The Gemini 8 Flight Journal
Gemini 8
Part 4: Settling in orbit
Corrected Transcript and Commentary Copyright © 2025 by Tracy L. Scott and W. David Woods. All rights reserved.
Last updated 2025-09-09
000:09:13 Armstrong: Okay. Retro squibs (4), Safe.
000:09:16 Armstrong: Okay. Maneuver controller, off and stowed.
000:09:19 Scott: Off and stowed.
000:09:23 Scott: D-Ring safety pin, install.
000:09:24 Scott: Sequence Light Test.
000:09:25 Armstrong: Okay. Here we go!
000:09:30 Armstrong: Okay.
000:09:32 Scott: And Red and Green.
000:09:33 Armstrong: Good. Darn good.
000:09:37 Scott: Computer Prelaunch.
000:09:38 Armstrong: [Garble] just from the IVI's [garble] after the burn at 18 with a plane indicating right. Now, heads up.
000:09:49 Armstrong: Okay. Retro [garble] squibs to Close.
000:09:53 Armstrong: Seconday O
2 to Close.
000:09:57 Scott: OAMS Heaters's circuit breaker coming Closed.
000:09:58 Scott: And it stays Closed.
000:09:59 Armstrong: Roger.
000:10:03 Scott: OAMS Heaters's circuit breaker, Closed.
000:10:07 Scott: Cryo Quantity to Off.
000:10:08 Armstrong: Check.
000:10:12 Armstrong: We look good a11 the way.
000:10:14 Armstrong: Recorder is coming off.
000:10:23 Lovell: Gemini VIII, Houston CapCom. I have your 1-4 time, if you're ready to copy.
000:10:27 Scott: Go ahead.
000:10:31 Lovell: Roger. GET RC: 01:00:16; RET 400K, 15 plus 21; RET RB, 20 plus 08; roll left 85.
000:10:57 Scott: Roger. 1-4: 01:00:16; RET RB, 20 plus 08; roll left 85. And Insertion Check List is complete.
000:11:17 Lovell: You were cut off there at the end, VIII.
000:11:20 Scott: Right. I've got the Insertion Check List complete.
000:11:22 Lovell: Roger. Insertion Cheek List complete. Thank you.
000:11:24 Scott: Still look good.
000:11:28 Lovell: If you did not copy, the RET of 400K was 15 plus 21.
000:11:35 Scott: Good old Jim! Thank you.
000:20:30 Lovell: Gemini VIII, Gemini VIII, Houston CapCom. Over.
000:20:34 Armstrong: Roger. Go ahead.
000:20:35 Lovell: Roger. Your orbit is changed to 87, 147 [nautical miles]. You're Go for a nominal M equals 4. There will be a slight Plane Change. We'll give you that information later and we understand that the [garble] temperatures were hotter than normal and we're reminding you to activate the right unit Number 1 handle at Time 40.
000:21:00 Armstrong: [Garble] 40.
000:21:07 Armstrong: Also all systems look okay...
000:21:14 Lovell: Roger. All systems are okay and standing by for a UHF Number 2 check.
000:21:17 Armstrong: Okay.
1966-03-16, 11:03 am. This is Gemini Control, Houston. They are 21 minutes, 52 seconds into the flight. Jim Lovell, our CapCom, has just been in touch with the Gemini 8 spacecraft via the Ascension station. We have a refinement on that initial orbit which we gave, we are presently showing, based on Antigua data, an orbit of 87 by 146 [nautical miles], and this, of course, is very comforting. We were trying for an orbit of 87 by 146. We would expect perhaps further refinements on thie when we reach the Carnarvon station and I beleive we will except accept as reasonably final the Carnarvon data. But right now our orbit for the Gemini 8 spscecraft is showing 87 by 147 nautical miles. In their conversation via Ascension, Armstrong came back with a "all systems O.K." report from the Gemini 8 spacecraft. Apparently the temperature in the frog egg experiment, we can't tell which one, the frog eggs are inside of both hatches. In one of the compartments, perhaps both, they are noting a slightly elevated temperature and, therefore, plan to activate the frog egg experiments somewhat earlier than planned in the Flight Plan. At present they plan an activation of 40 minutes into the flight. Meanwhile we have some data from the Agena orbit, and just a few of them to show you how close to the nominal the Agena achieved in its successful flight this morning. We showed an altitude at orbital insertion, actual altitude of 161.3 miles versus a planned altitude of l6l nautical miles. At cut-off our feet per second actual on the Agena was 25,365.9 versus a planned cut-off of 25,369 feet per second. That's 3.1 feet per second off the planned mark. For the Agena we are presently showing a 160.6 actual, nautical miles versus the planned of 161. We have the very brief tape conversation recorded from the Ascension tracking station. We are prepared to play it for you now.
