MOL

[archipeppe]

Uau....supercool!!!
Many thanks Scott!!

It's interesting to note how much the X 24 "spaceworthy" looks like the last version of ESA Hermes.....

 

[Michel Van]

Uau....supercool!!!
Many thanks Scott!!

It's interesting to note how much the X 24 "spaceworthy" looks like the last version of ESA Hermes.....

yes very similar to Hermes multi use Adapter

zillion time thanks to Scott

 

[Spark]

Uau....supercool!!!
Many thanks Scott!!

It's interesting to note how much the X 24 "spaceworthy" looks like the last version of ESA Hermes.....

yes very similar to Hermes multi use Adapter

zillion time thanks to Scott

Hope this may be of interest, try http://space.co.uk/ and look at the Test Pilot Discussion on Spitfire to X-15

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

Great find, Scott ;D. I'm reminded of the rescue ship in this movie my Dad showed me once called MAROONED. It looked very similar to this artwork.

 

[OM]

Uau....supercool!!!
Many thanks Scott!!

It's interesting to note how much the X 24 "spaceworthy" looks like the last version of ESA Hermes.....

...Even more like the XRV from Marooned.

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

From WINGED ROCKETRY b Maj. James C. Sparks.

 

[Michel Van]

Wow Wat concept

and look this Y-docking port

is this a orbital refuel station proposals ?

 

[Barrington Bond]

Any more interesting piccies inside - is this a good book to get?

Regards,
Barry

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

Oh yeah, I've had this book since high school. It was published in '68. But my school's library was going to throw it out and I rescued it from the "Freebie" box. I've had it for about 15 years now. Good read.

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

What type of engine powered Stage 2? Any chance it was 5 RL-10's like the 1970 Mach 12 Demonstrator? I also see a possible scramjet (?) bay. I this concept fits MDC's standard format for hypersonics. But there's not a chance it's related to the 1986 C-5 launched version we saw in another thread as seen here:

 

[Orionblamblam]

What type of engine powered Stage 2?

ISTR it was a number of SSMEs.

 

[Triton]

the follow on from FDL-7MC ... that is what model 176 was

that new for me
i always think the model 176 ( FDL-7MC ) had to supply big USAF LORL Station.
and that MOL was expendable deorbit and burn up after each mission.

by the way
next to the Hamilton MH-8 Spacesuit (final Suit for MOL)
were a Alternative version by Litton RX-3 Hardsuit for MOL
Idea: the Crew can survive Bail out in high altitude

What is the reasoning behind the ejection system? Was the concern that the crew would have to bail out of the vehicle because of hostile fire? Weres there there plans for the rescue of astronauts once they bailed out of Mercury capsule and the MOL/Mercury capsule destroyed? Does anyone know how long the crew could survive in a Litton RX-3 Hardsuit?

 

[Michel Van]

is Gemini not Mercury capsule !

the original escape system of Gemini were ejection seats
up to height of 40000 ft or 12,19 km
and to speed up 1600 feet per second or 487,68 meter/sec

McDD proposed for MOL several Escape systems:

a escape Tower like Mercury on top of Blue Gemini
the ejection seats with Litton RX-3 Hardsuit (for Bail out up to 196.850 ft or 60km ?)
in the end the AM Module for De orbit became the Escape system
the solid propellant retrofire motors was increased from four to six.

earlyer design

Final design

 

[Triton]

Sorry, I meant Gemini capsule. ;D How does the crew get back home after ejecting at 60km? Do they float around until the CO2 scrubbers stop working?

 

[Orionblamblam]

How does the crew get back home after ejecting at 60km?

By falling.

 

[Michel Van]

How does the crew get back home after ejecting at 60km?

By falling.

Literally falling !
at 60 km height they are on still suborbital speed
after bail out the Crew fall back to Earth and curbed by air resistance
then deployed a Ballute (Gemini Escape system)
this is a balloon-shaped device which is used to stabilize
the man between seat-separation and 7500 ft. (2.286 meter) altitude.
then the opening the parachute

the Record free fall made Joseph Kittinger in On August 16, 1960
he jump from the Excelsior III balloon at 102,800 ft (31.33 km ) !
and fell for 4 minutes and 36 seconds reaching a maximum speed of 614 mph (988 km/h)
before opening his parachute at 14,000 ft. (4.267,2 meters)

 

[OM]

...The second picture is considered the ultimate "Oh, SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!" moment

 

[Barrington Bond]

Shouldn't that be fell for 14 minutes - I might be wrong...

Regards,
Barry

 

[Michel Van]

Shouldn't that be fell for 14 minutes - I might be wrong...

it take 14 minute to get him on ground
4 minutes and 36 seconds freefall
9 minutes and 24 seconds hanging under parachute

back to MOL
had Blue Gemini still the ejection seats for Bailout on Launch pad,
or had the AM Module also for this role ?

 

[shockonlip]

Ah yes - Joe Kittinger - one of the Pre-Astronauts.
One of the unsung guys who made it safer for the astronauts.

By the way, just before he jumped, Kittinger noticed that he had lost the
seal on one of his gloves.

In the book "The Pre-Astronauts" there is the great narrative of that
free fall (he did it on his back, there was total silence, he described the
strange effect of seeing the balloon disappear in the distance, and achieved
supersonic velocity in free fall). (Speed of sound = (lambda * R * T)**.5)
ie: As T goes down the speed of sound goes down.

As Mr. Van mentioned above, there was some risk in the stabilization
technology as well. The book describes that.

Great read!

