1965 NBC NEWS Space Center behind-the-scenes Gemini coverage Huntley Brinkley NASA RCA cameras TK-40

NASA, NBC, Gemini 1965. In this very short partially restored NBC NEWS promo, you will see behind the scenes of NBC’s “Space Center” reporting preparation for the upcoming NASA Gemini space missions, Gemini 5, 6 and 7. Many early TV camera models are seen, including the RCA model TK-41 which weighed 300 pounds, hand-held TV cams and many more. (RCA owned NBC at that time.) NBC aired the FIRST regularly scheduled news program in U.S. TV on history on February 21, 1940. By October 1966, ALL of NBC News was broadcast in color. NBC’s “Huntley-Brinkley Report” ran for 14 years and was usually more widely watched than its competitor “CBS News?” (Anchored by Douglas Edwards, and later Walter Cronkite). This NBC Promo has some high definition footage of the NBC team Chet Huntley and David Brinkley, as well as Frank Mcgee. We felt this clip was historically valuable enough to restore and share, and hope you find it an interesting look back at 1965. Many thanks to Speakeasy Archives for the digital transfer from the 1965 master film. http://www.speakeasyarchives.com About GEMINI MISSIONS 5, 6 AND 7. The Gemini program was started by NASA to learn about how to navigate spacecraft and how to train and prepare astronauts to survive for days in space, in preparation for the eventual Apollo Moon Project to come later. Gemini 5 launched August 21, 1965, carrying astronauts Gordon Cooper and Charles "Pete" Conrad. It was the third manned spacecraft in the Gemini series. The nearly 8 day flight tested rendezvous procedures in space. The launch vehicle was the Titan II rocket, which had 430,000 pounds of thrust. Gemini 7, launched December 4, 1965, with astronauts Frank Borman and Jim Lovell. Gemini spent nearly 14 days in space and was the target spacecraft for rendezvous performed by the crew of Gemini 6A. Gemini 6A, launched on December 15, 1965, was flown by Wally Schirra and Thomas P. Stafford, achieved the first crewed rendezvous with another spacecraft, its sister the Gemini 7 spacecraft. Gemini 6A’s mission lasted just over 1 day. (Prior to Gemini 6A, the original Gemini 6 mission was aborted, when its planned rendezvous vehicle, the unmanned Agena, exploded shortly after takeoff. NASA reworked the overall mission plan and launched Gemini 6A and completed the rendezvous with Gemini 7, but did not dock.) Gemini 8, launched March 16, 1966, with astronauts Neil A. Armstrong and David R. Scott. Gemini 8 marked the first successful dual launch and docking with the Gemini Agena Target Vehicle (GATV), completing the world's first on-orbit docking of two spacecraft. About the Newscasters: Chet Huntley (1911-1974) was an American television newscaster, best known for co-anchoring NBC's evening news program, The Huntley–Brinkley Report, for 14 years beginning in 1956. David Brinkley (1920–2003) was an American newscaster for NBC and ABC in a career lasting from 1943 to 1997. Best known for co-anchoring NBC's evening news program, The Huntley–Brinkley Report, with Chet Huntley for 14 years beginning in 1956 and his continued news reporting for many years afterwards. Frank McGee (1921–1974) was an American television journalist, best known for his work with NBC from the late 1950s into the early 1970s.