Race to the Moon: The days of project Gemini

Shirley Griffith: Today, Harry Monroe and Tony Riggs report about America's second manned space program, Gemini. Two astronauts flew on each flight. Gemini's purpose was to bring the United States closer to its goal of landing astronauts on the moon.

 Tony Riggs: The astronauts of America's first manned program, Project Mercury, made six successful flights. They proved that people could survive the hostile environment of space.

In nineteen sixty-five America's space agency, NASA, was ready to begin its second manned program. NASA called it Gemini. The program was named for the two stars Castor and Pollux in the star group Gemini. The Gemini program would send two astronauts at a time into space.

Gemini would test the men's ability to live and...

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