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The Spacecraft
The spacecraft was an enlargement of the familiar Mercury capsule--5.8m (19 ft) long, 3m (10 ft) in diameter, and about 3810 kilograms
(8400 pounds) in weight. Engineering changes simplified maintenance and made it more maneuverable for
the pilots. The Titan II rocket, more powerful than the Redstone, placed the larger spacecraft into orbit.
Sometimes referred to as Gemini-Titan for the craft and its launch vehicle, each flight was designated by a Roman numeral. Only the first capsule
was nicknamed; Command Pilot Virgil Grissom called it the
Molly Brown in reference to his Mercury spacecraft that sank.
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