Agena Target Vehicle

The Agena Target Vehicle (ATV), also known as Gemini-Agena Target Vehicle (GATV) was an uncrewed spacecraft used by NASA during its Gemini program to develop and practice orbital space rendezvous and docking techniques, and to perform large orbital changes, in preparation for the Apollo program lunar missions.

The spacecraft was based on Lockheed Aircraft’s Agena-D upper stage rocket, fitted with a docking target manufactured by McDonnell Aircraft. The name ‘Agena’ derived from the star Beta Centauri, also known as Agena.

The combined spacecraft was a 26-foot (7.92 m) long cylinder with a diameter of 5 feet (1.52 m), placed into low Earth orbit with the Atlas-Agena launch vehicle.