Gemini IV

On June 3, 1965, a Titan II rocket launched this spacecraft, Gemini IV, carrying astronauts James McDivitt and Edward White into orbit. The flight lasted four days and included a historic space walk by White, the first by an American, early in the mission. This module is the only part of Gemini that returned to Earth.

Spacecraft location in the Museum

  • The Gemini IV capsule is in the Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall at the National Mall Building in Washington, DC. More details about the capsule are located on its label.

  • Take the tour and find it for yourself in our Google Street View!

Additional information

In 1965, one of two astronauts aboard Gemini IV was the first American to “walk in space”. What was the name of the astronaut to do the first US spacewalk?

Edward White was the first American to “walk in space”. His walk lasted 22 minutes. Ten weeks earlier, Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov had become the first human to "walk in space."

What was the primary mission of Gemini IV and was this mission successful?

YES! Astronaut Edward White was the first United States Astronaut to successfully exit the capsule and "walk" in space.

This module is the only part of Gemini that returned to earth. What happened to Gemini’s heat shield and nose section?

The heat shield was jettisoned before reentry, to use the maneuvering thrusters and retrorockets. The nose section was discarded during parachute deployment

Although this video has no sound, it shows Astronaut Edward White in the United State's very first space walk. He was able to do this journey outside the Gemini IV spacecraft.