Dyna-Soar in space was never to be, for the program was canceled in December 1963. One of reasons was the development of a new type of aerospace plane, the lifting body.
Orbiting Stations: Stopovers to Space Travel
Irwin Stambler
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1965
Image credit: Boeing
Image source: Numbers Station
The huge Titan III C vehicle, towering over 150 feet into the air, moves into place on the launch pad. Missile is carried on same railroad car on which its parts were assembled.
Once the solid rockets have lifted Titan III C and it’s payload off the ground, their role is finished. As this sketch shows, when the solids burn out, they separate from the core section. Just before solid burnout, the first-stage liquid propellant engines are ignited to push the spacecraft farther towards space.
Course of the Titan III and it’s payload is monitored from a launch center such as this.
Orbiting Stations: Stopovers to Space Travel
Irwin Stambler
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1965
Image credit: USAF
Image source: National Archives
Artist’s concept of the Titan standard launch vehicle 34-D entering the space.
An artist’s concept of the new modular three-section fairing for the Air Force’s Titan III-C space launch vehicle.
Image credit: USAF
Image source: National Archives
Mars: Planet for Conquest
by Erik Bergaust
G.P Putnam’s Sons, 1967
Image source: Numbers Station
Electrostatic ion-powered five-man spacecraft passing over Mars’ moon Phobos on the way to Mars. One of two “scout cars” will land on the tiny moon and rendezvous with the ship later.
Mars: Planet for Conquest
by Erik Bergaust
G.P Putnam’s Sons, 1967
Rocketdyne
Image source: Numbers Station
Image credit: NASA
Image source: Mike Acs
Image credit: General Electric
First manned landing on Mars! This Northrop sketch shows how a soft landing on the red planet might look from ground level. A steerable gliding cloverleaf parachute slows the craft down as the retrorockets start to fire. The parachute is then jettisoned, and the retrorockets perform the final maneuver for touchdown. Retrorocket braking was perfected in the 1960’s to provide the soft landings for the Surveyor moon probe.
Project Viking: Space Conquest Beyond the Moon
by Irwin Stambler
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1970
Image credit: NASA
Image source: Numbers Station
