SPACECRAFT DESCENDS ON PARACHUTE; SPLASH DOWN; ASTRONAUTS INTO HELICOPTER AND ON BOARD CARRIER GUAM (S.O.F.).



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"... WE HAD A VERY GOOD FLIGHT. WE'LL BE BACK AGAIN..." "THE WHOLE WORLD LOOKED PRETTY GOOD FROM THERE. IT REALLY LOOKS GREAT...."




Initials RGH/V-SATELLITE RECORDING/RM/K



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Background: AMERICA'S GEMINI 11 ASTRONAUTS CHARLES CONRAD AND RICHARD GORDON TODAY (THURSDAY) SPLASHED DOWN TO A PINPOINT LANDING IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN WITHIN SIGHT OF THEIR RECOVERY SHIP. THEIR TROUBLE-FREE FLIGHT OF THREE DAYS ADVANCED THE UNITED STATES PROGRAMME TO PUT A MAN ON THE MOON BE SEVERAL IMPORTANT STEPS.

GEMINI 11 HIT THE WATER ONLY ABOUT ONE AND A HALF MILES (ABOUT 2.5 KMS) OF THE BOW OF THE RECOVERY CARRIER GUAM AFTER A PRECISE LANDING 700 MILES (1320 KMS) OUT FROM THE UNITED STATES COAST, CONTROLLED ALL THE WAY BY ITS ON-BOARD COMPUTER.

CONRAD AND GORDON, BEARDED AND GRIMY AFTER 71 HOURS AND 15 MINUTES IN SPACE, QUICKLY CLIMBED OUT OF THEIR SPACECRAFT, INTO A RUBBER DINGHY AND IN MINUTES WERE TAKEN BY HELICOPTER TO THE CARRIER.

IN THE FLIGHT THEY USED TWO NEW METHODS OF RENDEZVOUS IN ORBIT, SOARED 850 MILES (1,360 KMS) OR NEARLY TWICE AS DEEP AS MAN HAS PENETRATED INTO SPACE BEFORE, SET A RECORD FOR DIRECT EXPOSURE TO SPACE AND PROVED A NEW METHOD OF FLYING IN FORMATION TETHERED TO ANOTHER SPACECRAFT.

THE JUBILANT ASTRONAUTS TOLD WELCOMING OFFICIALS ABOARD THE CARRIER GUAM THEY WOULD BE READY TO GO AGAIN AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS REST.

THE ONLY FLAW IN THEIR MISSION WAS ON TUESDAY WHEN SUDDEN EXHAUSTION AND BLINDING PERSPIRATION FORCED GORDON BACK INTO THE TINY CABIN AFTER ONLY 15 MINUTES OF A SPACEWALK SCHEDULED FOR 115 MINUTES.

ON BOARD THE CARRIER, THE TWO MEN HAD THIS TO SAY:
BOTH ASTRONAUTS UNDERWENT EXTENSIVE MEDICAL TESTS ON THE GUAM AND LATER WILL FACE QUESTIONING FROM SPACE OFFICIALS AT CAPE KENNEDY.