1965-10-25 USA Gemini 6 Mission Scrubbed

A GT-6 mission scrubbed cover featuring the "KSC Officials" stamped cachet, postmarked at Kennedy Space Center with a machine cancel on October 25, 1965. The mission was later cancelled due to a technical failure during the Agena rocket launch.

On October 25, 1965, NASA scrubbed the planned Gemini 6 launch because its Agena rendezvous-target vehicle failed to reach orbit. Astronauts Wally Schirra and Thomas Stafford were already aboard the Gemini spacecraft awaiting launch.

Photo: Thomas Stafford adjusting Walter Schirra's space suit during training on October 23, 1965.

Photo: The interior of the Gemini 6 spacecraft.

At 10:00 a.m. EST, the Atlas-Agena target vehicle lifted off from Cape Kennedy’s Launch Complex 14. The Atlas stage appeared to perform normally, but telemetry was lost about six minutes after launch, around the time the Agena engine was to ignite for orbital insertion. The Agena apparently exploded or broke apart; it never achieved orbit, leaving Gemini 6 without its rendezvous and docking target. NASA held and then canceled the Gemini 6 countdown at 10:54 a.m. EST.

Photo: The Agena rocket for Gemini 6 to rendezvous in space, exploded in the sky shortly after launch.

A GT-6 mission scrubbed cover from "Harry Gordon", featuring the "KSC Officials" stamped cachet, postmarked at Kennedy Space Center with a machine cancel on October 25, 1965.

Photo: An illustration of a series of Gemini 6 and Agena docking maneuvers.

A GT-6 mission scrubbed cover from "Centennial", postmarked at Cape Canaveral with a machine cancel on October 25, 1965.

Photo: Backup pilots of Gemini 6, Gus Grissom and John Young, wear "out of service" card on their suit, after the Agena rocket failed to launch.

A GT-6 mission scrubbed cover featuring a "COASTAL CRUSADER" cachet, postmarked at Cape Canaveral with a machine cancel on October 25, 1965, with a "PM" time slug.

A GT-6 recovery cover created using ship’s stationery from the USS Wasp, featuring a black “USS Wasp” stamped cachet and a magenta “Morris Beck” rubber-stamped cachet, postmarked with a rare hand cancel on October 25, 1965. The USS Wasp was designated as the recovery ship for the Gemini 6 mission, which was scrubbed on October 25, 1965.