composition, and other characteristics compared with later developments. Nonetheless, work on the construction and use of the docking device for the Gemini-Agena project played a large role in the creation of a foundation for the design of docking equipment in the USA. The active docking assembly is installed on the unmanned Agena rocket stage (Figure 1.15), which caused mass and configuration limitations to be placed on the Gemini. As a result the control of the mechanisms of the active docking assembly from the craft were made more difficult. In the central part of the active docking assembly was a truncated receiving cone. During docking the forward part of the Gemini entered the receiving cone, which was installed on a system of shock absorbers. To equalize roll the spacecraft was equipped with guiding rods in the tapering section of the receiving cone. Equalization occurred during the entry into the cone during dynamic interaction of the spacecraft, up to the linkage. The mutual position of the spacecraft, the configuration of the docking device, and the position of the windows provided good conditions to observe and aim, and even allowed observation of the guide rods. Figure 1.15. Docking of the Gemini with the Agena rocket stage, a. end of approach; b. rigid union; 1. receiving cone; 2. equalizing rod; 3. socket latch; 4. latch. The main docking device (Figure 1.16) is a moving cone installed on seven spring-hydraulic shock absorbers. The shock absorbers are arranged in three groups so that the cone may move in all six degrees of freedom; thus, it absorbs
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