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Flown ring-bound ‘Flight Plan Book’ carried into low Earth orbit for three days during the Gemini 9 mission, signed and flight-certified on the front cover by the mission pilot, “Flown on Gemini IX, Gene Cernan,” who accidentally wrote “Apollo” as the program before correcting to "Gemini IX." The manual features strips of Velcro affixed to the front and back covers, the former of which is marked, “Part No. CF55069, Dash -1, S/N 20, S/C 9, Book A, Remarks: Flight Plan Book,” and several of the flight plan’s pages feature felt tip notations, the majority of which are found near the back and emend times relates to revolutions 1-3. In fine condition, with expected signs of use.
Accompanied by a photo of Cernan holding the flight plan at the time of signing, and a signed and flight-certified letter of authenticity from Cernan, who writes: “This is to certify that the accompanying Flight Plan Book from the Gemini 9A flight was carried aboard the Gemini spacecraft during our 3-day mission. Gemini IX was commanded by Thomas P. Stafford, and I was his Pilot of our two-man crew. We launched on June 3, 1966, and landed on June 6, 1966.
The Flight Plan book told the crew when to perform given operations. After two scrubbed launches on May 17 and June 1, Tom and I successfully launched at 8:39 am on June 3, 1966. During the mission, we rendezvoused with the Augmented Target Docking Adaptor (ATDA), where we confirmed the shroud had not jettisoned. Tom referred to it as appearing like an angry alligator. We made two additional rendezvous with the ATDA.
Later on in the flight, I took the third spacewalk ever attempted in space, the second by an American. It was the first spacewalk where serious work was tried. The plan was for me to move to the rear of the spacecraft and don the Air Force's Astronaut Maneuvering Unit (AMU). Because the AMU produced extremely hot gasses my spacesuit was modified with ‘pants’ made of woven steel. No one had any idea how difficult it would be to work in micro-gravity, and it turned out to be the ‘spacewalk from hell’ for me. However, it was a very useful learning exercise for our future ability to do Extra Vehicular Activities.
During the Gemini Program, NASA allowed astronauts to keep disposable items, like this Flight Plan Book, from their missions as personal mementos. This Flight Plan Book has been in my personal collection for almost 50 years.”