000:22:06 Armstrong: Houston, this is Gemini VIII on your UHF Number 2. How do you read?
000:22:08 Lovell: Roger. Gemini VIII, this is Houston. Reading you slightly garbled but loud. How me?
000:22:13 Armstrong: [Garble.]
000:22:20 Lovell: This is Houston. Roger.
000:22:23 Armstrong: Going back to Number 1.
000:22:25 Lovell: You're going to Number 1.
000:23:09 Armstrong: Dave advises that Nuclear Emulsion came on at 23 minutes.
000:23:21 Lovell: Roger, Gemini VIII. Nuclear Emulsion on at 23 minutes.
000:30:31 Armstrong: [Garble] we are seeing stars at 30 minutes elapsed time, and the spacecraft is [garble] sunlight.
000:31:42 Armstrong: 31 minutes. Now we are seeing a lot of stars.
000:31:44 Scott: That could be a light.
000:31:49 Armstrong: [Garble] I see a light on the ground.
000:31:56 Armstrong: [Garble] on the horizon. That's where the light would be, I think.
000:32:03 Armstrong: I do see thruster flashings now. Platform Aligning on the Secondary Scanner.
000:35:15 Armstrong: Tananarive, you're unreadable. We [garble].
000:35:22 Lovell: Gemini VIII, Gemini VIII, Houston CapCom.
000:35:28 Armstrong: Hello, Houston CapCom. Now we're reading you all okay. Gemini VIII.r
000:35:36 Lovell: Roger. This is my first call. Don't forget your Radiator to Flow at 035.
000:35:41 Scott: Okay. Radiator going to Flow.
000:35:42 Lovell: Roger. And around 00:40, the C-Reentry to Command, the C-Adapter to Continuous and the S-3 Experiment.
000:35:54 Armstrong: I didn't quite get that. Would you say again, please?
000:35:57 Lovell: Roger. At 40, the C-Reentry to Command, the C-Adapter to Continuous and the Frog Egg Experiment.
000:36:07 Armstrong: Roger. We have that.
000:36:10 Lovell: Roger. We're just standing by.
000:38:08 Scott: It reminds me of an oil flame that you see over
000:38:11 Armstrong: [Garble] here [garble]. We're at 38 minutes and I noticed the thrusters are firing out the right side only. Now this may be a Platform Mode, or it could be due to the fact that it's taking care of the water boiler exhaust.
000:38:20 Armstrong: 38 minutes elapsed time. The night side - we have a well-definable horizon, but we have stars visible below the horizon, and that one property in comparing the horizon is probably the best one to make a mark on.
000:39:01 Scott: Okay. At 40 minutes and about 10 seconds, the S-3 Unit Number 1 is activated.
Houston Flight: Carnarvon, Houston Flight.
Carnarvon CC: Houston Flight, Carnarvon CapCom.
Houston Flight: Roger, do you have any questions?
Carnarvon CC: Negative. We see the unbalance in the Fuel cells. Everything wlse is squared away.
Houston Flight: Roger.
Carnarvon CC: I'd like to check my GET clock.
Houston Flight: Go ahead.
Carnarvon CC: Okay. Thirty-eight, thirty-five, on my mark. Mark.
Houston Flight: That's good.
Carnarvon CC: And PR 69, 33, 40 on my mark.
Houston Flight: Okay stand by. Go.
Carnarvon CC: 69, 33, 35. Mark.
Houston Flight: That's good.
Carnarvon CC: Okay. Thank you.
000:40:26 Scott: 41 minutes. We're going to Primary Scanner on the Horizon Scan and no appreciable difference in Primary or Secondary Scanner operation; going to Primary Catch-Up in 50 minutes and...
