SPACE - GEMINI VII Gemini 7 flown Fliteline medallion, crew mission emblem on the obverse and with mission dates engraved on the reverse, silver gilt, 25mm. in diameter, 1965. Accompanied by an autograph letter signed from JIM AND MARILYN LOVELL to George and Phyllis Burges, dated 1966, which reads in part: 'The flight of Gemini 7 was quite enjoyable and I am happy to note that there were no adverse medical problems after being exposed to zero gravity for two weeks. Actually, floating around the spacecraft was very enjoyable and made sleeping ideal [...] Enclosed is a small medallion that was on board Gemini 7 for the flight. We had some made to take with us. Each flight has its own symbol and we chose the torch to signify the marathon runner or endurance...'; and with two newspaper cuttings that tell the story of the friendship between the Lovells and the Burges, n.d. Footnotes: Gemini VII was a NASA space mission launched in December 1965 as part of the Gemini program, with astronauts Frank Borman and Jim Lovell aboard. Its primary goal was to study the effects of long-duration spaceflight, lasting a then-record 14 days in orbit. The mission also played a crucial role in space navigation history by serving as the target vehicle for the first successful space rendezvous, achieved when Gemini VI‑A maneuvered to within a few feet of Gemini VII. This flown medallion was sent by Jim Lovell and his wife Marilyn to George and Phyllis Burges of Portsmouth in March 1966. George Burges and Jim Lovell first met at the end of World War II, when Burges gave a group of American sailors, Lovell among them, a lift to the dockyard. They became friends and maintained correspondence for years afterwards, with Lovell sending materials from the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston and the medallion that flew with him on Gemini VII in December 1965 amongst other items including inscribed photographs (see following lot). Jim Lovell later commanded Apollo 8, the first crewed mission to orbit the Moon, and subsequently Apollo 13, during which he calmly reported the spacecraft's crisis in the moment later popularized as 'Houston, we have a problem.' Lovell's steady leadership helped bring the crew safely back to Earth, making him a lasting symbol of resilience and teamwork in space exploration. Provenance: George and Phyllis Burges, by descent to present owners. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing