5 0 0 s ). ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁both ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base ▁and ▁the ▁ge ographical ▁Cape ▁names ▁were ▁revert ed ▁to ▁C ana ver al ▁after ▁the ▁Florida ▁legisl ature ▁passed ▁a ▁bill ▁changing ▁the ▁name ▁back ▁that ▁was ▁signed ▁into ▁law ▁by ▁Florida ▁governor ▁Re ub in ▁As ke w . ▁ ▁Gem ini ▁and ▁early ▁Apol lo ▁ ▁The ▁two - man ▁Gem ini ▁space craft ▁was ▁launched ▁into ▁orbit ▁by ▁a ▁derivative ▁of ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁T itan ▁II ▁miss ile . ▁Tw elve ▁Gem ini ▁fl ights ▁were ▁launched ▁from ▁L C - 1 9 , ▁ten ▁of ▁which ▁were ▁man ned . ▁The ▁first ▁man ned ▁flight , ▁Gem ini ▁ 3 , ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁March ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 1 9 6 5 . ▁Later ▁Gem ini ▁fl ights ▁were ▁supported ▁by ▁seven ▁un mann ed ▁launch es ▁of ▁the ▁A gen a ▁Target ▁Ve h icle ▁on ▁the ▁Atlas - A gen a ▁from ▁L C - 1 4 , ▁to ▁develop ▁rende z vous ▁and ▁dock ing , ▁critical ▁for ▁Apol lo . ▁Two ▁of ▁the ▁Atlas - A gen a ▁vehicles ▁failed ▁to ▁reach ▁orbit ▁on ▁Gem ini ▁ 6 ▁and ▁Gem ini ▁ 9 , ▁and ▁a ▁mis - rig ging ▁of ▁the ▁nose con e ▁on ▁a ▁third ▁caused ▁it ▁to ▁fail ▁to ▁e ject ▁in ▁orbit , ▁prevent ing ▁dock ing ▁on ▁Gem ini ▁ 9 A . ▁The ▁final ▁flight , ▁Gem