Gemini 5’s Windows Froze Before Launch

Before launch, the Gemini 5 crew noticed that the spacecraft’s windows were fogged over. As the spacecraft prepared for liftoff, the condensation froze into a layer of ice. Gemini 5 was an American spacecraft from the 1960s.

The crew tried to clear the windows, but heating them only made things worse. Then they spotted a fly, a bee, and several small spots trapped between the layers of glass. They remained there throughout the flight.

The Windows Fogged Up Before Liftoff

The crew described the problem in a debriefing NASA held after the flight. A debriefing is a conversation in which the crew recounts what happened during a mission. One of the pilots said his window had fogged over completely, with the condensation inside the glass rather than on its surface.

The condensation appeared before the structure holding the spacecraft in place for launch was lowered. The window later froze completely. Before the spacecraft had even left the ground, the windows were already difficult to see through.

Hot Air Made Matters Worse

The crew tried blowing hot air across the windows to clear the condensation. It didn’t work: the fog never fully disappeared, and when the structure was lowered, the situation worsened. The windows froze.

One of the pilots spotted a fly and a bee inside the layers of the window. He also saw several small spots, which he said he had reported before. The spots and insects remained in the window throughout the flight.

During the debriefing, the pilots said they would return to the windows later in the conversation. But the portion provided here covers only the first part of the debriefing. It records what they saw, not everything that may have been investigated afterward.

What Remains Unknown

The transcript does not explain what caused the condensation or the spots inside the glass, nor does it describe any later examination of the insects. So it offers no way to tell how they got there or whether anyone found an explanation.

The spots and insects remained behind the window as the spacecraft continued on its way.