How did the spacecraft successfully dock in the air?

1March, 966 16, the American unmanned spacecraft Aghina 8 successfully docked with the manned spacecraft Gemini 8. This is the first time in human history that two aircrafts have successfully docked in the universe.

Spacecraft can only run in the established orbit in the universe. Once in orbit, the spacecraft does not burn fuel, but flies by inertia. If there is no extra fuel, astronauts can't give orders to it, nor can they change their orbit or adjust their speed. In order for two aircrafts to meet and dock in the universe, people are required to operate the spacecraft freely.

Gemini is the second phase of the Apollo program. From1March 1965 to1October1966, Gemini made 10 manned flights, totaling 40 days, 9 hours and 53 minutes. Its main task is to manually control moving aircraft, rendezvous and docking and astronauts in orbit.

After completing the ground test and unmanned flight in the United States, Gemini 3 was launched by Hercules rocket for the first manned flight. Commander Gleason and driver John? Yang completed the maneuvering flight of the spacecraft up and down, left and right, back and forth, and orbit change through manual control during three flights around the earth. On June 3rd, 1965, the Gemini 4 pilot also carried out a spacewalk. Gemini 7 was launched before Gemini 6. When the distance between them is 30 cm, the first rendezvous of spacecraft is realized.

1March, 966 16, when Gemini 8 was hundreds of meters away from the on-orbit Aghina 8 unmanned spacecraft, astronauts Armstrong and Scott started attitude control and micro-engine and slowly approached the unmanned spacecraft. The docking rod of Gemini 8 was inserted into the conical connecting keyhole of the unmanned spacecraft, and the two spacecraft were firmly connected together like two train carriages, and the docking was successful. Since then, four consecutive rendezvous and docking tests have been carried out, three of which were successful, and major technical problems in rendezvous and docking have been solved.