Aborted Launch - Gemini 6 (CBS)

12th December 1965 - The aborted launch of Gemini 6 as seen on CBS. I have included the start of the broadcast (but the editing between it and the countdown did not come out very well - my apologies).

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• gemini
• abort
• launch
• liftoff
• countdown
• nasa
• astronaut
• 1965
• rocket
• titan

[TheSpiritof1969]

No launch escape tower back then to whisk the capule away from the pad and deploy a parachute to bring it down. A major malfunction at launch must have meant certain death for those brave men.

[lunarmodule5]

@TheSpiritof1969 They had ejection seats - and could eject on the pad if needed (or, of course, in powerered flight. Schirra and the rest of the astronaut corps worried about the effects of such an ejection.

And, If he had ejected on this abort Gemini 6 would not have been put back together in time before Gemini 7 came home.

[DumbYankies]

stunningly clear video. Almost better than modern shuttle stuff. This is Gemini 6A isnt it??? Much better commentary, even by the media types, back then than the dribble you get today which has been dumbed down unbelievably.

[lunarmodule5]

Yes it's Gemini 6A. Like "Gemini 9A" is Gemini 9.... I just number them as they flew....but thanks for the comment...appreciated!!!

[tm3rd]

No problem on the editing. I'm just thankful I (and we) can see these gems! Nothing like as-it-happened TV coverage...historic stuff. Give me the old days of news coverage.

[lunarmodule5]

@tm3rd I second that thought!

[schnuazerboy]

A shipping dust cover on one of the engine pumps had not been removed during assembly of the rocket motors......they figured this out right away and took only a few days to turn the Titan ll around and launch Gemini 6.

[iXelsior]

Wall Schirra did not eject. That is what you call mental toughness. Too bad, the head cold caused his undoing on Apollo 7.

[NEVERSTOPJAMIN]

Wow! Now that was close. Kudos to the engineers..

[LOPEZdJUNGLIST]

brown pants time

[GGE47]

I remember seeing this.I was used to the countdown reaching 0 and the engines igniting and the rocket taking off.It was scary to see the engines ignite and the rocket just sitting on the launch pad.I didn't know what caused it,but thought that rendezvous with Gemeni 7 wasn't going to happen.I was relieved when Schirra and Stafford were out of danger and that they rescheduled the flight for three days later.This was day 8 in the Gemini 7 flight and on day 11 they did it and returned the next day.

[MattTheSaiyan]

The "CBS News" set at the start is awesome & "retro".

[soberek]

Reinvention of the word: BALLS. Now that's BALLS!!!

[JBM425]

If I recall correctly from some books I read, the explosive bolts fired, and the Titan II sat precariously on the pad. Schirra received a NASA medal for staying cool and not ejecting...as Lunarmodule5 noted, had he given the abort command, GT-6 would not have been able to be reassembled in time and Gemini 7 would have landed, scuttling the rendevous project.

[rivotrich7]

There's a video on you tube labeled "Atlas-Centaur 5 pad fallback, 1965" very scary looking. Good thing that the Gemini 6A Titan II did not let go of the pad after the shutdown.

[hardakml]

@DumbYankies I think I'm right in saying taht Gemini 6 was the failed launch and Gemini 6A was the actual launch a little later. Correct me if I'm wrong