Lot 106

2 More

5 More

First rendezvous in space, at 17,000 mph; close-up of Gemini VII; Gemini VII orbiting the Earth, December 15-16, 1965

Thomas Stafford [Gemini VI-A]

Name: First rendezvous in space, at 17,000 mph; close-up of Gemini VII; Gemini VII orbiting the Earth, December 15-16, 1965
Brand: Thomas Stafford [Gemini VI-A]
Price: 900.00 GBP
Availability: SoldOut

Price Realised GBP 1,125

Estimate

GBP 1,500 - GBP 2,500

Closed: 19 Nov 2020

Loading details

First rendezvous in space, at 17,000 mph; close-up of Gemini VII; Gemini VII orbiting the Earth, December 15-16, 1965

Thomas Stafford [Gemini VI-A]

Price Realised GBP 1,125

Closed: 19 Nov 2020

Price Realised GBP 1,125

Closed: 19 Nov 2020

Details Lot Essay Related Articles More from

106 a
Thomas Stafford

First rendezvous in space, at 17,000 mph

Gemini VI-A, December 15-16, 1965, orbit 5, 007:52:00 GET

Vintage chromogenic print on fiber-based Kodak paper, 20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in), with NASA HQ caption numbered “65- HC-2006” and “A Kodak Paper” watermarks on the verso [NASA S-65-63169]

106 b
Thomas Stafford

Close-up of Gemini VII, showing spacecraft’s window

Gemini VI-A, December 15-16, 1965, orbit 5, 007:55:00 GET

Unreleased photograph, vintage chromogenic print on fiber-based Kodak paper, 21.8 x 27.8cm, with McDonnell Douglas credit stamp (indicating the print was made in 1967), “D4C 32556” stamp and “A Kodak Paper” watermarks on the verso (NASA / McDonnell Douglas) [NASA S-65-63173]

106 c
Thomas Stafford

Gemini VII orbiting the Earth

Gemini VI-A, December 15-16, 1965, orbit 5, 008:02:00 GET

Vintage chromogenic print on fiber-based Kodak paper, 20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in), with “A Kodak Paper” watermarks on the verso, numbered “NASA G-66-4794” in black in top margin (NASA Goddard) [NASA S-65-63187], with three filing holes in top margin
21.8 x 27.8cm (8¹⁄₂ x 11in)

106 a
LITERATURE: Thomas, p. 114, and Cortright, p. 165; NASA SP-171, p. IV.

This lot will be removed to Christie’s Park Royal. Christie’s will inform you if the lot has been sent offsite. Our removal and storage of the lot is subject to the terms and conditions of storage which can be found at Christies.com/storage and our fees for storage are set out in the table below - these will apply whether the lot remains with Christie’s or is removed elsewhere. Please call Christie’s Client Service 24 hours in advance to book a collection time at Christie’s Park Royal. All collections from Christie’s Park Royal will be by pre-booked appointment only. Tel: +44 (0)20 7839 9060 Email: cscollectionsuk@christies.com. If the lot remains at Christie’s it will be available for collection on any working day 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. Lots are not available for collection at weekends.
Please note this lot is the property of a consumer. See H1 of the Conditions of Sale.

Conditions of Sale
FAQs
This lot is offered by Christie Manson & Woods Ltd

Brought to you by

James Hyslop

A Christie's specialist may contact you to discuss this lot or to notify you if the condition changes prior to the sale.

jhyslop@christies.com +44 (0)20 7752 3205

Lot Essay

History’s first space rendezvous, a crucial milestone for the planned lunar missions of Project Apollo, was accomplished by Walter Schirra and Tom Stafford in Gemini VI-A, who chased down the orbiting Gemini VII. About six hours after liftoff, while passing over the Hawaii tracking station on Gemini VI-A’s fourth orbit, Schirra reported that he and Stafford had caught up with Borman and Lovell. The photograph was taken from Gemini VI-A of the nose of Gemini Vll while they were about 13 feet apart.

“The ability to take this photo was very gratifying after the numerous delays we encountered in performing the world’s first rendezvous mission. The Gemini VI-A spacecraft was launched on the third attempt to perform the rendezvous and performed it flawlessly. After the hard work and effort of over a year, we finally achieved the key step that will lead us to the lunar-landing mission,” said Thomas Stafford (Cortright, p. 165).

From the mission transcript during the rendezvous:

005:59:20 Capcom (Mission Control): Okay. We’re showing you GO here on the ground. Can you give me your status?
005:59:24 Schirra: We’re in formation with VII and everything is GO here.
005:59:28 Capcom: Roger. Congratulations! Excellent!
005:59:30 Schirra: Thank you. A lot of fun.

This oblique view of Gemini VII against the black sky of space provides a good view of the nose of the spacecraft and one of its two hatch windows.
The astronauts reported they could see each other while station keeping over the Earth.

From the mission transcript during the rendezvous:
006:55:18 Lovell: Can you see Frank’s beard, Wally?
006:55:20 Schirra: Yes, I see yours better, right now. [...]
006:55:36 Stafford: How’s the visibility through these windows? They’re pretty bad from this side.
006:55:40 Lovell: Yes. It’s pretty bad. We noticed ... that some see through the windows. They are pretty bad on this side.

Side view of the Gemini VII spacecraft, about 275 feet away, Earth sky background, during rendezvous and station keeping maneuvers 160 miles over the Earth.

From the mission transcript during the rendezvous:

006:03:34 Capcom (Mission control): VI and VII, Hawaii. We’ll be standing by if you have anything for us.
006:03:39 Stafford: There just seems to be a little traffic up here, that’s all.
006:03:42 Capcom: Call a policeman.