irritation was traced to excess chemicals in their oxygen filter system but officials could not explain how it happened—or guarantee that it would not happen again in the flight After washing out their eyes and switching briefly to another oxygen line, collins said: “The irritation is gradually getting better, but it’s stm with us.” If the problem recurs seriously during or before today’s meeting with Agena VIII, Collins’s spacewalk may be cancelled. In any case the walk depends on enough fuel remaining after the rendezvous. When about 70 miles from the Agena VIII, Young will discard Agena X, to which Gemini X is still docked, and

the spaceship will be man- i oeuvering under her own 1 power for the first time In almost 48 hours. 1 Young will have to bring 1 the spacecraft up to Agena i VIII without the help of high <

intensity running lights and I target radar. This is the first time this has been tried, and will simulate the rescue of astronauts whose spacecraft has lost all electrical power.

I At this point mission control will decide if enough fuel is left to go ahead with the spacewalk, which required steady further expenditure to keep Gemini stable.