Superb official color semi-glossy 13.75 x 11 NASA photo of the Agena target vehicle as viewed from the Gemini 8 spacecraft prior to docking, with the Earth horizon visible below, affixed to its original 20 x 16 cardstock mount, which is signed neatly in black ink and felt tip, “Neil Armstrong, Gemini VIII” and “Dave Scott, Gemini VIII.” In fine condition. A beautiful crew-signed display piece honoring the historic Gemini 8 mission.
After completing the world's first orbital docking, the Gemini 8 capsule, still docked to the Agena, began to roll. The crew undocked from the Agena and determined the problem to be a stuck thruster on the spacecraft, which now tumbled at the dizzying rate of one revolution per second. Neil Armstrong and Dave Scott used the capsule's reentry control thrusters to stop the motion, an emergency decision that forced them to end their mission just 10 hours after launch.
Originates from the personal collection of NASA employee John ‘Pete’ Peterson, who served in various capacities of media relations at NASA and the Manned Spacecraft Center from about 1961 to about 1973. He first served as the head of News and Media Relations, reporting to Paul Haney, and later as a special assistant to several of the chief astronauts. Due to his military and media background—Peterson was a retired Army captain who served in both WWII and the Korean wars—he befriended and became close to several of the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab astronaut crews.
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