Image credit: North American Rockwell
Image source: Numbers Station
Payload Deployment
Category: Numbers Station
The Path to Mars
Our World in Space
Robert McCall & Isaac Asimov
New York Graphic Society, 1974
Image credit: NASA
Image source: Numbers Station
Martian Explorer
A Boeing design study for a Mars exploration probe, 40 ft. in diameter and weighing 600 lb. Assembled and launched at a space-station, the unmanned probe would draw its power from the Sun. Propelled by an ion rocket, it would take three years to orbit Mars and return.
Eagle Book of Rockets and Space
Longacre Press, 1961
Right:
MARS VEHICLE. Drawing, based on Boeing study, of space vehicle designed for launching from orbiting platform for reconnaissance flight to Mars and return. Lunar, orbital and interplanetary system studies, and expanding programs such as the advanced Minuteman solid-propellant ICBM, are typical of challenging assignments Boeing offers electronic-electrical engineers.
Missiles and Rockets
December 7, 1959
Image credit: Boeing Aircraft Company
Image source(s): Numbers Station, Internet Archive
A Grand Tour
- A “deep-space” craft, which does not need to take off or re-enter through Earth’s atmosphere, needs no streamlining and can utilise a very light structure. Such a space-ship is shown here landing at a lunar base.
- Having refuelled at a lunar base, the space-ship is shown before leaving the Moon for a journey to one of the other planets of the solar system. The cabin for the crew is separated from the rocket engines by a cluster of huge propellant tanks.
- After landing in the twilight one of Mercury, the explorers set out in small tracked vehicles across the parched, cracked, lifeless surface of this innermost planet of our solar system.
- After entering an orbit high above Mars, the space-shop releases a number of small landing vehicles which will carry explorers down to the “red planet”. Also in orbit, is a meteorite, representing one of the hazards of space flight.
- After a pre-liminary reconnaissance by the small craft, the main space-ship has landed on the surface of Mars, near one of the mysterious “canals” that have puzzled astronomers for years. Soon the riddle will be solved.
- Although they cannot land on Jupiter, with its dense atmosphere of poisonous gases, the explorers are able to observe it from a distant perch on an orbiting meteorite. One of the planet’s moons casts a shadow on the clouds as it passes.
- Show piece of the whole solar system is Saturn, with its spectacular rings. Although this is another planet on which explorers from Earth may never land, it should be possible to observe Saturn from one if its moon, as depicted.
- Somewhere in space, explorers have discovered a dead world. Perhaps Uranus might look like this, or Pluto. Nobody knows at present,. But nobody doubts any longer than man will one day be able to learn the secrets of every corner of his own solar system.
Eagle Book of Rockets and Space
by John W.R. Taylor and Maurice Allward
Longacre Press, 1961
Image credit: The Eagle
Image source: Numbers Station
Ranger
Image credit: NASA
Image source: Numbers Station
Orbital Workshop by Neil Jacobe
B&W (As seen in Roundup dated Nov. 24, 1967)
NOV. 67 S-67-51373
MANNED SPACE CENTER, HOUSTON, TEXAS
ORBITAL WORKSHOP — Artist’s concept showing how a Saturn S-IVB stage will appear when converted to the Apollo Applications Orbital Workshop. Launched fully fueled with airlock and docking adaptor attached, the S-IVB’s liquid hydrogen tank becomes a shirtsleeve environment workshop after the fuel has been depleted. At left is an Apollo Command and Service Module launched separately and docked into one of the docking adaptor’s ports. The Apollo Telescope Mount is shown docked into one of the side ports. The ATM will be joined to the cluster in a second phase of the program. Solar cell “wings” to provide power fold outward from the S-IVB after orbit is achieved. McDonnell Douglas Corporation’s Missile and Space Systems Division is making the S-IVB orbital workshop modifications under contract to NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and McDonnell Astronautics Company is developing the airlock under contract to MSC. (MCDONNELL DOUGLAS PHOTOGRAPH)
Look closely and you’ll notice subtle differences between this version of the painting and a colour rendering found in the SDASM Archives I’ve shared before.
If you’re interested in seeing more of Jacobe’s work, his artwork for the Douglas MOL can be found here. The images are small and plastered with watermarks, so it’s a bit of a tease but they are beautiful.
Image credit: NASA
Image source: Numbers Station
Exploratory Vehicle
A Boeing design for a manned orbital or interplanetary reconnaissance vehicle. The vehicle would be built in orbit around the earth around the Earth, inside a plastic bubble having controlled atmosphere and pressure, permitting technicians to work without space suits. Propelled by a nuclear-powered plasma jet, it could travel to planets within our solar-system , carrying shuttle vehicles to make the actual observations of planet surfaces. Nylon nets, rather than flooring, would divide the vehicle into seven levels.
Eagle Book of Rockets and Space
by John W.R. Taylor and Maurice Allward
Longacre Press, 1961
Image credit: Boeing Aircraft Company
Image source: Numbers Station
Assembly & Launch
Image credit: North American Rockwell
Image source: Numbers Station
Skylab
Our World in Space
Robert McCall & Isaac Asimov
New York Graphic Society, 1974
Image credit: NASA
Image source: Numbers Station
ASTP
DECEMBER 1974
MOSCOW, UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS
SOYUZ 16 CONCEPT —- An artist’s concept depicting the Soviet Soyuz 16 spacecraft in Earth orbit. The six-day Soyuz 16 Earth-orbital mission flown December 2-8, 1974, was a Soviet rehearsal for the joint U.S.-USSR Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. The crew of Soyuz 16 was Cosmonauts Anatolly V. Filipophenko, commander; and Hikolay H. Rukavishnikov, engineer. These two me are the Soviet ASTP second (back-up) crew, also. The three major components of the Soyuz spacecraft are the sphere-shaped orbital module, the decent vehicle (in center), and the instrument assembly module. Two solar panels extend out from the IA module. A docking mechanism to test the Soviet ASTP androgenous docking system (seen attached to the orbital module) was flown on the Soyuz 16 flight. This picture was made from a frame of 35mm motion picture film.
PHOTO COURTESY: USSR ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
PHOTO CREDIT: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Image credit: NASA
Image source: Numbers Station
Artist’s Rendering
Image credit: North American Rockwell
Image source: Numbers Station
Skylab (McCall)
Our World in Space
Robert McCall & Isaac Asimov
New York Graphic Society, 1974
Image credit: NASA
Image source: Numbers Station
