Gemini 5 was a significant space mission conducted by NASA, launched on August 21, 1965. It was the first mission to achieve a duration of over eight days in space, demonstrating the ability to support long-duration human spaceflight. The mission's primary objectives included testing life support systems and conducting various scientific experiments. The spacecraft was piloted by astronauts Gordon Cooper and Charles "Pete" Conrad. During the mission, they orbited the Earth 120 times and traveled over 2.5 million miles. Gemini 5 played a crucial role in paving the way for future missions, including the Apollo program that eventually landed humans on the Moon.