1965-12-15 USA Gemini 6A

1965 GT-6a Orbit Covers cachet cover with launch day postmark. The mission achieved the first manned rendezvous with another spacecraft, Gemini 7. Signed by Walter Schirra and Thomas Stafford. Canceled in Cape Canaveral on launch day December 15, 1965.
Gemini 6A (GT-6A), an alternate mission of Gemini 6, was launched on December 15, 1965. It was piloted by Walter M. Schirra and Thomas P. Stafford. Gemini 6 was originally planned to rendezvous with an Agena target rocket - an unmanned rocket which was launched solely as a "target" for the manned mission to meet and dock with in Earth orbit, but during the launch of the Agena rocket, the mission was cancelled due to a technical failure.

Photo: Walter Schirra and Thomas Stafford answering questions regarding their upcoming space mission at press conference on April 5, 1965.
The plan was changed to bring forward the launch of Gemini 7, and to allow Gemini 6a to rendezvous in Earth orbit with it. Schirra performed the space rendezvous with Gemini 7 spacecraft in orbit. Once in formation, the two Gemini capsules flew around each other, coming within a foot (0.3 meter) of each other but never touching. The two spacecraft stayed in close proximity for five hours.

Photo: Pre-flight breakfast for the Gemini 6a crew, Walter Schirra and Thomas Stafford, with fellow astronaut Alan Shepard on December 15, 1965.
Photo: Thomas Stafford and Walter Schirra to the Gemini spacecraft.
Photo: Walter Schirra and Thomas Stafford inside the Gemini spacecraft, a "Good Luck" note signed by the "2nd Shift" staff and with a farewell handshake glove attached to the spacecraft, December 15, 1965.
Gemini 6a launch cover with Centennial cachets, postmarked at Cape Canaveral on December 15, 1965.
Photo: Officers aboard the carrier USS Wasp received word of the successful launch of the Gemini 6a spacecraft.
Two versions of Gemini 6a official NASA cachets, postmarked with a Kennedy Space Center machine cancel on December 15, 1965. Both covers signed by Walter Schirra.
Photo: Gemini 6a and Gemini 7 in space during the rendezvous.
Photo: Scene at Mission Control after successful rendezvous of Gemini 6a and 7 spacecrafts.
Gemini 6a USS Wasp recovery ship cover applied with the aborted Gemini 6 mission's Beck rubber stamped cachet, a hand drawn World War II Disney insignia for USS Wasp CV-7, the less common hand cancel and the USS Wasp ship's cachet.
Photo: Gemini 6a capsule splashdown in the Atlantic on December 16, 1965.
Gemini 6a USS Wasp recovery ship cover with the aborted Gemini 6 mission's Beck rubber stamped cachet. Top: a machine cancel with less common "AM" time slug cancelled on December 16, 1965. Bottom: USS Wasp hand cancel on December 16, 1965 that is less common than the machine cancel. Both covers signed by Air Boss, captain David Barksdale.
Photo: Walter Schirra, emerging from the Gemini capsule, received a congratulatory handshake from the chief of recovery operations, Dr. Donald Stullken.
Photo: Thomas Stafford and Walter Schirra leave their Gemini capsule and aboard the USS Wasp carrier.
Photo: Walter Schirra and Thomas Stafford inspecting the heat shield of their Gemini 6 spacecraft.
A rare GT-6a USS Wasp Beck CREW Cover, only 25 covers without the "B" number printed exist. Signed by Walter Schirra, Thomas Stafford's signature is an autopen.
Photo: Cake cutting ceremony for the Gemini 6a crew onboard USS Wasp.
Beck printed cachet cover B610 was meant for USS Waldron, but this one went to USS Wasp.
Photo: USS Wasp Captain, Gordon E Hartley, and Walter Schirra.
Gemini 6a USS Wasp Captain's cover with USS Wasp hand cancel.
Photo: The Gemini 6a crew, Thomas Stafford and Walter Schirra, greeted the destroyer USS Waldron from the flight deck of USS Wasp.
Gemini 6a USS Waldron Beck B585 cover.
Photo: Gemini 6a astronauts Walter Schirra (left) and Thomas Stafford returned to Cape Kennedy, Fla., Friday after their historic rendezvous in space with Gemini 7. They were welcomed back by astronaut Alan Shepard.
Gemini 6a USS Wasp recovery ship with USS Wasp ship's cachet. Signed by G. Merritt Preston, the Deputy Mission Director for Launch Operations.
Photo: Thomas Stafford and Walter Schirra reviewing a photo of the Gemini 7 spacecraft that they took during the rendezvous.
Inverted year in the machine cancel are found in some USS Wasp recovery ship covers. Top: Cover with the aborted Gemini 6 mission's Beck rubber stamped cachet, signed by Walter Schirra and Thomas Stafford. Below: The correct Gemini 6a Beck rubber stamped cachet.
(Reference from Gemini 6A)