The Gemini Program Quiz | Specialized History

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Who was the pilot on the first manned Gemini Mission, commanded by Gus Grissom?

Answer: John Young

John Young, the first of the second group of astronauts to fly in space, later went on to fly five more times, including Apollo 16, in which he walked on the moon. He also commanded the first Space Shuttle mission.

2. What was the name given to Gus Grissom's Gemini 3 spacecraft?

Answer: Molly Brown

After his Liberty 7 capsule sank in the ocean following his Mercury flight, Gus Grissom nicknamed his Gemini 3 spacecraft "Molly Brown" after the title character of a popular Broadway musical of that time, about a character on the Titanic (later played by Kathy Bates in the movie).

3. What was the only Gemini mission in which the back-up crew flew?

Answer: Gemini 9

Tom Stafford and Gene Cernan ended up flying Gemini 9 after the prime crew of Elliot See and Charles Bassett were killed in a plane crash. Ironically, their plane crashed into the building where their Gemini spacecraft was being constructed.

4. Which two Gemini missions were flown out of (numerical) order?

Answer: Gemini 6 and 7

Gemini 6, flown by Wally Schirra and Tom Stafford, was supposed to perform the first rendezvous and docking in space, with an Agena target vehicle. However, the Agena blew up shortly after take-off. It was decided that Gemini 7, with Frank Borman and Jim Lovell, slated to last 14 days, would precede Gemini 6 into orbit and be used as the rendezvous target for Gemini 6.

The two spacecraft successfully completed the first space rendezvous.

5. Who was the first American to walk in space?

Answer: Ed White

Ed White later tragically died in the Apollo 1 fire.

6. Who was the first one of the third group of astronauts to fly in space?

Answer: Dave Scott

Dave Scott flew on Gemini 8, commanded by Neil Armstrong. Their flight had to be cut short on the first day after a stuck thruster caused them to spin uncontrollably, but not before they achieved the first successful docking in space with an Agena. Dave Scott later went on to fly as the Command Module pilot on Apollo 9 and as commander of Apollo 15, the first mission to use the Lunar Rover on the moon. Jim McDivitt was in the second group of astronauts and commanded Gemini 4. Gene Cernan, from the third group, flew on Gemini 9. Roger Chaffee, also of the third group, did not fly in the Gemini Program and died during the Apollo 1 fire.

7. Who was the director of the Manned Space Center during the Gemini program?

Answer: Robert Gilruth

8. What was the name of the rocket which propelled Gemini into space?

Answer: Titan II

Atlas was used on the Mercury orbital missions. The Saturn rockets were used on the Apollo program.

9. How many astronauts flew twice in the Gemini program?

Answer: 4

John Young - Gemini 3 and 10 Pete Conrad - Gemini 5 and 11 Tom Stafford - Gemini 6 and 9 Jim Lovell - Gemini 7 and 12.

10. In his autobiography, Leap of Faith, Gordon Cooper claimed his Gemini 5 flight was notable for this 'space first'?

Answer: First defecation in space

Cooper, along with Pete Conrad, flew the longest mission to that point at 8 days. The longest flight previously was 3 days, on Gemini 4 (which is when the first spacewalk occurred, but not apparently the first defecation). Cooper would not say whether it was he or Pete Conrad who achieved this dubious distinction.

Source: Author BTangredi

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The Gemini Program Trivia Quiz

This quiz contains questions about NASA's Gemini program, which preceded the Apollo program.

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