NEW YORK (AP) — Sixty years after Neil Armstrong narrowly survived an emergency orbiting Earth aboard Gemini 8, never-before-seen photos of his heroic return have been donated to an Ohio museum named in his honor.
Quick thinking saved Armstrong and fellow astronaut David Scott after they splashed down near Okinawa, Japan, ending their mission prematurely.
Previously unseen photos from Army veteran and professional photographer Ron McQueeney, who escorted Armstrong and Scott, show new angles of the pair.
Because the splashdown was unplanned, there were few media personnel on site, although NASA and military photographers were present. People like McQueeny, who were unexpectedly called in to help with recovery operations, played a key role in capturing the aftermath.
“Sometimes, an incredible event can actually be documented in some of the most mundane ways,” said Dante Centori, executive director of the Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta, Armstrong’s western Ohio hometown.
The photos, donated by McQueeney’s widow, show Armstrong and Scott on the deck of a U.S. Navy ship waving to service members on land. One shows the Gemini 8 capsule being lifted into the air for transportation.
One of the goals of the mission is to complete the first docking in space. Minutes after completing this maneuver, both spacecraft began to roll out of control. The astronauts separated from the other spacecraft, but the spin got worse.
In a calculated decision, Armstrong deployed the spacecraft’s thrusters to stop the rotation. In doing so, he consumed some of the vital fuel he needed to get home. For safety reasons, they had to end the mission early.
About 10 hours after launch on March 16, 1966, the two splashed down. They were picked up by a rescue ship and taken to Naha Air Base in Japan.
Centori said one of the most striking elements in the photo was the smile on the astronaut’s face, which he believed showed their professionalism and ability to remain relaxed even after a life-threatening mission.
Science historian Robert Poole said the smiles suggested something else.
“What struck me most was that they were just happy to be alive,” said Poole of the University of Lancashire.
Poole said Armstrong’s ability to remain calm in a crisis was key to his selection as Apollo 11 commander.
More than half a century has passed since the last Apollo mission, and NASA is preparing to return to the moon in April with Artemis astronauts orbiting the moon.
Past missions are a reminder of the effort and preparation it takes to go into space and adapt when plans change.
“To often see people launching into space might suggest it’s easy, but it’s actually very difficult. And it requires a lot of resources and attention,” said Emily Margolis, director of the National Air and Space Museum.
The new images will help the Armstrong Museum fill gaps in telling the mission’s story to visitors. The Gemini 8 capsule is on display at the museum.
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