Echoes Among the Stars: The Original Website
The First Era in Space, 1957-1975
Gemini 12
November 11 - November 15, 1966
Solving the EVA Dilemma
Buzz Aldrin works in an underwater environment simulating the vacuum of space to solve the problem of maneuvering in weightlessness. Aldrin made a careful study of the problems other astronauts encountered while spacewalking on previous flights, and set out to devise a better system for his Gemini 12 mission with Jim Lovell. NASA photo.
Gemini 12: Setting New Standards
Buzz Aldrin (l.) and Jim Lovell (l.) brought the Gemini program to a successful close with their Gemini 12 flight. Aldrin devised new equipment to smooth the process of working in a zero-gravity environment, and Lovell, with his second Gemini mission, increased his total time in space to 425 hours, proving that prolonged stays in space were not harmful. NASA photo.
Mastering Space Work
Creating new tools and adapting old ones to the specifics of the tasks at hand, Buzz Aldrin engineered new ways of working in space for the Gemini 12 mission. Being able to work efficiently during the limited time available for extravehicular activity (EVA) was a crucial goal as the program entered the Apollo era, and the Gemini 12 improvements were a vital contribution. NASA photo.
