Lunar Lander – Page 3

Inside the Moon Ship

Man on the Moon
Collier’s, October 18,1952

Image credit: Colliers
Image source: AIAA Houston

Dewy Bay and Home

At end of two-week-long lunar day, convoy of tractors, each pulling two of its three trailers moves cautiously across rough terrain near plain of Sinus Roria (Dewy Bay). Glare of mountain range to north is caused by setting sun. Remainder of scene is illuminated by greenish earth light.
Seen from abandoned cargo ship with “full earth” shining i sky, passenger ships take off for return trip from moon to space station’s orbit.

More about Man on the Moon
Collier’s, October 25, 1952

Image credit: Collier’s
Image source: AIAA Houston

The unloading on the moon. Twenty-four hours after landing, supplies have been stowed in caterpillar tractors. Hold of cargo ship (r.) is being lowered to ground in sections, to be used as prefabricated headquarters, Earth is at center; halo effect is caused by sun, hidden behind sphere of rocket ship at left. Diagonal streak in sky, the zodiacal light, is caused by sun’s ray reflecting from cosmic dust. The red star at left is Mars.

More about Man on the Moon
Collier’s, October 25, 1952

Image credit: Collier’s
Image source: AIAA Houston

The Journey

Landing on the moon. Ten minutes before touchdown, rocket motors are switched on to slow down ships’ high-speed fall caused by the moon’s gravity. Vehicles are maneuvering 550 miles above landing area known as Sinus Roris (Dewy Bay), dark plain above cargo ship in lower left.

Man on the Moon
Collier’s, October 18,1952

Image credit: Colliers
Image source: AIAA Houston