Gemini Ejection Seat

The museum has a Gemini ejection seat.

Unlike Mercury and Apollo, which had launch escape towers, the Gemini spacecraft employed ejection seats for emergency escape. One reason cited for this was that the Titan II's hypergolic propellants were less likely to explode (since they don't mix but rather combust upon contact thereby tending to separate the propellants, whereas LOX and RP-1 could mix to form an explosive combination). Initial plans for Gemini recovery included a Rogallo wing, essentially a super-sized hang glider, and spacecraft designers wanted to provide for an emergency egress during this phase of the mission as well.

Based upon the location of the drogue mortar, this would seem to be a command pilot's seat. The astronaut in the seat has a Gemini 9 patch on his suit, and Tom Stafford was, in fact, commander of this mission.

See my Gemini ejection seat page for additional information.