122. [Gemini XII] THE FINAL LAUNCH OF PROJECT GEMINI: the Titan rocket lifting off with James Lovell and Buzz Aldrin aboard NASA, 11 November 1966 Printed 1966. Vintage chromogenic print on fibre-based Kodak paper [NASA image 104-KSC-66PC-343]. With NASA caption numbered "104-KSC-66PC-343" and "A Kodak Paper" watermark on the reverse (issued by NASA Kennedy Space Centre, Florida). 20.3 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.) Historical context Gemini XII spacecraft atop its Titan launch vehicle, carrying astronauts James Lovell, Command Pilot, and Buzz Aldrin, Pilot, was launched from the Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 19 at 3:46 p.m. (EST), Nov. 11, 1966. The Gemini XII mission, flown from November 11–15, 1966, marked the culmination of the Gemini Program. The flight plan included rendezvous and docking with a target vehicle, as with previous missions, but its primary objective was to master extravehicular activity (EVA)—a critical step for the success of Apollo and the Moon landing goal. Dr. George Mueller, NASA's associate administrator for Manned Spaceflight, emphasized, "We must devote the last EVA period in the Gemini Program to a basic investigation of EVA fundamentals." Commanding the mission was Jim Lovell, a veteran of the record-breaking 14-day Gemini VII mission. His pilot, Buzz Aldrin, was the first astronaut to hold a doctorate—earning his Ph.D. in astronautics from MIT with a thesis on "line-of-sight guidance techniques for manned orbital rendezvous." Aldrin's expertise in orbital mechanics and EVA techniques played a crucial role in overcoming challenges and achieving mission success. Source: Gemini XII Crew Masters the Challenges of Spacewalks