John Young
Michael Collins
Barbara Young
“On Gemini 10, which in my view has the best-looking insignia of the Gemini series, artistic Barbara Young had developed one of John’s ideas and come up with a graceful design, an aerodynamic X devoid of names and machines.”
—Michael Collins, Carrying the Fire
The trajectory orbiting the “X” shows Gemini rendezvousing with the Agena target vehicle. The stars Castor and Pollux of the constellation Gemini could represent the two crewmembers, the Gemini and Agena spacecraft, the two Agena vehicles Gemini X was to dock with, and the Gemini program itself. A patch of simplicity and subtlety, but rich with symbolism. It was worn on the right shoulder.
The correct orientation is ambiguous, due to the symmetry and lack of lettering, but photographs of the crew wearing the patch show the spacecraft on the right side. Souvenir versions of this patch include the astronauts names at the top and bottom, and expand the circle to encompass the “X.”
[ge10-em1]
NASA photo S66-41532
No artwork has surfaced for the Gemini 10 patch, so this NASA photo represents
the definitive version. Manufactured by Texas Art Embroidery.
[ge10-em3]
The 2010 replica by AB Emblem. Like the Randy Wagner replica (ge10-em2), the stars
are too big. Otherwise, this is pretty faithful to the original, including the
overall size.
circular part 79mm dia,
103mm maximum diagonal span
[ge10-em2]
A fairly bad replica by Randy Wagner. The stars are far too large, the
curves of the “X” have been straightened, and the size is much
too big.
circular part 101mm dia,
137mm maximum diagonal span
NASA photo S66-42424
The Gemini 10 crew prior to flight.
