Chris Calle (American, B. 1961) "First Space Rendezvous" Signed lower right. Original Mixed Media/Pencil painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover of the Mongolia 25th Anniversary of the Moon Landing stamps issued July 20, 1994. Piloted by Walter Schirra and Thomas P. Stafford, the Gemini 6 mission was intended to be the first-ever flight to make an actual rendezvous in space. The mission plan called for an Atlas-Agena rocket launched 101 minutes before Gemini 6 to act as a rendezvous target. On October 25, 1965, the two rockets, the Titan II carrying Gemini 6 and the Atlas bearing the Agena, were counted down simultaneously. The countdown went smoothly and the Atlas lifted off without a hitch. However, Mission Control soon lost contact with the Agena. NASA officials hoped that the Agena had simply suffered a transmitter failure. If that was the case, the Australian tracking station would pick it up via radar. But the message from Australia read "no joy, no joy" meaning nothing had been sighted. It was apparent the spacecraft's engine had failed and the small target vehicle had broken up. With nothing to rendezvous with, Gemini 6 was left sitting on the launch pad, its flight postponed indefinitely. Approximately five weeks later, however, Gemini 7 was launched and NASA decided that it would make the perfect rendezvous target for Gemini 6. Schirra and Stafford blasted off aboard Gemini 6 on the morning of December 15, and within seven hours were within 20 feet of Gemini 7. Photographs later revealed that the two spacecraft had come as close as two or three feet. The rendezvous was an amazing success. Image Size: 7 x 6 in. Overall Size: 11.5 x 9.25 in. Unframed. (B14870)