1962-10-12 USA Test Flight 6 of Titan II

A Titan II N-9 developmental test flight cover featuring a “Swanson” stamped cachet, postmarked at Cape Canaveral with a hand cancel on October 12, 1962.

The Titan II N-9 test on October 12, 1962, was part of the early flight-test program for the Titan II, which would later become the launch vehicle for Project Gemini.

At this stage, the Air Force was testing the Titan II as an intercontinental ballistic missile, while NASA was evaluating its suitability for human spaceflight. These developmental flights were important for identifying and correcting problems with the vehicle's propulsion, guidance, staging, and structural performance before it was adapted for Gemini.