Astronauts Thomas P. Stafford (left), and Walter M. Schirra Jr., pose for the camera during suiting up exercises on Oct. 22, 1965. Stafford was selected among the second group of astronauts in September 1962 by NASA to participate in Projects Gemini and Apollo. In December 1965, he piloted Gemini VI, which made the first rendezvous in space with Gemini VII, and helped develop techniques to prove the basic theory and practicality of space rendezvous.
In June 1966, Stafford commanded the Gemini IX mission and performed a demonstration of an early rendezvous that would be used in the Apollo lunar missions, the first optical rendezvous, and a lunar orbit abort rendezvous. He was also commander of Apollo 10 in May 1969; he descended to nine miles above the Moon, performing the entire lunar landing mission except the actual landing. He logged his fourth spaceflight as Apollo commander of the Apollo-Soyuz mission in July 1975, which culminated in the historic first meeting in space between American astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts.
Learn more about Stafford and the missions he participated in.
Image Credit: NASA
1965年10月22日，宇航员托马斯·P·斯塔福德（左）和小沃尔特·M·谢拉在穿宇航服时对着镜头摆姿势。斯塔福德在1962年9月被NASA选为第二批宇航员，参加双子星计划和阿波罗计划。1965年12月，他驾驶了双子星6号飞船，与双子星7号飞船进行了首次太空对接，并帮助开发了证明太空对接基本理论和实用性的技术。
1966年6月，斯塔福德指挥了双子星7号任务，并演示了阿波罗登月任务中使用的早期对接、第一次光学对接和月球轨道中止对接。1969年5月，他还是阿波罗10号的指挥官；他下降到月球上空9英里处，执行了除实际着陆外的整个登月任务。1975年7月，他作为阿波罗-联盟号任务的阿波罗指挥官，第四次执行航天飞行，最终实现了NASA和苏联宇航员在太空中的历史性首次会面。
了解更多关于斯塔福德和他参与的任务。
图片来源: NASA
