Patch, Mission, Gemini 6

This is a commercial copy of the Gemini 6 mission patch. Gemini 6, launched on December 15, 1965, was the fifth human flight in America's second human spaceflight program. Although the early Gemini missions were numbered with Arabic numerals, later flights used Roman numerals. In fact, Gemini VII marked the switch.

Walter Schirra, Jr. and Thomas Stafford were the astronauts for Gemini 6. Because the rendezvous vehicle (an Atlas-Agena target) malfunctioned, the mission was rescheduled, renamed Gemini 6A, and launched after Gemini VII. A new mission patch was never issued, however. Gemini 6A achieved the first ever rendevous with another spacecraft, Gemini VII, which had astronauts Frank Borman and James Lovell, Jr. onboard. For nearly five hours the two spacecraft flew around each other, coming within less than .4 meters of each other but never touching.

This replica was made for commercial sale. Mance Clayton donated it to the National Collection in 1982.