000:40:29 Scott: IVI's are zero.
000:40:40 Armstrong: Well, that's about it.
000:41:20 Scott: 1A, 9.5; 1B, 10.0; 1-Main, 14.5; 2-Main, 8.0; 2A, 4.8; 2B, 5.2; Main bus is 24.5.
Tananarive: Tananarive has LOS.
Carnarvon CC: Carnarvon has Agena telemetry solid.
Houston Flight: Okay, Carnarvon.
Carnarvon CC: And, we show the Agena as go.
Houston Flight: Roger. Flight, Carnarvon.
Carnarvon CC: Flight, Carnarvon.
Houston Flight: Go ahead,
Carnarvon CC: I just got a MI. It says main LOS and AOS - until end of EVA or until further notice. Is this Gemini or Agena?
Houston Flight: That's Gemini, we'll send a correction.
Carnarvon CC: The Agena looks real good.
Houston Flight: Roger.
Carnarvon CC: Have valid S-band track Agena Carnarvon.
Houston Flight: Roger. How's that S-band temperature there Carnarvon?
Carnarvon CC: Say again flight.
Houston Flight: How's that S-band temperature?
Carnarvon CC: Stand by one. Hotel 063, S-band temperature is 137 degrees.
Houston Flight: 137, that's very good. It's going down a bit.
Carnarvon CC: Correction on that parameter number - it's hotel 049.
Houston Flight: 049, Roger.
Carnarvon CC: Flight, Carnarvon. We've lost one FRW 2 high power command transmitter. We still have one good.
Houston Flight: Roger. Carnarvon, Houston Flight.
Carnarvon CC: Flight, Carnarvon, CapCom.
Houston Flight: We havenit got your Charlie on Agena yet.
Carnarvon CC: We transmitted that. Will transmit again.
Houston Flight: Roger.
Carnarvon CC: Carnarvon has Gemini telemetry solid.
Houston Flight: Roger.
Carnarvon CC: Dropping out.
000:49:29 Carnarvon CC: Gemini VIII, Carnarvon CapCom.
000:49:33 Armstrong: Hi there, Carnarvon! Go ahead.
000:49:34 Carnarvon CC: How you all doing?
000:49:35 Armstrong: Just fine!
000:49:36 Carnarvon CC: Okay. We're showing you real good here on the ground. We're giving you a Go on your radiator. Put your Evaporator to Normal.
000:49:43 Scott: Evaporator is Normal.
000:49:44 Carnarvon CC: Okay.
000:49:48 Carnarvon CC: How about your Quantity Read switch to ECS O
2 position and leave it there until I tell you to move it.
000:49:53 Scott: Roger. ECS O
2.
000:49:54 Carnarvon CC: Okay. I'm showing you in Prelaunch. Are you doing some computations or can you go into Catch-Up?
000:50:00 Scott: Ready for Accelerometer Bias Check any time you are.
000:50:05 Carnarvon CC: Okay. Let's go to Catch-Up.
000:50:07 Carnarvon CC: Okay. Got you in Catch-Up.
000:50:09 Carnarvon CC: We need a battery and your fuel cell.
000:50:13 Scott: Roger. The batteries are Go, and - ready to copy the fuel cell?
000:50:16 Armstrong: Went to Catch-Up at 50 minutes. IVI's are zero.
000:50:18 Carnarvon CC: Go ahead.
000:50:19 Scott: 1A, 9.5; 1B, 10.0; 1-Main, 14.5; 2-Main, 8.0; 2A, 4.8, 2B, 5.2. Main bus is 24.5.
000:50:38 Carnarvon CC: Okay. I copy that.
000:50:40 Carnarvon CC: Okay. I'll copy that.
Houston Flight: We got that Carnarvon.
Carnarvon CC: I am going to give a Go for 16.1.
Houston Flight: Very good, go ahead.
000:50:47 Scott: [Garble] get the sheet.
000:50:51 Scott: Get a light in here.
000:50:53 Carnarvon CC: Okay. You're Go for 16-1.
000:50:54 Armstrong: Go ahead. All yours.
000:50:56 Scott: Thank you very much.
000:50:59 Armstrong: How about that?
000:51:00 Carnarvon CC: You can leave your computer running, you know.
