Exploring the Unknown: Selected Documents in ... - The Black Vault

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First Steps into Space: Projects Mercury and Gemini
The counter argument continued with comment about the great concern for the
welfare of the astronauts and the fact that in the Gemini 3 flight we had a complete
check on all systems. We have confidence in the space craft and the astronauts have
trained for extra-vehicular activity and-, if nothing than for morale purposes, they
shouldn’t do anything less than what they can do and have been trained to do.
Extensive tests had been conducted under zero-gravity conditions in a K-135. The
astronauts practiced getting in and out of the spacecraft under zero-gravity conditions
a sufficient number of times so as to build up about an hour of experience.
Also, it was pointed out that if we don’t accomplish extra vehicular activity (EVA)
in Gemini 4 then we must do it on Gemini 5. It is a logical extension of the Gemini
program to do EVA on Gemini 4. If
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EVA is successful on GT-4, we will not do it on Gemini 5. If a deci sion were made
today not to have EVA on GT-4, then we could do it on GT-5. However, it would be
more of a compromise of the program to do EVA on GT-5 than on GT-4 because
of the many other things programmed for GT-5.
The question was raised as to what risk we would be taking on a possible short
Gemini 4 flight because of EVA and not finding out as much as we should find
out about weightlessness as a problem. Weightlessness can be a problem, even
in G-4, and we presumably will be concentrating on this problem in G-5. To this
question it was noted that Dr. Berry said that there were no reservations about
weightlessness being a problem over a 4-day period. There is no indication that
4 days of weightlessness will hurt man; therefore, this is not a great problem to
be considered in the Gemini 4 flight. However, in connection with the Gemini 5
flight of 7 days there possibly are some reservations, primarily because no one has
been in space for that period of time. Some medical experts feel that there will
be a risk, others do not. Probably a problem just as pressing as the weightlessness
problem, is the problem of confinement for 7 days or longer periods.
The question was raised again as to the element of risk to complete the 4-day
Gemini flight because of EVA. The reply was that the added risk was simply having
to depressurize the spacecraft, open the hatch, seal the hatch, and repressurize
the spacecraft. These procedures, involving various systems and sub-systems, of
course add a degree of risk because of a possible failure. But these procedures
have been done hundreds of times with no failure. Nevertheless, there is always a
risk that something will not work, but this is a small risk.
It was noted that one cannot justify EVA in Gemini 4 just because the Russians
did it, and one cannot justify EVA in Gemini 4 just because you want to get film
out of the Agena rendezvous vehicle on a later Gemini flight. In rebuttal, it was
commented that the main reason for EVA in the Gemini program is to further
develop the role of man in space. The sophistication of equipment that we put into
space is getting ahead of the sophistication of experiments we can do. Experiment
sophistication can be increased through the use of man in space, but the use of
man in space must be checked out by EVA. The determination as to whether man
in space by extra-vehicular activity can repair things, can calibrate satellites, etc.
should be looked upon as a significant step forward and not as a stunt.