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Category: Douglas

Space Delivery

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Space delivery – The partnership of the space ferry and the manned laboratory is demonstrated in this sketch. Here astronauts in a Douglas Astro ferry approach a huge space station with fresh supplies of food and test equipment. Eventually, experimental orbiting stations may give way to orbiting terminals for space travelers of the future.

Orbiting Stations: Stopovers to Space Travel
Irwin Stambler
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1965

Douglas Astro at Astronautix

Image credit: Douglas

Image source: Numbers Station

MORL

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  1. CONCEPT OF A MANNED ORBITING RESEARCH LABORATORY, which has been under research study by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, is illustrated in this artist’s rendering. The concept evolved from by the Douglas Missile & Space Administration under contract to the NASA Langley Research Center. Douglas engineers believe the concept could be operational within a five-year period. A Gemini-type ferry-craft approaches the orbiting laboratory, which is designed to remain in a 200 nautical-mile earth orbit for a period of a year or more.
  2. One concept of a Manned Orbiting Research Laboratory (MORL), which has been under research study for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, would occupy a cylinder 260 inches in diameter. Inside the cylinder, a spherical vessel might house living and work spaces and an on-board centrifuge for maintaining crew fitness. In this artist’s concept, evolved by Douglas Aircraft Company’s Missile & Space Systems Division under NASA contract, living quarters are shown on the upper left, a centrifuge in the center, and working area at the right. The Douglas concept is based on the Saturn IB launch vehicle.
  3. MANNED ORBITING RESEARCH LABORATORY (MORL) concept, which has been under research study by National Aeronautical and Space Administration, is pictured in a 200 nautical-mile earth orbit in this artist’s rendering. The concept evolved from studies made by Douglas Aircraft Company’s Missile & Space Division under contract to the NASA Langley Research Center. A Gemini-type ferry craft which might transport crew and supplies from Earth is docked in a hangar in the laboratory’s nose cone. Once rendezvous and docking are complete, the hangar can be sealed and pressurized and the astronauts can enter the MORL. Paddle-like devices attached to the orbiting laboratory are solar cell arrays to convert energy from the sun. They would be unfolded after MORL was in orbit.

Space World

November 1964, VOL. A-13

MORL at Astronautix

Image credit: Douglas

Image source: SDASM Archives

Orbiting Laboratory

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Medium-sized orbiting lab is this Manned Orbital Research Laboratory (MORL) developed for NASA’s Langley Lab by Douglas Missiles & Spacecraft Division. The lab which weighs about 35,000 pounds, could maintain 3 to 6 men in orbit for a year.

Orbiting Stations: Stopovers to Space Travel
Irwin Stambler
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1965

MORL at Astronautix

Image credit: Douglas

Image source: SDASM Archives

Assembling Spaceball

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Huge space ferries are used by astronauts to perform the final assembly of the huge Spaceball orbiting station.

Orbiting Stations: Stopovers to Space Travel
Irwin Stambler
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1965

Douglas Astro at Astronautix

Image credit: Douglas

Image source: Numbers Station

Ithacus B&W Plates

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Ithacus at Astronautix

Image credit: Douglas

Image source(s):

Mike Acs

SDASM Archives

’68 MOL by Ted Brown

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Gemini B/MOL at Astronautix

Image credit: McDonnell

Image source: SDASM Archives

SASSTO

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SASSTO (Saturn Application Single-Stage-to-Orbit) combined launch vehicle and spacecraft. Only 62.3 ft (19m.) tall, a single plug-nozzle engine would serve both as launch vehicle and for soft-landing back on Earth after an orbital mission. The craft – seen here with a Gemini two-man capsule – would be recovered intact and could be used repeatedly. It would be a particularly appropriate for ferry missions into Earth-orbit including the emergency rescue of astronauts.

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  1. Optional fairing around the two-man Gemini Capsule;
  2. Gemini adapter section;
  3. Transition support structure;
  4. Orbit injection / retro and control propellant tanks (6);
  5. Toroidal liquid-oxygen tank;
  6. Annular combustion chamber;
  7. Truncated plug nozzle and re-entry heat shield;
  8. Attitude-control system (4);
  9. Retractable landing legs (4);
  10. Spherical liquid-hydrogen propellant tank.

Frontiers of Space
Philip Bono & Kenneth Gatland
Macmillan, 1969

SASSTO at Astronautix

Image credit: Douglas

Image source(s):

SDASM Archives

Numbers Station

Do The Astro!

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ASTRO — a manned reusable spacecraft concept developed by Douglas Aircraft.

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PLAN AND ELEVATION views of ASTRO A2 vehicle. Note booster vehicle attachment at aft end.

Missiles and Rockets, September 3, 1962

Douglas Astro at Astronautix

Image credit: Douglas

Image source: Internet Archive

By Jove!

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Jupiter Lunar Landing

From one of Jupiter’s 12 moons, earth astronauts gaze on this impressive, but bleak, view of the 86,900 mile-diameter planet. More than 316 times the mass of the Earth, Jupiter is seven times further from the sun than Earth; would require voyage of one to two months to reach at velocity of one million feet per second. Max Hunter, Douglas Aircraft Company engineer predicts economically feasible trips to Jupiter will be made through development of nuclear thrust spaceship engines. 

Douglas Aircraft Company, Inc. General Offices, Santa Monica, Calif.

Image credit: Douglas Aircraft Company

Image source: Numbers Station

Ithacus Explained

  1. Ithacus troop transport launched from a nuclear carrier;
  2. Troops disembark from Ithacus rocket at their destination halfway across the world;
  3. After transfer from the interior, empty vehicle is taken by barge to a convenient coastal spaceport for reconditioning and relaunch.

Ithacus at Astronautix

Image credit: Douglas

Image source: SDASM Archives

Inside Deimos

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ROMBUS

Configuration for a manned Mars mission (Project Deimos).

  1. Six man Mars landing capsule;
  2. Pressurized tunnel;
  3. Toroidal living compartment;
  4. Liquid hydrogen tanks (8);
  5. Spherical liquid oxygen tank
  6. Booster centerbody.
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Project Deimos – Mars Landing Module

  1. Earth-return capsule;
  2. Command centre and pressurized tunnel;
  3. Separation joint, for return to Mars orbit;
  4. Mars landing propellant tanks(6);
  5. Ground access hatch;
  6. Mars-launch platform;
  7. Payload and power supply equipment compartment;
  8. Mars-launch propellant tank;
  9. Landing and take-off rocket motor;
  10. Jettisonable closure panel;
  11. Mars-entry heat shield;
  12. Extensible landing gear(4);
  13. Altitude-control system quads (4).

Frontiers of Space
Philip Bono & Kenneth Gatland
Macmillan, 1969

Project Deimos at Astronautix

Image credit: Douglas

Image source: Numbers Station