 |
| A Project Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) launch cover from "Orbit Covers", postmarked at Cape Canaveral with a machine cancel on November 3, 1966. |
Project MOL (Manned Orbiting Laboratory) was a U.S. Air Force program developed to place astronauts aboard a military space station in low Earth orbit, primarily for high-resolution photographic reconnaissance. For its November 3, 1966 test flight, the program reused and refurbished the previously flown Gemini 2 spacecraft, redesignating it Gemini-B. The spacecraft was modified with a hatch through its heat shield to demonstrate the concept of passage between the Gemini capsule and the proposed MOL station. The unmanned test flight was successful, and the Gemini-B capsule was recovered by USS La Salle. MOL was cancelled in 1969 before any crewed mission flew.
 |
| A Project MOL launch cover postmarked at Kennedy Space Center with a machine cancel on November 3, 1966. |
 |
| A Project MOL launch cover from "Sarzin", postmarked at Patrick Air Force Base with a machine cancel on November 3, 1966. |
 |
| A Project MOL recovery cover from "Orbit Covers", commemorating USS La Salle's return of the GT-2 (Gemini 2) capsule to Cape Kennedy, postmarked aboard USS La Salle with a hand cancel on November 15, 1966. |