000:51:02 Armstrong: Stand by.
000:51:15 Carnarvon CC: How about setting up 52 minutes and counting up? I'll give you a time hack at that point.
000:51:27 Carnarvon CC: You like it up there, right?
000:51:30 Scott: You bet!
000:51:31 Armstrong: It's all right!
000:51:32 Carnarvon CC: Very nice!
000:51:44 Armstrong: Okay. The computers are running pretty good. Hope they keep up like they should.
000:51:51 Armstrong: I'm up to GET Clock Check.
000:51:56 Carnarvon CC: On your Mark. Stand by.
000:51:57 Carnarvon CC: 3, 2, 1...
000:51:58 Carnarvon CC: Mark. 52.
000:51:59 Armstrong: Right on it.
000:52:00 Carnarvon CC: Okay. We're right with you.
000:52:04 Armstrong: And we're ready for the Start Comp any time you are.
000:52:23 Carnarvon CC: Okay. Quantity Read to Off.
000:52:29 Scott: Coming Off.
000:52:35 Carnarvon CC: Carnarvon. Gemini VIII, if you're ready for the Accelerameter Bias Check, we'll start counting.
000:52:39 Armstrong: We're ready for your cheek, sir.
000:52:41 Carnarvon CC: Okay. On my Mark, [garble].
000:52:42 Armstrong: Do you want to give the start count so I can start my watch?
000:52:47 Carnarvon CC: 3, 2, 1...
000:52:48 Carnarvon CC: Mark.
000:52:51 Armstrong: Got it.
000:52:52 Carnarvon CC: Roger.
000:52:59 Scott: Here. You got the time?
000:53:00 Armstrong: Vibrator is normal and we went to Start Comp at 53 minutes.
000:53:35 Carnarvon CC: Did you start S-3 at 40 minutes?
000:53:37 Armstrong: That's affirm.
000:53:38 Carnarvon CC: Okay.
000:53:44 Armstrong: That was 40 minutes, 10 seconds.
000:53:45 Carnarvon CC: 40 what?
000:53:46 Armstrong: 40 minutes, 10 seconds.
000:53:47 Carnarvon CC: Okay.
000:54:35 Carnarvon CC: Okay. We've cut our computer summaries. You can go on to Prelaunch any time you want.
000:54:44 Armstrong: We did put in a couple of pulses in yaw.
000:54:50 Carnarvon CC: Oh, okay.
000:55:02 Scott: Any more for us?
000:55:03 Carnarvon CC: Say again.
000:55:08 Scott: Couldn't do any more for us than you have. We've got everything going for us now.
000:55:10 Carnarvon CC: That's what we're here for, isn't it?
Houston Flight: Carnarvon, Flight.
Carnarvon CC: Flight, Carnarvon.
Houston Flight: You might check and see if they have an antenna select adapter.
Carnarvon CC: LOS on the Agena. Say again Flight.
Houston Flight: You might check to see that they've got antenna select to adapter.
Carnarvon CC: Roger. Flight, our radar confirms the adapter beacon.
Houston Flight: Roger.
000:55:39 Carnarvon CC: Now what did you say about the storms?
000:55:40 Armstrong: I say, we have quite a bit of storms just ahead of us here. We can see the lightning.
000:55:47 Carnarvon CC: Yes, we could use some rain.
000:55:51 Carnarvon CC: Not like the last time you were here.
000:55:55 Carnarvon CC: Let me know when you're going over to Prelaunch.
000:56:09 Carnarvon CC: Roger. Accelerometer bias count.
000:56:26 Scott: Okay. We have the addresses if you're ready to copy, Carnarvon.
000:56:27 Carnarvon CC: Go ahead.
000:56:32 Scott: 80, minus 0004; 81 was 00001; 82 was minus 0004.
000:56:43 Carnarvon CC: Okay. I copied all that. Have you in Prelaunch now.
000:56:50 Carnarvon CC: Okay, I have a little over a minute to LOS. I don't have anything for you, We'll stand by and let you count.
Houston Flight: Carnarvon, Flight.
Carnarvon CC: Flight, Carnarvon.
Houston Flight: I didn't get those ratings. Would you read them out to me please? They were pretty low.
Carnarvon CC: Okay. 80 -0004, 81-0001.
