Gene Cernan and Tom Stafford orbited the Earth in this Gemini spacecraft from June 3 – 6, 1966. The primary mission was to rendezvous with an Agena Target Vehicle but that was called off after the Agena failed to reach orbit. Instead, an Augmented Target Docking Adapter was launched but docking was not achieved since the fairings only partially deployed and stayed attached to the Adapter. Cernan would perform a 2 hour and 7 minute spacewalk that was plagued with problems, mainly due to the novelty of spacewalking that was in its infancy at this point.

The Gemini IX-A spacecraft on display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.