Image credit: Douglas
Image source: SDASM Archives
Tag: nuclear propulsion
If It’s Not Boeing, I’m Not Going
Mars Expedition 1969 at Astronautix
Image credit: NASA Lewis
Image source: National Archives
From NASA-CR-67367
Orion Vehicles 2/2
Lunar Ferry Vehicles
Fig. 3.13 — Exploration vehicle configuration for Jupiter moon landing mission, 20-m propulsion module
Fig. 3.15 — Various payload configurations on basic 20-m propulsion module (with departure weights for given missions)
Fig. 3.16 — Earth-orbit-to-lunar-orbit ferry vehicle
Fig. 3.18 — Lunar-ferry-vehicle command module
Fig. 3.19 — Reference-design passenger module
Fig. 3.20 — Earth-orbit-to-lunar-surface ferry vehicle
Fig. 3.21 — Lunar passenger ferry
Fig. 3.22 — Lunar cargo shuttle
Fig. 3.23 — Solid-propellant-boosted earth-launched lunar logistic vehicles
Lunar Logistics Vehicles
Fig. 3.24 — S-IC boosted earth launched lunar logistics vehicle
Fig. 3.15 — Orbit launched lunar logistics vehicle
From:
Nuclear Pulse Space Vehicle Study
Vol. III — Conceptual Vehicle Designs and Operational Systems (U)
Image credit: General Atomics
File Source: Cornell
Orion Vehicles 1/2
Personnel Accommodations
Fig. 3.2 — Factors that influence the location of the shielded powered flight station
Fig. 3.4 — Powered flight station-escape vehicle for 8-man exploration missions with 10-m configurations
Fig. 3.5 — Powered flight station-escape vehicle for 20-man exploration missions with 20-m configurations
Fig 3.6 — Exploration-mission personnel accommodations for an 8-man complement
Fig 3.7 — Exploration-mission personnel accommodations for a 20-man complement
Fig 3.8 — General arrangement of payload spine and magazine payload support columns
Planetary Exploration Vehicles
Fig. 3.11 — Exploration vehicle for Mars orbital capture mission using 10-m propulsion module
Fig. 3.12 — Various payload configurations on basic 10-m propulsion module (with departure weights for 72, 850 fps Mars mission)
From:
Nuclear Pulse Space Vehicle Study
Vol. III — Conceptual Vehicle Designs and Operational Systems (U)
Image credit: General Atomics
File Source: Cornell
EMPIRE Hunting: Part 3
Let’s go back to Solar Transportation for a minute, because it helps to explain some of the images in the Ehricke Papers. Ehricke’s team detailed a Mars lander that looked a lot like early Apollo concepts, but the some of the folders contain images of a landing using what looks like Gemini hardware. The timeline doesn’t fit for EMPIRE, but I think this image captioned in Solar Transportation is a clue.
Mars Capture Mission in 1982. Orbit crew inspects the nuclear twin engine NERVA II system of the Earth Departure Module. Each engine delivers 250, 000 lbs. of thrust.
From Solar Transportation:
In 1982, a 69 day Mars capture mission launches. The crew conducts intensive reconnaissance both from orbit, and using probes – including landers and returners – but no manned surface excursions are planned. A mission launched between 1984 is one-way, involving a 529 day stay on Mars. A follow-on mission in 1985 (via Venus) retrieves the crew.
Reading back through the General Dynamics and Douglas UMPIRE reports, I think there’s enough connective tissue to make the argument that the paintings below are at least vicinal to EMPIRE / UMPIRE if not directly related, like kissing cousins. It doesn’t really matter though, because I’m not a real historian, and this isn’t a thesis.
Above: Gemini, on Mars or wherever. Below: Yup, that’s a Mars Lander.
From:
Artists’ concepts (Spacecraft) [1 of 6 folders]
Artists’ concepts (spacecraft) [4 of 6 folders]
Image credit: Krafft Ehricke Papers
Image source: NASM
numbers station 