Word: gemini
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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...Futile Attempt. The vivid pictures were more than a record of near disaster; they were a testament to the skill and resourcefulness of the astronauts and the value of NASA's intense training program, which taught them not only to master the complexities of a properly operating Gemini spacecraft, but to expect-and to cope with-the unexpected...
...When the Gemini capsule is operating properly, its attitude in orbit can be changed by firing strategically placed thrusters that can roll the vehicle, yaw its nose to one side or the other, or pitch it up or down. Once thrusters have been fired to change the orientation of the craft, however, other thrusters-pushing in the opposite direction-must be fired to stop the motion at the desired point. In the absence of an atmosphere to slow it down by friction, the spacecraft would continue any attitude-changing maneuver indefinitely unless reverse thrust were available to stop...
...while Gemini 8 was docked with the Agena that the joined vehicles suddenly began to tumble as if some attitude-control thrusters had gone amuck. Since the Gemini's thrusters were turned off and the Agena's could be seen firing, Armstrong assumed that it was the Agena controls that were at fault. After cutting off the Agena thrusters, he struggled for 10 minutes to bring the joined ships under control. Then he undocked, still unaware that the real trouble was a short circuit in Gemini's electronic control system that had caused its No. 8 thruster...
...Entry Endangered. As the roll rate increased to a terrifying one revolution per second, Armstrong realized that Gemini was at fault; he quickly threw circuit breakers that cut off the flow of fuel and oxidizer to all of the attitude thrusters, including No. 8. The roll-with no friction or counterfiring thruster to stop it-continued undiminished. It was at this point that Armstrong resorted to the independent reentry rocket system to bring Gemini back under control. Once the vital re entry control fuel had been tapped, however, Gemini's ability to make a successful re-entry was endangered...
...Gemini been within range of a tracking station when trouble began, ground controllers could have immediately diagnosed the problem and told Armstrong how to solve it. But the spaceship was in a dead zone between stations, and in all its maze of instruments, none was designed to report when thrusters were firing. Though the short circuit might have required early termination of the mission anyway, such on-board instrumentation would have enabled Armstrong to bring Gemini under control much more quickly...