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Author
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Topic: Gemini missions numeral designations
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gleopold
Member Posts: 31
From: Reston, VA, USA
Registered: Jun 2010
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posted 04-10-2013 08:31 AM
   
From a recent article by Ben Evans: Gemini IV — the first mission to adopt a Roman-numeral form of designation — would include Jim McDivitt and Ed White for a seven-day test. In other words, the first flight was designated Gemini 3, then Gemini IV, V, VI and so on.Does anyone know if this in correct? |
Headshot
Member Posts: 891
From: Vancouver, WA, USA
Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 04-10-2013 08:55 AM
I do not believe so. NASA was uncharacteristically inconsistent with flight designations during the Gemini Program.There does not seem to be any rhyme or reason to the designations used during the program. I have contemporary NASA documents that reference Gemini III, Gemini 8, etc. Even some documents for the same mission varied. A Fact Sheet from the MSC in Texas references Gemini VIII while a booklet from KSC in Florida discusses Gemini 8. Even the mission patches designed by the crews are a mix. Gemini 6 used an Arabic "6" while Gemini 7 used a Roman Numeral "VII." For my sanity I always use Roman Numerals for Gemini and Apollo missions and Arabic numbering for Mercury, Skylab, and Shuttle missions. There are many, however, who do not know how to read them. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 43576
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 04-10-2013 09:07 AM
From NASA SP-4203, "On the Shoulders of Titans": Officially the flight of Gemini 3, unofficially it was the voyage of "Molly Brown." ...Later spacecraft were officially referred to by a Roman numeral, although a few had nicknames as well. From NASA SP-4402, "Origins of NASA Names": Until 1969, NASA chose roman numerals to designate successful flight missions, although there were notable exceptions. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3324
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 06-16-2019 10:49 AM
There is this NASA News Release dated May 1, 1969: NASA is frequently asked for its style rules in designating launch vehicles and spacecraft. As briefly as we can state them, here they are:LAUNCH VEHICLES OR ROCKETS — Designated by name and Roman numeral, including stages of multi-component vehicles: Saturn V, SIVB stage, Saturn IB, Titan III. MANNED AND UNMANNED SPACECRAFT — Manned craft are always designated with Arabic numerals, before and after launch: Gemini 8, Apollo 10. Unmanned craft — Before launch are designated with capital letters: Mariner F, Solar Explorer-B. After launch, unmanned craft also carry an Arabic numeral: Mariner 6, Explorer 37. The after-launch designation of unmanned craft formerly was Roman--Mariner VII, Explorer XXXVIII. |
Jim Behling
Member Posts: 1488
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 06-16-2019 02:21 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Headshot:
For my sanity I always use Roman Numerals for Gemini and Apollo missions and Arabic numbering for Mercury, Skylab, and Shuttle missions.
Apollo 10 was the only one to use a Roman numeral in its patch, but all other documentation, the Apollo mission used Arabic. Never saw Apollo missions documented as I, IV, V, IV, VII, VIII, IX, XI, XII, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, XVII anywhere.Show me a document with such designations. |
David C
Member Posts: 1039
From: Lausanne
Registered: Apr 2012
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posted 06-16-2019 03:41 PM
There's this comment attributed to McDivitt in Novaspace's report on his 2006 signing with them: "Gemini used Roman numerals and Apollo used Arabic."Of course there's the obvious Apollo 10 patch which has already been mentioned, and the sneaky Apollo 15 patch. |
Ben
Member Posts: 1896
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: May 2000
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posted 06-16-2019 04:18 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Jim Behling:
Apollo 10 was the only one to use a Roman numeral in its patch
What? Apollos 7, 9, 10, 12, 13 and 17 all used roman numerals on the patch. |
Philip
Member Posts: 6002
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 06-17-2019 06:21 AM
Even Apollo 15... XV hidden in the Moon craters on the right side of the patch. |
Jim Behling
Member Posts: 1488
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 06-17-2019 08:00 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Ben:
Apollos 7, 9, 10, 12, 13 and 17 all used roman numerals on the patch.
I was going from memory and X is very prominent part of the patch, just like the 8. I knew 11 specifically avoided roman. I should have looked at all of them before posting.But patches are not official designations. They are emblems. I said show me a document. |
NavyPilot
Member Posts: 36
From:
Registered: Nov 2015
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posted 06-17-2019 05:31 PM
There may well be a bias at work for Apollo 10, just as with Gemini 10.Of course, X represents the unknown of the equation and was adopted for that reason to describe projects and vehicles that only have just come into existence. Climbing up Wolfe's ziggurat demanded X missions. Thus, X is heralded inside the flight test world as the paragon of what the mission is all about -- find the data that does not exist. As test pilots on any mission numbered 10, it would have been virtually impossible to talk any of them out of using the revered X. Young's patch was almost nothing except the red X, and I reckon he liked that. | |
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