Gemini 6A crew. US astronauts Wally Schirra (seated, 1923-2007) and Thomas Stafford (born 1930) being suited up in preparation for their flight. They piloted the Gemini 6A mission, which launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA, on 15 December 1965. The mission lasted just over a day, and succeeded in its aim of manoeuvring in Earth orbit to meet the Gemini 7 spacecraft, which had launched a few days earlier. Schirra had previously piloted the Mercury 8 spacecraft in 1962, and went on to command the Apollo 7 mission in 1968. He was the only man to fly in all of the USA's first three space programs.