Image credit: NASA
Image source: National Archives
255-GRC-1991-C-06251
Tag: Lunar Transfer Vehicle
LTV/LEV Configuration
Lunar Transfer Vehicle
(LTV)
Lunar Excursion Vehicle
(LEV)
Image credit: Nasa
Image source: NASA NTRS
Lunar Transfer Vehicle
Image credit: NASA
Image source: DVIDS
255-GRC-1983-C-02125
B-0992
A hypersonic shockwave system envelopes an Aeroassisted Orbital Transfer Vehicle (AOTV) as it grazes the atmosphere before returning to the Space Shuttle in low Earth orbit. In this drawing, the main engine and the balloon-like parachute, or ballute, which encases the AOTV, provide protection from the reentry heat and drag to slow the vehicle as it enters a lower orbit. After reaching low Earth orbit, the ballute would be deflated and the AOTV would rendezvous with the Shuttle for reuse. This aerobraking technique is one of several being studied by Boeing Aerospace Company under contract to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
BOEING AEROSPACE COMPANY
Image credit: Boeing
Image source: National Archives
255-GRC-1983-C-03832
An Aeroassisted Orbital Transfer Vehicle is shown using the Earth’s atmosphere to slow itself down and lift itself into another orbit before returning to the Space Shuttle for reuse. Inflatable wings are located on each side of the core propulsion module and covered by a high temperature heat shield material. The spacecraft payload bay is located in the forward section of the nose cone. Boeing is studying how the atmosphere can be used as a brake for this proposed Air Force spacecraft under contract to the Air Force’s Flight Dynamics Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
BOEING AEROSPACE COMPANY
Image credit: Boeing
Image source: National Archives
L90-4776
Image credit: General Dynamics
Image source: DVIDS
Lunar Base Transportation System
Orbital transfer vehicle (OTV) line drawings (a) one-stage manned and (b) two-stage cargo.
Image credit: NASA
Image source: NASA NTRS
Lunar Transfer Crew Module
Image credit: NASA
File source: NASA NTRS
255-GRC-1980-01115
Image credit: NASA GRC
Image source: National Archives
Lunar Transportation System
Image credit: NASA
File source: NASA NTRS
Clustered Small OTV Assembly
S-83-28321
S83-28321 (14 March 1983) — In this artist’s concept of future lunar operations, a lunar ferry is about to burn out of lunar orbit for the trip back to facilities in low Earth orbit. The ferry vehicle carries tank modules filled with liquid oxygen, which has been produced from mining operations on the surface of the Moon. One possibility for such operations would be to have manned facilities in low lunar orbit, such as illustrated here. At the upper right side of the photo is a small orbiting manned station. At the lower right side of the photo is a liquid oxygen propellant dump, to which a lunar landing vehicle carrying liquid oxygen is about to dock. The lunar ferry vehicle itself is representative of one type of aerobraking system. The balloon-like torus around the center of the ferry-craft would inflate to several times its illustrated size and, once the vehicle has swooped down close to the Earth’s outer atmosphere on the return journey, would use atmospheric drag to slow the craft and place itself in low Earth orbit. The liquid oxygen would then be used in operations there for fueling various vehicles, including an orbital transfer vehicle for trips to geosynchronous Earth orbit. This concept is part of a study done for the Johnson Space Center by Eagle Engineering of Houston. The artist was Pat Rawlings.
Image credit: Eagle Engineering
Image source: Internet Archive
