119. [Gemini XI] FLY HIGH: the highest Earth orbiters of the early Space Age NASA, 7 June 1966 Printed 1966. Vintage chromogenic print on fibre-based Kodak paper [NASA image S-66-45636]. Numbered "NASA S-66-45636" in red in the top margin , with "A Kodak Paper" watermark on the reverse (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston, Texas). 20 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.) Historical context The Gemini XI crew relives their incredible space record—one that stood unchallenged for 58 years until 2024. Seated in a dimly lit auditorium, Gemini XI astronauts Charles "Pete" Conrad (center) and Richard Gordon (right) watch their own launch projected on the screen during a post-flight press conference. Just days earlier, they had set a new record, reaching an unprecedented altitude of 1,368 km (850 miles)—the highest Earth orbit ever achieved by a crewed spacecraft at the time. Their mission pushed the boundaries of human spaceflight, proving techniques that would later be essential for Apollo's journey to the Moon. This record for the highest crewed Earth orbit stood unbroken until 2024, when Jared Isaacman and the Polaris Dawn crew aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule aimed to surpass Gemini XI's altitude as part of their private spaceflight mission. In the foreground, George Low, Deputy Director of the Manned Spacecraft Center, listens intently. A small model of the Gemini capsule rests on the table, a tangible reminder of the spacecraft that carried them to the highest orbit of the early space age.