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Carried on board the Gemini 12 mission for 59 orbits of Earth with Buzz Aldrin and James Lovell in 1966.

Black anodized, machined aluminum dial measures 2″ in diameter and is mounted to a 3 x 2 base, which is labeled “CF55075-1, Ser. No. 5.”

This dial was used by the crew to determine proper camera settings. Accompanied by an MSC Spacecraft parts Tag, with the flight duration of the dial written in a technician’s hand on the reverse and indicating the part then went to bonded storage on 11/21/66, six days after splashdown. Tag photos below.

The scientific experiments of Gemini 12 were rich in photography, including: synoptic terrain photography, synoptic weather photography, airglow horizon photography, UV astronomical photography, and dim sky photography. They also photographed the solar eclipse of Nov 12, 1966.

An artifact in the Future Ventures’ 🚀 Space Collection.

2 responses to “Flown Gemini XII Photographic Exposure Dial”

  1. Enabling photos like this one of Florida, Bahamas, and Cuba from Gemini 12, 15th orbit December 1966and the Agena target docking vehicle: Aldrin and Lovell posting with their cameras for GT-12, a sign of their importance:Parts removal tag:And I just noticed an interesting detail… the flight duration is 18 seconds longer than the official record today. Given what they measured at the time, I find it interesting that they recorded flight duration to the second. And something updated the official number later. Anyone have insight on this process?

  2. Aldrin’s two-hour, 20-minute tethered space-walk, during which he photographed star fields, retrieved a micrometeorite collector and did other chores, at last demonstrated the feasibility of extravehicular activity. I also have Buzz’s flashlight used on the EVA Buzz Aldrin's EVA flashlight used on his first space walk, back in the heavy-velcro era

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