This is the capsule from the Gemini 8 mission, which was commanded by Neil Armstrong.
The mission was a near disaster. The capsule and the target vehicle to which it was docked started tumbling at a high rate (up to 1 revolution poer second) when a thruster started firing continually. They managed to get the capsule under control, but they used up 75% of their fuel and had to abort.
It was a "successful failure" in NASA parlance.
nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftDisplay.do?id=1966-020A
If you go to the museum, you can touch a portion of the capsule. This was told to me by one of the docents, but I did not do so. I did not want to contribute to its corrosion.
Tags: Gemini 8 Gemini spacecraft Gemini capsule Neil Armstrong museum
Theater Entrance
Armstrong Air and Space Museum
The center of the building contains a theater/planetarium with a regular show on Neil Armstrong. To get to the theater, you have to walk through this hallway filled with mirrors and lights representing stars in the night sky.
Tags: Neil Armstrong Armstrong Air and Space Museum stars lights mirrors museum
Apo;;o 11 Spacesuit
Armstrong Air and Space Museum
You leave the first half of the museum and walk down a long, totally black hallway. At the end is an Apollo spacesuit bathed in bright light to guide you.
It is a very dramatic little touch to the Moon landing gallery
Tags: Apollo 11 Apollo Neil Armstrong spacesuit Armstrong Air and Space Museum
F5D Skylander
Armstrong Air and Space Museum
This is the last F5D Skylander in existence, and was piloted by Neil Armstrong as part of the Dyna-Soar program from 1960-1962.
Unfortunately, the Ohio winters have not been kind to the plane, but I hope that they can restore the exterior, even if it is just a good paint job.
Tags: Skylander NASA Neil Armstrong F5D Dyna-Soar plane aircraft Project Dyna-Soar
Aerojet LR87-7
Titan-Gemini First Stage Rocket Engine
Armstrong Air and Space Museum
This is the engine that powered the first stage of the Titan rocket that took the Gemini astronauts into orbit.
www.astronautix.com/l/lr87-7.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LR-87
Tags: LR87 LR87-7 Gemini Titan rocket engine