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| A GT-9 mission scrubbed cover featuring the "KSC Officials" stamped cachet proof in blue, postmarked at Cape Canaveral with a hand cancel on May 17, 1966. The scheduled mission, however, was subsequently scrubbed - the primary failure occurred in the Atlas booster, which lost pitch control; the Agena subsequently separated but could not achieve the required orbit. |
The Gemini 9 mission was originally scheduled to launch on May 17, 1966, with astronauts Thomas P. Stafford and Eugene A. Cernan aboard. The mission was intended to practice rendezvous and docking techniques and, importantly, to conduct an ambitious spacewalk using the Astronaut Maneuvering Unit (AMU).
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Left: A USS Wasp recovery ship postcard, postmarked aboard the USS Wasp with a hand cancel on May 13, 1966, as the aircraft carrier began its South Atlantic (SoLant) deployment to serve as the prime recovery vessel for the Gemini 9 mission, originally scheduled for launch on May 17, 1966.
Right: The front of the postcard features a photograph of the USS Wasp aircraft carrier.
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Gemini missions requiring rendezvous used an Agena Target Vehicle (GATV), which had to be launched into orbit before the astronauts could attempt the rendezvous. On May 17, the Agena target for Gemini 9, GATV 5004, was launched from Launch Complex 14 at Cape Kennedy atop an Atlas rocket. Stafford and Cernan were already strapped into their Gemini spacecraft at Launch Complex 19, preparing for their own launch about 90 minutes later.
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| A GT-9 mission scrubbed cover from "Centennial", postmarked at Cape Canaveral with a hand cancel on May 17, 1966. |
The Atlas initially performed normally, but about 120 seconds after liftoff, one of its booster engines developed a serious control problem. The No. 2 booster engine swiveled to an extreme position, causing the vehicle to lose pitch control. The Atlas subsequently pitched downward and rolled, putting it on a trajectory toward the Atlantic rather than the planned orbit.
The Atlas and Agena separated as planned, but neither could reach the required orbit. The Agena therefore could not serve as Gemini 9's rendezvous target, making the planned crewed launch impossible. NASA postponed the mission, and Stafford and Cernan were ordered to leave their spacecraft.
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| Photo: Eugene Cernan and Thomas Stafford engaged in a conversation after their mission was scrubbed on May 17, 1966. |
(Reference from
CVSG-52 (AS) USS WASP (CVS 18) May 13, 1966 - Jun. 1966 (Gemini IX-A recovery operation in the SoLant))
