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Launched on December 4, 1965, Gemini VII was a long-duration flight intended to investigate the effects of extended spaceflight on the human body. This was the first flight for both Commander Frank Borman and Pilot Jim Lovell.

Lasting almost 14 days, the astronauts performed 20 experiments – more than any other Gemini mission. They evaluated various types of food as well as hygiene and collecting their bodily waste as part of the medical experiments. Crew comfort was also explored. Early in the flight Mission Control required at least one astronaut to be wearing a flight suit during the flight. The suit was uncomfortable and hot. After a few days, both astronauts were permitted to remove their suits at the same time which greatly improved their comfort.
The highlight of the mission was the rendezvous with Gemini VIA. The two craft maintained station for 5 hours coming as close as 30 cm. This was the first time two spacecraft had flown so close together in space and co...

Prints of all artworks are available at www.markkarvon.com. All artworks are copyright Mark Karvon. As a kid in the suburbs of Chicago, I always was interested in the mechanical creations of man. There is something about a purpose of design and the engineering solution to achieve that purpose that always created a spark in my mind. The forms those machines took were captivating to me - the pointed nose of a fighter jet; the exposed driving wheels of a mighty steam engine, the streamlined shape of a submarine. And the stories of the incredible experiences of the men who operated those machines are the stuff of legends and sometimes nightmares. From an early age I tried to express my fascination through drawing. I suppose my first...