Posts: 1401
From: Vancouver, WA, USA
Registered: Feb 2012

posted 04-17-2025 04:09 PM               

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I am curious about the paint schemes for the Gemini spacecraft adapter module (the equipment section and the retrograde section).

They were basically white, but photographs of the GT-4, GT-6, and GT-7 spacecraft clearly show thin black stripes on their adapter modules while that of GT-9 was stripe free. It did have what appeared to be small black circles spotted around the module. Were they related to Gene Cernan's EVA?

What was the rationale for having stripes on some, but not all? Does anyone know what were the paint schemes for the GT-3, GT-5, GT-8, GT-10, GT-11, and GT-12 adapter modules?

Posts: 1467
From: Lausanne
Registered: Apr 2012

posted 04-18-2025 04:28 AM            

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I’ll stand by for others to correct me, but I believe the following is true.

The adapter sections of the Gemini spacecraft were striped on Gemini 3 through 7, and "blotched" on 8 through 12. So far as I know the stripes were actually black tape, that was added to adjust the thermal qualities. The black patches were velcro to assist EVA astronaut mobility.

That said, I can’t find an authoritative reference.

Posts: 960
From: Danville, Ohio
Registered: Dec 2002

posted 04-18-2025 05:30 AM               

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The Gemini adapter integrated coolant tubing on the inner surface of the white adapter skin. In ground testing this was found to be more effective than desired. So a simple solution was to apply strips of .66" wide aluminum tape, painted black, on the adapter to increase the heat load from the sun.

On the later missions, which included EVA, the black stripes were replaced with rounded rectangular patches of black Velcro. This was meant to aid the EVA astronaut in moving around the adapter. The Velcro was bonded to flat plates which had been riveted to the adapter skin.

Posts: 1401
From: Vancouver, WA, USA
Registered: Feb 2012

posted 04-18-2025 11:36 AM               

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Thanks for the replies.

The thermal issue was what I recall, but I wonder why GT-3, which was a 3-orbit mission, and GT-6, which started out as a two-day mission and reduced to a one-day mission, required the stripes. Yes, GTs 8-12 did not have stripes, but GT-4 which had stripes was a 4-day mission as was GT-12, which did not have stripes. I guess the need for the circular EVA velcro patches over road thermal concerns.

Does anyone know the diameter of those circular velcro patches?

Posts: 960
From: Danville, Ohio
Registered: Dec 2002

posted 04-18-2025 03:42 PM               

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The Velcro patches were 4 by 2 inches.

These patches served the same thermal function as the stripes. They just accomplished it while also aiding mobility.

Posts: 1401
From: Vancouver, WA, USA
Registered: Feb 2012

posted 04-18-2025 07:13 PM               

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Thanks.

My bad. I thought that they were circles, but on an image of GT-9's adapter I see that they were indeed rectangular, with rounded ends.