Today in Space1965 Gemini V Launch

The most memorable aspect to this mission was, sadly, the mission patch - despite it was the longest flight at that time. It was the first flight to actually have a specific mission patch - noted as a missing item by the crew. All military missions always had patches. Since spacecraft naming was vetoed (had wanted to name it Lady Bird after Lady Bird Johnson), they decided to design a patch. With the pioneering nature of their flight (longest attempted), they went for a covered wagon and stuck "8 Days or Bust" on it. Which was met with great displeasure with the head of NASA and they flew with the "8 Days or Bust" covered up on the patch (they had already had hundreds made prior to the censorship). They were told once the mission succeeded, they could reveal the slogan. Despite Webb's efforts to depersonalize the space program (naming of Gus's GT-3 spacecraft as Molly Brown), the desire of the astronauts for mission identity won out... sort of, and Webb wrote a memo which established guidelines for crew insignias now called "Cooper patches."

The original NASA photo (S66-59530 actually taken in 1966) clearly shows the patch with a canvas cover on it. However, the flight patches on their suits have different lettering for their names. And postflight photos show no 8 Days or Bust. So, not sure how they could have uncovered it as stated by Cooper's ghost writer in "Leap of Faith." Photos after the flight (inspection of recovered capsule) of them in their jumpsuits show no patches either. That custom was adopted later (maybe only by the shuttle guys).

The NASA websites all use different patches/illustrations - many still show no 8 Days or Bust. Presumably because "8 Days or Bust" never really flew on their spacesuit. The original photo above of an obvious original patch with the words covered up supports this since it was taken in 1966.

I might add, there were Robbins type medallions flown and they included the words "8 Days or Bust."

Original Patch per Cooper's autograph!
Patch history and details.

Neat Project Gemini Diagrams!

Today In spaceBelka & strelka Land Safely1960

August 20, 1960 - Belka & Strelka became the first living creatures to return from an orbital flight aboard Sputnik 5! They made 17 orbits. Belka apparently was the first case of space sickness... evidenced I presume by the video cameras they had trained on the two pups.

During a summit dinner a year later Kruschev was bragging about the flight of his space dogs and told Jaqueline Kennedy of Strelka's recent litter. Jokingly, she asked if he could send her one. Imagine her surprise when a Soviet ambassador brought one to the White House two months later!

They are now stuffed and on display in the Cosmonaut Memorial Museum.

Website about Kennedy's pupnik.

Today in SpaceSvetlana Savitskayasecond woman in space

August 19, 1982 - Svetlana Savitskaya launches aboard Soyuz T-7 headed for Salyut 7. She would go back to Salyut 7 and become the first woman to do an EVA (July 24, 1984).

On the anniversary of her historic EVA, Svetlana talked about how she changed sex discrimination by flying on soyuz T-7.

Well, not exactly.... there were quite a few comments and jokes made about cleaning getting done aboard Mir when Shannon Lucid was on her way to the Russian space station. In fact, there are not even any female cosomonauts at this very moment... but soon will be?

She also uses the opportunity to take a swing at Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper who lost a tool bag on an EVA.

About the first female EVA.

Savitskaya was slated to command an all female Soyuz crew to the space station in commeration of National Women's Day - but due to lack of available Soyuz vehicles, it was cancelled.