 

[Triton]

Thanks Orionblamblam and Moonbat for posting concept art from Martin-Marietta of the SV-5 lifting body spaceplane. Most books give you the impression that the interest in small space planes ended with Dynasoar, SAINT, and SAINT II and that the X-24 series was just a series of test projects that supported development of the space shuttle. The official histories never seem to show that Martin-Marietta tried to sell a mini space plane to NASA and the US Air Force after the cancellation of Dynasoar.

 

[NERVA]

From WINGED ROCKETRY b Maj. James C. Sparks.

Thanks for the book reference. I just ordered it from AbeBooks.

 

[Simon666]

In the book "The Pre-Astronauts" there is the great narrative of that
free fall (he did it on his back, there was total silence, he described the
strange effect of seeing the balloon disappear in the distance, and achieved
supersonic velocity in free fall). (Speed of sound = (lambda * R * T)**.5)
ie: As T goes down the speed of sound goes down.

He came close to supersonic but didn't.

http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/aerodynamics/q0243.shtml

 

[Triton]

Models of MOL found at CollectSpace.
http://www.collectspace.com/ubb/Forum16/HTML/000361.html

 

[Triton]

Model of MOL in the hands of private collector Jerry Brouillette from CollectSpace.
http://www.collectspace.com/ubb/Forum16/HTML/000361.html

 

[Triton]

Concept artwork of Manned Orbital Laboratory (MOL) published in Smithsonian Atlas of Space Exploration by Roger D Launius and Andrew K Johnston. Book identifies spacecraft as Blue Gemini. (Source: US Air Force)

 

[blackstar]

It wouldn't be Blue Gemini. BG did not involve anything other than the Gemini spacecraft and possibly some experimental equipment carried either behind the Gemini, or in one of the two seats. If the latter, it would be a one astronaut mission:

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/582/1

 

[Michel Van]

It wouldn't be Blue Gemini.

Yes and No

in beginn it was Blue Gemini Program, Wat used Gemini spacecraft for USAF

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/582/1
after the death of program McDonnell proposed a civilian version to NASA
(just like M.O.L back in 1968 !)
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,2691.0.html

the small Spy sat version of Blue Gemini (here as NASA Astronomical mission)
a Proposals with a hatch in heatshield and tunnel to camera equipment in Service Module

of the Blue Gemini Program survive only one Proposals, a Manned Spy Sat launch by a Titan IIIC
McDonnell and Douglas label the Return capsule on M.O.L as Blue Gemini

 

[blackstar]

No, those other things were not called Blue Gemini. Blue Gemini was a short-lived proposal that only involved the Gemini spacecraft, not an attached module. I have the documents that prove it.

 

[OM]

No, those other things were not called Blue Gemini. Blue Gemini was a short-lived proposal that only involved the Gemini spacecraft, not an attached module. I have the documents that prove it.

...Care to share them?

 

[Michel Van]

No, those other things were not called Blue Gemini. Blue Gemini was a short-lived proposal that only involved the Gemini spacecraft, not an attached module. I have the documents that prove it.

me to
by the way, wat are that for Dockuments ?

 

[blackstar]

No, those other things were not called Blue Gemini. Blue Gemini was a short-lived proposal that only involved the Gemini spacecraft, not an attached module. I have the documents that prove it.

me to
by the way, wat are that for Dockuments ?

I don't understand that sentence. The article on this is: The Blue Gemini Blues, Spaceflight, June 2007.

 

[OM]

No, those other things were not called Blue Gemini. Blue Gemini was a short-lived proposal that only involved the Gemini spacecraft, not an attached module. I have the documents that prove it.

me to
by the way, wat are that for Dockuments ?

I don't understand that sentence. The article on this is: The Blue Gemini Blues, Spaceflight, June 2007.

...I believe he's asking for your source, as well as your providing either links or scans of said.

 

[carmelo]

Mol space suits:

http://agentdc.uah.edu/homepages/dcfiles/USSRC/Mannedorbitinglab01_050508103755.pdf

http://agentdc.uah.edu/homepages/dcfiles/USSRC/Mannedorbitinglab02_050508103813.pdf

http://agentdc.uah.edu/homepages/dcfiles/USSRC/Mannedorbitinglab03_050508103832.pdf

 

[Michel Van]

Grazie (thanks) Carmelo

 

[Triton]

Complete episode of "Astrospies" from the NOVA television series on Youtube:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2K6HHUbUe0


"Astrospies" website on PBS.org:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/astrospies/program.html

 

[The Artist]

The most famouse image of MOL represent the re-entry module of Gemini B just after jettison, this mean (litterally) that MOL is about to reenter in the atmosphere.
So where is the engine for the de-orbit burn??

Yes. But, what is wrong with those illustrations showing the capsule separating from the MOL assembly?

Or, if there is nothing wrong with that picture, then please answer this question for me.

Why carry a bundle of retro rockets into orbit if you are not going to use them?

I don't have a degree in Rocket Science - I'm just a crazy artist - so maybe I'm just not understanding what I'm seeing.

Mike

 

[The Artist]

Sweet model, cool patch! I'll take them both.

Reproductions of that patch had been sold through Quest magazine. I don't know if they are still available new, but you might be able find one if you search regularly on e-bay.

Mike

 

[blackstar]

Complete episode of "Astrospies" from the NOVA television series on Youtube:

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1104/1

 

[Triton]

Complete episode of "Astrospies" from the NOVA television series on Youtube:

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1104/1

Thank you for sharing your article blackstar and correcting some of the errors in the PBS documentary.