Going to the Moon with Gemini Instead of Apollo?

With the end of the decade already looming over NASA, the agency started considering other ways to get to the Moon. One possibility was to use the Gemini spacecraft, the one then under development by McDonnell, the company who also built the Mercury spacecraft.



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[WilliamJakespeareProps]

The moon in Gemini? that would have been crazy! I can't even stand a few hours in a small car.

[CountArtha]

Apparently every astronaut who flew the Gemini capsule said it was his favorite spacecraft. It was sportier than Apollo and handled like a jet fighter.

[premactor]

Must admit, the only thing that fascinates me more than these described events is the fact that You have SO MUCH enthusiasm for it, that this video was done on the spot in some room, and the time was "NOW". Fascinating fascination. You inspire more people than you can imagine...

[davrecon]

I prefer to imagine what it would have been like if we'd followed Von Braun's original plan to do a massive expedition to the moon, using three ships and 50 astronaut crew members, where they stay for 6 weeks and then when you're pressed for time, romance goes out the window....

[nmh]

Apollo 13 would have looked a bit different without a LM to retreat to.

[nickgushue]

Amy,
Keep up the good work.
Amazing info and history lessons.
It's people like you that will get us to the stars!

[theremoteanater]

im glad i found a channel that is as interested in space exploration as i am.

[johnwalkup]

I adore your presentations. So well done. These programs were the second and third decade of my life. All the nerds knew every detail available. Yet I always learn at least one new thing from you. I always liked the Gemini, maybe partly because it was built in my hometown, and had more pilot input than the others. Many of my parent's friends worked on it. Others, like my Dad worked for sub-contractors. It was the real "Golden Age" of manned space flight.

[southtexasprepper]

It is funny that "Vintage Space" mentions in this video. There was a movie called "Countdown" (1968) that starred Robert Duvall and James Caan. It was a story about a American Moon Landing. The lander had the Descent Stage of the Lunar Module, but the one-man Crew Cabin was a Gemini Spacecraft. One of my favorite James Caan and Robert Duvall movies of all time. Another one of my favorite Apollo Era movies is "Marooned" (1969) with Gregory Peck.

[Ldf]

I am watching this 6 years old vid in 2021 and realize how good you became during the years. Respect!

[TommyG]

After seeing how much trouble the astronauts had getting back into the Gemini spacecraft after an EVA as well as the condition of Frank Borman and Jim Lovell after their endurance flight I think it's a damned good thing that Jim Webb put his foot down and squashed this plan!

[lorensims]

I heard about this idea several years ago. I saw a lot more artist renderings including a space station and a moon base all based on the Gemini capsule.
The astronauts loved the Gemini because instead of just sitting in there, as with the Mercury or Apollo capsules, this one felt more like a real pilot's ship. I mean they actually tested staying in orbit for fourteen days in one of those things.

[cateclism]

If you saw the movie "Countdown (1968)", an astronaut landed on the moon using a modified Gemini. Only one!

[BudweiserJr]

Love your recent focus on the best program, Gemini. Nice to learn good history and appreciate beauty all at once.

[Mettbroetchen]

This awsome series about space history is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!

[stevensonDonnie]

It was used as a moon lander. In the movie “Countdown”.

[plumsink]

There was a movie loosely based on that idea, 1968's Countdown. In it, an unoccupied base module was sent to the moon and then a modified gemini was set to land nearby, whereupon the sole astronaut would hunker down in the base until they could bring him home. ;)

[briandougherty]

My grandmother worked at McDonnell until 1976.

There was some talk about using Agena to do a free return around the moon and back.

If I remember correctly, Agena didn't have the thrust to do it. Also there was concerns about stress on the mate point between Agena and Gemini during TLI.

On the later flights, Agena did help change the orbit but not at the thrust needed for TLI.

[KlunkerRider]

This was sort of the idea behind the 1960's movie "Countdown" which sent James Caan solo to the moon in a Gemini.

[joeyschwartz]

In fall 1961, Jim Chamberlin, the designer and first program manager of Gemini, also designed a "lunar Gemini" when the project was still called "Mercury II". It actually was the first case of a system using Lunar Orbit Rendezvous (LOR) and was completely different than the method mentioned in the video. He designed, along fellow Avro Canada alumni, Owen Maynard, a Lunar Module that was open-faced, and obviously non-pressurized. This configuration would not have needed the Saturn V and could have flown possibly two or even three years earlier than Apollo 11 because it was essentially a standard Gemini, and the only new piece of equipment was the lander. Since it got shot down by Jim Webb in late fall 1961, a final decision was not made on what rocket and inter-stage would have been used to perform TLI and TEI. Do you have more information about this system?