Splashdown and a new endurance record

After nearly eight days in orbit, Gemini 5 fired its retrorockets and returned to the Atlantic Ocean, where recovery forces quickly reached the spacecraft.

The landing demonstrated the controlled re-entry guidance needed for later missions. Cooper and Conrad were recovered safely and taken aboard USS Lake Champlain.

Gemini 5 did not reach the rendezvous objective, but it proved that NASA could keep a crew and spacecraft operating for the duration required by the next steps toward the Moon.