The Explorers' Club, № MCXLVII

The Space Race: The 60th Anniversaries of Project Gemini
The Agena Target Vehicle (A.T.V.)—A rocket, a modification of the RM-81 Agena-D upper stage fitted with a docking adaptor, the Agena Target Vehicle was used to develop & practice orbital rendezvous & docking maneuvers; Gemini VIII, Gemini X, Gemini XI, & Gemini XII rendezvoused & docked with A.T.V.; Gemini X & Gemini XI were boosted by their respective Agenas to successive altitude records.

Commentary: The A.T.V. for Gemini VI exploded during ascent not long after separating from its Atlas booster, prompting the revision of Gemini VI as Gemini VI-A, which rendezvoused, but obviously could not dock, with Gemini VII. The A.T.V. for Gemini IX was destroyed when its Atlas booster failed during ascent, prompting the revision of Gemini IX as Gemini IX-A, which rendezvoused with the Augmented Target Docking Adapter (a device devised for precisely this contingency), but was unable to dock due to a comedy of errors by the ground crews prior to launch.

Tom Stafford flew on both Gemini VI-A (Pilot) & Gemini IX-A (Command Pilot). Due to the above described Altas-Agena failures & a pair of scrubs caused by the primary Titan II Gemini Launch Vehicle, Stafford was strapped into his Gemini capsules six times for only two launches, earning him the nickname, the "Mayor of Pad 19."

Semper exploro.