Gemini and the VABs

[Grand Lunar]

In a discussion on YouTube, I pointed out to an HB that a couple of Gemini missions skirted the lower regions the Van Allen Belts.
I pointed out Gemini 11's orbital parameters to the figures for the extend of the inner belt.
The highest orbit for Gemini 11, around 1300 km, seems to take it into the inner belt, which I've read starts around 700 km.

The HB counters that from what he read, Gemini 11 specifically avoided the belts to get data from GCRs (galatic cosmic rays).
I tried to search the net to varify his claim, but found no specific info on Gemini 11's studies. Anyone know better?

Also, are there interactions that other Gemini missions might have had with the VABs?

Also, I found other figures for the inner belt's extent, stating that it starts around 7,600 km. Is it really this figure, or the 700 km one?

[BertL]

From Wikipedia

Earth's geomagnetic field is not uniformly distributed around its surface. On the sun side, it is compressed because of the solar wind and on the other side, it is elongated to around three earth radii.

The large outer radiation belt extends from an altitude of about three to ten Earth radii (RE) above the Earth's surface, and its greatest intensity is usually around 4–5 RE.

The inner Van Allen Belt extends from an altitude of 700–10,000 km (0.1 to 1.5 Earth radii) above the Earth's surface

[Bob B.]

I'm not familiar with the HB's claim, though I can't deny it. I'll look through whatever references I have at home to see if there is any mention of it. None-the-less, Gemini 11 couldn't completely avoid the VAB. The best that could be done is to set the apogee to occur when the spacecraft is at its furthest from the equator. Even doing this, the spacecraft would still be crossing the equator at an altitude near 800 km.

[laurel]

Mar 30, 2009 8:25:28 GMT -4 Grand Lunar said:

Also, are there interactions that other Gemini missions might have had with the VABs?

Gemini 10 entered the VABs too.

[gwiz]

Gemini 10 actually encountered much higher radiation levels than Gemini 11. Although Gemini 10 didn't reach the same high altitudes, it stayed much longer in its high orbit and passed through the South Atlantic Anomaly during that time.

I'm afraid that your HB is essentially correct about Gemini 11. It's brief high-altitude excursion was indeed carefully tailored to keep the dose down for the cosmic ray experiment.

[Data Cable]

Mar 31, 2009 10:43:33 GMT -4 gwiz said:

HB is essentially correct

This is one of the signs of the apocalypse, ain't it?

[grashtel]

Mar 31, 2009 20:33:32 GMT -4 Data Cable said:

Mar 31, 2009 10:43:33 GMT -4 gwiz said:

HB is essentially correct

This is one of the signs of the apocalypse, ain't it?

Only if they start doing it consistently, even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

[Grand Lunar]

Many thanks for the info, people!

Only if they start doing it consistently, even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

Or in the cases of most HBs, people that have stopped learning, right?

[dragonblaster]

I'm amazed the HB didn't just counter by saying the Gemini shots were fake as well. Which of course begs the question of why then Dick Gordon had such a problematic EVA, like Mike Collins before him and Gene Cernan before him... and that the EVA problems were ironed out by the arch-hoaxter himself, Buzz Aldrin.