Crew

Thomas Stafford
Eugene Cernan

Design

crew

Gemini 9A


The patch is in the shape of a shield, showing a Gemini spacecraft (oddly missing the retro and equipment modules) not-quite-docked to an Agena target vehicle, with a spacewalking astronaut whose umbilical traces out the number 9.

In the course of events, the originally planned Agena target was lost due to a failed launch; and the launch shroud on the replacement ATDA (augmented target docking adapter) failed to deploy properly, thwarting the docking attempt. Stafford described the sight of the ATDA with its partially opened shroud as an “angry alligator.” Cernan later observed, “What a patch that would have made!”

While the mission designation was changed to Gemini-Titan IXA to reflect this substitution and the corresponding change in mission objectives, the patch was not updated — in contrast to the revision of the Gemini 6A patch under similar circumstances.

It is worth noting that this was the first mission flown by a backup crew — the prime crew of Charles A. Bassett II and Elliot M. See having been killed in a plane crash the previous February. There is no evidence that Bassett and See had worked on a patch design.

The patch was worn on the right breast.

It is interesting to note that the next time Stafford and Cernan flew together — on Apollo 10 — the mission patch for that flight was again in the shape of a shield. In fact, the whole design of the two patches is remarkably similar.




[ge09-aw1]
NASA photo S66-28075
Artwork for the Gemini 9 patch.


[ge09-em3]
Probably the version that was flown, but with the addition of a tab carrying the crew names. It is believed that the flown patches were manufactured with this tab, but that the tab was trimmed off before being sewn onto the space suits. Thanks to Donnis Willis for this image.


[ge09-em1]
An reproduction by Randy Hunt, which adheres closely to the artwork.
102mm w × 75mm h


[ge09-em5]
Definitively the flown version, this is virtually indistinguishable from ge09-em3, aside from the trimmed-off name tab. This AP Wirephoto of of the patch on Stafford’s suit was distributed on 14 May 1966, more than two weeks prior to the flight.


[ge09-em2]
A reproduction by Randy Wagner which is very similar to the patch worn by the crew — but including the tab with the crew names. The artwork within the shield portion is a bit smaller.
106mm w × 84mm h


[ge09-em4]
The 2010 replica by AB Emblem. Since their goal was to recreate the flown version, this patch omits the tab with the crew names.
104mm w × 73mm h

NASA photo S69-30252, taken around the time of Apollo 10, shows Tom Stafford wearing a Gemini 9 patch with the tab containing the crew names. NASA photo 72-H-1503, taken around the time of Apollo 17, shows Gene Cernan wearing a Gemini 9 patch with the crew names — but without the tab. So take your pick: the astronauts wore all three versions at one time or another.