Parachute, Drogue, Gemini VI-A

This drogue parachute slowed down the Gemini VI-A spacecraft before the main parachute landed it in the ocean. Walter M. "Wally" Schirra commanded the mission and Thomas P. "Tom" Stafford was the pilot. Gemini VI was originally scheduled to rendezvous and dock with an Agena target vehicle in October 1965, but after that vehicle was destroyed during launch, the mission was renumbered VI-A and changed to a rendezvous with Gemini VII. Gemini VI-A was launched on December 15, 1965, eleven days after Gemini VII, which acted as the rendezvous target. Three orbits after its launch, Gemini VI-A approached to within 6 inches of Gemini VII, the first rendezvous in space history. The Gemini VI-A flight lasted 26 hours and 16 orbits.

This parachute was recovered after splashdown of the spacecraft in the ocean. The NASA Manned Spacecraft Center transferred it to the Smithsonian in 1970.