Tag: lunar spacecraft

All-Purpose Space Vehicle

  1. All-purpose space vehicle proposed by Douglas Missile & Space Systems Division engineer Phil Bono, is pictured in artist’s concept during refueling in earth orbit prior to flight to the moon.
  2. Refueling tankers, on either side will return to earth. Vehicle carries up to eight “strap-on” liquid hydrogen tanks, which can be ejected after they are emptied or retained for use on moon. Retro engines are fire as spacecraft nears lunar surface to allow a direct landing without an orbital maneuver. All-purpose space vehicle proposed by Douglas Missile & Space Systems Division engineer Phil Bono, is pictured in artist’s concept during refueling in earth orbit prior to flight to the moon.
  3. Empty strap-on tanks are lowered to lunar surface before each return flight.
  4. These liquid hydrogen tanks could be used as shelter for pioneering lunar colony.

Space World
December 1964, VOL. A-14

Image credit: Douglas
Image source: Numbers Station

Assembly of The Moonships

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Weightless in orbit 1,075 miles above earth, workers in space assemble three moon ships. Hawaiian Islands lie below. Winged transports unload near wheel-shaped space station top left. Engineers and equipment cluster around cargo ship lower left, passenger ship center and right.

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

Image credit: Colliers
Image source: AIAA Houston

The Round-The-Moon Ship

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The first trip to our moon will be without landing, in a ship designed to travel in space only, taking off near the Space Station and returning to it. Here the round-the-moon ship is some 240,000 miles from earth, 50 miles above the lunar surface. The large crater is Aristillus (diameter 35 miles); the other crater is Autolycus; the distant mountains are the lunar Apennines.

Man will Conquer Space Soon
Collier’s, March 22, 1953

Image credit: Collier’s
Image source: Mike Acs

The Journey

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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

Martin Apollo

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L. Apollo is pictured here by an artist of The Martin Co., one of three leading Space Age manufacturers awarded study contracts on project by NASA. Apollo was a god of Ancient Greece, son of Clymene and Titan. This is nicely appropriate, since Martin produces the mighty Titan intercontinental ballistic missile.

R. The Apollo lunar spacecraft planned to carry 3 crewmen on round trip between earth and the moon is shown above here enroute among the stars. Protruding fan-shapes are solar arrays to gather energy from sun for use aboard. Apollo was said to have been the triumphant participant in Olympic games. Homer called him the “god of prophecy.”

America’s Mightiest Missile
by Larry Eisinger
Arco Publishing, 1961

Image credit: NASA
Image source(s): Mike Acs, Numbers Station