P.A.O. Release Commentary of the GT-7/6 Flight (Tape No. T-00763 R1b)
Transcript of Gemini 7 mission communications between astronauts Frank Borman and Jim Lovell and Houston Control, documenting a 'bogey' sighting at ten o'clock high in addition to their booster, with descriptions of debris, hundreds of small particles, and a brilliant tumbling body against a black background.
"Bogey at ten o'clock high." Frank Borman's call during Gemini 7 wasn't a joke -- he confirmed it was "an actual sighting." The transcript captures the crew observing an unidentified object distinct from their booster (which Lovell separately identified as a "brilliant body in the sun" with "trillions of particles"). Hundreds of small particles streamed past at about 3-4 miles. NASA's Public Affairs Officer noted a third, unidentified object beyond the booster and debris that the crew couldn't explain. The sighting came roughly four and a half hours into the GT-7/6 flight.
- Astronaut Borman reported a "bogey at ten o'clock high" and confirmed it as "an actual sighting"
- Hundreds of small particles observed passing to the left at approximately 3-4 miles distance
- The booster was separately identified by Lovell as a "brilliant body in the sun" with "trillions of particles"
- PAO commentary acknowledged a third, unidentified object distinct from the booster and debris
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View PDF ↗- Borman | astronaut | Gemini-7 spacecraft | speaker
- Lovell | astronaut | Gemini-7 spacecraft | speaker
- Houston | mission control | NASA | controllers
- P.A.O. (Public Affairs Officer) | NASA | commentary provider
- NASA | government_agency
- Mission Control Houston | NASA facility
- Gemini Control | NASA control center
- Bogey at ten o'clock high
- Debris sighting (actual, not booster)
- Hundreds of little particles going by to the left at 3-4 miles distance
- Particles at path of vehicle at 90 degrees
- Particles passed and going into polar orbit at 3-4 miles away
- Booster in sight on Lovell's side
- Booster described as brilliant body in sun against black background
- Trillions of particles on booster
- Booster at Lovell's two o'clock position
- Booster ahead of spacecraft at two o'clock, slowly tumbling
- Third unidentified object referred to as "bogey" | PAO commentary
- Several references to the bogey during mission | PAO statement
- "P.A.O. RELEASE COMMENTARY OF THE GT-7/6 FLIGHT." | tape title
- "IT CONTAINS REFERENCES TO SIGHTING NOT ONLY SOME PARTICLES BUT AS WELL AS AN UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT PLUS THE BOOSTER" | PAO statement
- "(BORMAN) A BOGEY AT TEN O'CLOCK HIGH." | astronaut observation
- "(BORMAN) I SAID WE HAVE A BOGEY AT TEN O'CLOCK HIGH." | astronaut statement
- "(BORMAN) WE HAVE DEBRIS UP HERE - THIS IS AN ACTUAL SIGHTING." | astronaut statement
- "(BORMAN) WE HAVE VERY, VERY MANY A - IT LOOKS LIKE HUNDREDS OF LITTLE PARTICLES GOING BY TO THE LEFT OUT ABOUT THREE OR FOUR MILES." | astronaut observation
- "(BORMAN) IT LOOKS LIKE A PATH OF THE VEHICLE AT 90 DEGREES." | astronaut observation
- "(LOVELL) ROGER. I HAVE THE BOOSTER ON MY SIDE. ITS A BRILLIANT BODY IN THE SUN AGAINST A BLACK BACKGROUND WITH TRILLIONS OF PARTICLES ON IT." | astronaut observation
- "(LOVELL) ITS AHEAD OF US AT TWO O'CLOCK, SLOWLY TUMBLING" | astronaut observation
- "THE REFERENCE IN THAT CONVERSATION TO THE THIRD AND UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT OF COURSE WAS OR THE THIRD OBJECT WAS A BOGEY. THERE WERE SEVERAL REFERENCES TO THE BOGEY." | PAO commentary