Gemini astronauts during Presidential tour. Footage of US astronauts from the Gemini space programme waiting to greet President John F. Kennedy during his tour of NASA facilities at Merrit Island, near Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA, on 16 November 1963. The two Gemini astronauts (as seen at the start of the clip) are Gordon Cooper (1927-2004, upper frame) and Gus Grissom (1926-1967, lower frame). Cooper flew into space on two missions in 1963 and 1965. Grissom flew into space in 1961 and 1965, but died in pre-launch testing for the Apollo 1 mission. This was Kennedy's third visit to Cape Canaveral, taking place a week before his assassination. The site was renamed the Kennedy Space Center in his honour on 29 November 1963. |