Gemini Agena Target Vehicle

The Gemini Agena Target Vehicle was an uncrewed orbital spacecraft used to develop rendezvous, docking, and joint spacecraft maneuvering for NASA's Gemini program. Its forward docking cone accepted the Gemini capsule's nose, while its restartable propulsion could move the docked pair into a different orbit. Guidance, telemetry, tracking, command equipment, and acquisition lights supported approaches and operations. Agena targets enabled the first orbital docking on Gemini 8, powered maneuvers on Gemini 10 and 11, and further docking and EVA work on Gemini 12.