<p>In the movie, <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Man_%28film%29?wprov=sfla1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">First Man</a> Neil Armstrong and his colleague David Scott, as part of the Gemini 8 program, attempt to dock with the Agena. But it turns out to be disastrous as they go into a continuous <em>roll over</em>.</p>

<p>My question is:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>What is the need for docking with the Agena and then later undocking so as to land on the moon in a smaller vessel? Why can't there be one rocket which takes the passengers, lands as a single unit and then comes back (much like how an airplane is) without docking and undocking? Wouldn't that be easier?</p></li>
<li><p>What caused the continuous roll over and how did the <em>RCS Brakes</em> help in the stabilization of the vessel?</p></li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-03T15:18:24.417Z
Off topic, try [Space Exploration SE](https://space.stackexchange.com/)
Mike G
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-04T00:04:32.903Z
different but related question in Space SE [Agena docking and RCS Brakes in First Man](https://space.stackexchange.com/q/35907/12102) I think you might have posted in Astronomy SE by accident, I've done that once or twice myself.
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-07T02:14:56.923Z
In regards to your first question, see [this question on Space.SE](https://space.stackexchange.com/q/19450/2847) for why they picked the "lunar orbit rendezvous" mission profile over the "lunar direct ascent" profile.
Mark
<the-moon><space><nasa><moonlanding>
Agena docking in First Man
penguin99
# Agena docking in First Man

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-05-03)

In the movie, [First Man](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Man_%28film%29?wprov=sfla1) Neil Armstrong and his colleague David Scott, as part of the Gemini 8 program, attempt to dock with the Agena. But it turns out to be disastrous as they go into a continuous *roll over*.

My question is:

1. What is the need for docking with the Agena and then later undocking so as to land on the moon in a smaller vessel? Why can't there be one rocket which takes the passengers, lands as a single unit and then comes back (much like how an airplane is) without docking and undocking? Wouldn't that be easier?
2. What caused the continuous roll over and how did the *RCS Brakes* help in the stabilization of the vessel?

**Tags:** the-moon, space, nasa, moonlanding

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Off topic, try [Space Exploration SE](https://space.stackexchange.com/)  
> **username_2**: different but related question in Space SE [Agena docking and RCS Brakes in First Man](https://space.stackexchange.com/q/35907/12102) I think you might have posted in Astronomy SE by accident, I've done that once or twice myself.  
> **username_3**: In regards to your first question, see [this question on Space.SE](https://space.stackexchange.com/q/19450/2847) for why they picked the "lunar orbit rendezvous" mission profile over the "lunar direct ascent" profile.  

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## 0 answers

