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Lot #6268
Dave Scott's Gemini 8 Flown Fliteline Medallion

"First to dock in space"—flown medallion from Gemini 8

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Estimate: $3000+
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Description

"First to dock in space"—flown medallion from Gemini 8

Dave Scott's gold-plated Fliteline medallion flown aboard the Gemini 8 mission, approximately 1″ in diameter, with a raised insignia of the mission on the front, and the reverse engraved, "First to dock in space. 16, March, 1966." Includes the original plastic case (with disintegrated foam liner). Exhibits heavy tarnishing to the reverse. From the personal collection of Dave Scott and accompanied by a signed letter of provenance, in part: "I hereby certify that the gold-finish Gemini VIII medallion included with this letter was flown aboard the Gemini VIII mission on March 16, 1966...I was Pilot on Gemini VIII, with Neil Armstrong as Commander, the first docking in space and the second rendezvous in space." After completing the world's first orbital docking, the Gemini VIII capsule, still docked to the Agena, began to roll. The crew undocked from the Agena and determined the problem to be a stuck thruster on the spacecraft, which now tumbled at the dizzying rate of one revolution per second. Armstrong and Scott used the capsule's reentry control thrusters to stop the motion, an emergency decision that forced them to end their mission just ten hours after launch.

Auction Info

  • Auction Title: Science and Technology
  • Dates: #554 - Ended December 13, 2018