The Gemini 11 Agena Target Vehicle (GATV-11) was launched from Cape Canaveral at 8:05:01 a.m. EST (13:05:01.725 UT) on 12 September 1966 using an Atlas-Agena D rocket into a near-circular 300 km orbit. Gemini 11 was launched an hour and 40 minutes later and rendezvoused and docked with GATV-11 at 11:16 a.m. On 13 September at 9:51 a.m. EST Richard Gordon began a 20 minute EVA from Gemini 11. He moved across to the GATV-11 and detached one end of the 30 meter tether and attached it to the Gemini spacecraft docking bar. The Agena primary propulsion system was fired for 25 seconds at 2:12:41 a.m. EST on 14 September, raising the docked spacecraft apogee to 1374.1 km. After two orbits the Agena was fired again for 22.5 seconds to lower the Gemini-Agena back down to a 287 x 304 km orbit. The spacecraft were undocked shortly after 10:00 a.m. and Gemini 11 moved to the end of the 30 meter tether attaching the two spacecraft. At 11:55 a.m. Pete Conrad initiated a slow rotation of the Gemini capsule about the GATV which kept the tether taut and the spacecraft a constant distance apart at the ends of the tether. After about three hours the tether was released and the spacecraft moved apart. GATV-11 was left in a 285 x 305 km orbit.
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Gemini 11 was the ninth crewed Earth-orbiting spacecraft of the Gemini series, carrying astronauts Charles "Pete" Conrad and Richard Gordon. The 3-day mission was designed to achieve a first orbit rendezvous and docking with the Agena target... more
