On The Shoulders of Titans: A History of Project Gemini

by Barton C. Hacker, James M. Grimwood, John A. Greene (Introduction)

GEMINI was the intermediate manned space flight program between America's first steps into space with Mercury and the amazing and unprecedented accomplishments achieved during the manned lunar expeditions of Apollo. Because of its position between these two other efforts, Gemini is probably less remembered. Still, it more than had its place in man's progress into this new frontier.
Gemini accomplishments were manyfold. They included many firsts: first astronaut-controlled maneuvering in space; first rendezvous in space of one spacecraft with another; first docking of one spacecraft with a propulsive stage and use of that stage to transfer man to high altitude; first traverse of man into the Earth's radiation belts; first extended manned flights of a week or more in duration; first extended stays of man outside his spacecraft; first controlled reentry and precision landing; and many more.
These achievements were significant in ways one cannot truly evaluate even today, but two things stand out: (1) it was the time when America caught up and surpassed the Soviet Union in manned space flight, and (2) these demonstrations of capability were an absolute prerequisite to the phenomenal Apollo accomplishments then yet to come.
PROJECT Gemini is now little remembered, having vanished into that special limbo reserved for the successful intermediate steps in a fast-moving technological advance. Conceived and approved in 1961, the second major project in the American manned space flight program carried men into orbit in 1965 and 1966. Gemini thus kept Americans in space between the path-breaking but limited Earth-orbital missions of Project Mercury and the far more ambitious Project Apollo, which climaxed in 1969 when two men first set foot on the Moon. This book is a detailed history of the failures and victories of the Gemini program. This version of the book includes an overview of Project Gemini and a number of photos from NASA’s project files. 596 pages, color illustrations and photos.

Genres: Space, History, Nonfiction, Science, American History

944 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 31, 2002

Reviews

[Jeff Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading "The Right Stuff" I realized I knew very little history of the following Gemini program. This book here is a history commissioned by NASA and available on there site as a PDF.

A straight forward history involving the details of the program. The people involved, engineering tasks, budget problems, bureaucracy, etc.

So there are the uninteresting details, but also plenty of details regarding engineering tasks to overcome along with failed approaches. Since this was the middle program between Mercury and Apollo the historical interest has not been much. Still reading this is is amazing how much they did accomplish and how important the program was to what was needed to learn for the Apollo program. Especially amazing was the first space rendezvous between two Gemini capsules. I had no idea we ever had two launches so close together. So glad I read this.

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent resource on a “forgotten” program

Gemini proved most of the techniques needed for Apollo, yet it got lost in Apollo’s shadow.

“On The Shoulders of Titans” is the best book ever written about Gemini, and should be in the library of anyone interested in the full story of America’s space program.

[Lawrence F Kruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but too much like a research report rather than entering. Discovered the many issues with Gemini that I was not aware had happened. I was very disappointed that all of the photographs that were mentioned in the book did not appear in an appendix.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the nerdiest of space nerds out there, all the details.

[jean hummel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Experiment coordinator

Following Mercury, I joined the Cape team as the in-flight experiments integrator. Dealing with the"Halls of Ivy" guys wasn't always easy. Tougher still was the Dod! This book tells it right. A good read,thank you Messrs Hacker and Grimwood. Gene Hummel

[David Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great detailed insight into the US Gemini space program.