Houston Flight: I though that was four zeros.
Carnarvon CC: I'll check it if you want.
000:58:24 Carnarvon CC: Let me have your Core 81 again.
000:58:29 Armstrong: Roger. Core 81 was 00001.
000:58:31 Carnarvon CC: Okay. I was right. Thank you.
Carnarvon CC: Cor 81 -00001, We have - garble - 82 la 0004.
Houston Flight: Roger.
Carnarvon CC: Everything looked fine. The Agena looked good going over the hill. They are in good shape and everything is Go.
Houston Flight: Roger - Thank you Carnarvon.
Carnarvon CC: You got an extra amount of summaries also.
001:02:14 Armstrong: Ejection seat safety to [garble] - Carnarvon Go - and shoulder harness was released.
Hawaii CC: Hawaii, have the Agena T/M solid.
Houston Flight: Roger, Hawaii.
Hawaii CC: Hawaii. Is the Agena Go?
Houston Flight: Roger, Hawaii.
Houston Flight: Hawaii, Houston Flight.
Hawaii CC: Hawaii. Go ahead.
Houston Flight: Can we have a contingeiicy "A", Agena, please?
Hawaii CC: Roger. Copy contingency "A".
Houston Flight: How do things look?
Hawaii CC: Agena looks very good.
Houston Flight: Go. Ok. Does that - Hawaii, Houston Flight.
Hawaii CC: Hawaii. Go ahead.
Houston Flight: Can we have that S-band temperature, please? Hotel, 49.
Hawaii CC: Roger. HO 49 is 142 degrees.
Houston Flight: Roger.
Hawaii CC: Hawaii. This is Gemini T/M.
Houston Flight: Roger, Hawaii. Go. Hawaii, this is Flight. We would like an Agena LOS main.
Hawaii CC: Roger. Agena LOS main and be advised that Wally Schirra, Gemini 7/6, is attempting to contact Gemini 8. Over. He's inbound in an aircraft to Honolulu.
Houston Flight: Ok. How about that?
001:16:50 Schirra: Hello, Gemini VIII, Gemini 7/6. Over.
001:16:58 Hawaii CC: Gemini VIII, Hawaii CapCom.
001:17:01 Schirra: This is Gemini 7/6 enroute Honolulu. Do you read?
001:17:06 Hawaii CC: Gemini, this is Hawaii. We have a computer load for you. Are you ready? Over.
001:17:15 Armstrong: We're all set.
001:17:16 Hawaii CC: Roger. Transmitting computer load.
001:17:23 Armstrong: Roger. Got DCS, Height-Adjust.
001:17:26 Hawaii CC: Roger. And are you ready to copy the update? Over.
001:17:40 Armstrong: Stand by, Hawaii.
001:17:41 Hawaii CC: Roger.
001:17:49 Scott: We have you down there. Looks like a nice day.
001:17:52 Hawaii CC: Beautiful weather here.
001:17:55 Armstrong: Okay. Go with the update, Hawaii.
001:17:57 Hawaii CC: Roger. GET B: 1:34:37; Delta-V, 2.9; burn time, 0 plus 05; yaw 0, pitch 0; Address 25, 90029; Address 26, all zeros; Address 27, all zeros; thrusters forward; Maneuver Retrograde. Did you copy?
001:18:34 Hawaii CC: That is 26, all zeros. Roger. 27, all zeros. Thrusters forward and Maneuver's Retrograde. Did you copy?
001:18:53 Scott: Roger, Hawaii. Got it. GET B burn, 01:34:37; Delta-V, 2.9; duration, 0 plus 05; yaw 0, pitch 0; Address 25, 90029; 26 all zeros; 27 all zeros; both confirmed; thrusters forward; Maneuver's Retro.
001:19:19 Hawaii CC: That's correct. Also be advised that Wally Schirra has been trying to contact you. His call sign is Gemini 7/6. He's inbound to Honolulu.
001:19:31 Scott: Oh, very well. We're standing by.
Schirra: Hiya, Dave. How do you read?
001:19:44 Scott: Has he got HF?
001:19:50 Scott: Is he trying to contact us by UHF or HF?
001:19:52 Hawaii CC: He was on UHF. We haven't heard him for a couple of minutes.