NASA GEMINI IV mission The equipment used by... Lot 21

NASA GEMINI IV mission The equipment used by astronaut Ed White for the first American spacewalk. Vintage prints, NASA numbering in black in upper margin. Typed NASA-MSC legend on back: - S-65-27330: Hand-Held Self-Maneuveuring Unit (2 June 65) - S-65-27386: Ventilation Control Module (May 65) - S-35-57040: Adapter equipment (October 65) Ed White gave the following description of the equipment used on his historic spacewalk ("Exploring space with a camera" , Edgar M. Cortright, 1968, p 151): "I had a specially designed spacesuit which had 21 layers of thermal and micrometeoroid protection. My face was protected by a double gold-plated visor which provided protection from the unfiltered rays of the Sun. In my hand I held a small self-maneuvering unit which gave me control of my movements in space. On my chest was an oxygen chestpack that regulated the flow of oxygen to my suit and provided an 8-minute supply of emergency oxygen. I was secured to the spacecraft by a 25-foot umbilical line and a 23-foot tether line, which were secured together and wrapped with a golden tape for thermal insulation. On the top of the Hand-held Self-Maneuvering Unit was mounted a 35mm camera to record the event from outside the spacecraft". Enclosed: Four photographs relating to the development of the Apollo program - 64-20810: Model of a command mode simulator - 65-42581: Test of command module 009 - 65-52873: Mounting an Apollo module to the launch rocket - 65-52874: Mounting an Apollo module to the launch rocket - 65- 45797: Rendezvous Evaluation Pop in space - 65-45990: Charles Conrad and Gordon Cooper (accidents, tears) Dated between April 16, 1964 and September 3, 1965. 25.5 x 20.5 cm with margins. Marginal handling marks. Extracts from transcriptions of radio exchanges relating to Ed White's use of the Hand-Held Self Maneuveuring Unit - nicknamed the "zip gun": 04:35:10 White: Capcom, it's very easy to maneuver with the gun. The only problem I have is that I haven't got enough fuel. I've exhausted the fuel now and I was able to maneuver myself around the front of the spacecraft, back, and maneuver right up to the top of the adapter. Just about ..... came back into Jim's view. The only thing I wish is that I had more. 04:36:22 McDivitt: Where are you? 04:36:24 White: Right out in front now. I don't have the control I had any more without that gun. 04:36:28 McDivitt: Yes, I noticed that. [...] GT-4 was the first controlled flight from the Manned Spacecarft Center (MSC), newly installed in Houston.