Other Apollo Projects: What Should Have Been

[Skybolt]

Great find, thanx !

 

[blackstar]

That's a really nice compilation. I was going to complain about the lack of citations for all the data until I scrolled down to the bottom. It's very extensive.

 

[OM]

That's a really nice compilation. I was going to complain about the lack of citations for all the data until I scrolled down to the bottom. It's very extensive.

...I posted the link to this several years ago to sci.space.history. It's essentially a support, research and inspiration page for those designing addons for Orbiter. The real surprises at the time was that they actually cited sources, and it wasn't just ripped off en masse from Mark Wade's site.

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

Good job on it!

Moonbat

 

[Triton]

Model of early design of Grumman Lunar Excursion Module (LEM)
http://www.collectspace.com/ubb/Forum16/HTML/000361-2.html

 

[Triton]

Model of early design of Grumman Lunar Excursion Module (LEM)
http://www.collectspace.com/ubb/Forum16/HTML/000361-2.html

 

[Triton]

Model of Grumman Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) by Precision found on eBay.

URL: http://cgi.ebay.com/Grumman-Aerospace-Lunar-Module-desk-model-Topping_W0QQitemZ170534053391QQcategoryZ86954QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m8QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DMW%26its%3DC%26itu%3DUCC%26otn%3D5%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D6003865150509665223


Description:

This is a Grumman Model Lunar Module by Precision. The base is made of Plexi and I believe this to be a pre-flight model as evidenced by the markings on the base. The base is about 10 inches across and the model sits about 7 inches high.

 

[Caravellarella]

Dear Boys and Girls, here is an article in French about post-Mercury "projects", illustrated by an artist's impression of a Martin Apollo space vehicle with petal-type solar panels......

The article comes from the 3rd February 1961 issue of Les Ailes......

Terry (Caravellarella)

 

[Triton]

Grumman LEM contractor model found on eBay. The design that was built, but a cool model nevertheless.

URL:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Grumman-Contractors-Lunar-Module-Model-/150610048453?_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D4%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D282096953764655755

 

[Triton]

Model of early Grumman LEM concept on display at The Museum of Flight in Seattle.

Source:
http://www.freewebs.com/aeroscale/mof.htm

 

[flateric]

anyone, any more info on that?

 

[Michel Van]

anyone, any more info on that?

you got a source on that, eric ?

like the name on Picture say it a LEM
could be proposal from Boeing, Douglas, Northrop, Ling-Temco-Vought or Martin Marietta

 

[flateric]

you got a source on that, eric ?

Igor Afanasyev of Novosti Kosmonavtiki (www.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru) sent me this image labeled 'Chance Vought LM 1962' asking if any further info available.
watermark at top left corner says 'Astronautics Division'

 

[archipeppe]

you got a source on that, eric ?

Igor Afanasyev of Novosti Kosmonavtiki (www.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru) sent me this image labeled 'Chance Vought LM 1962' asking if any further info available.
watermark at top left corner says 'Astronautics Division'

Mmmmm... really interesting!!
Never seen something like that before.... :

 

[Igor B]

"APOLLO RENDEZVOUS SIMULATOR STUDY" the name of that report from CHANCE VOUGHT CORPORATION to NASA in 1962. One more illustration from that report.

 

[Barrington Bond]

2 more...

 

[blackstar]

That's really interesting. It looks like they only used a single engine, with the descent stage essentially consisting of landing legs and fuel tanks that would be dropped on the surface and the same engine used for descent and ascent.

 

[archipeppe]

That's really interesting. It looks like they only used a single engine, with the descent stage essentially consisting of landing legs and fuel tanks that would be dropped on the surface and the same engine used for descent and ascent.

The same arrangement forseen for the Russian LK lander.

 

[Michel Van]

I love this Forum ;D

BIG THX to Igor B and Barrington Bond for the Picture

by the way, got some one pictures of LEM proposals of Boeing, Douglas, Northrop and Martin Marietta ?

 

[Igor B]

Same reports regarding LEM concept of CHANCE VOUGHT CORPORATION accessible from NTRS by the links:

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19740074737&hterms=19740074737+LEM+LEM&qs=Ntx%3Dmode%2520matchallany%7Cmode%2520matchany%26Ntk%3DAll%7CDocument-ID%26Ns%3DLoaded-Date%7C1%26N%3D0%26Ntt%3DLEM%7C19740074737

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19740075894&hterms=19740075894+LEM+LEM&qs=Ntx%3Dmode%2Bmatchallany%7Cmode%2520matchany%26Ntk%3DAll%7CDocument-ID%26Ns%3DLoaded-Date%7C1%26N%3D0%26Ntt%3DLEM%7C19740075894

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19740075902&hterms=19740075902+LEM+LEM&qs=Ntx%3Dmode%2Bmatchallany%7Cmode%2520matchany%26Ntk%3DAll%7CDocument-ID%26Ns%3DLoaded-Date%7C1%26N%3D0%26Ntt%3DLEM%7C19740075902

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19790076655&hterms=19790076655+LEM+LEM&qs=Ntx%3Dmode%2Bmatchallany%7Cmode%2520matchany%26Ntk%3DAll%7CDocument-ID%26Ns%3DLoaded-Date%7C1%26N%3D0%26Ntt%3DLEM%7C19790076655

 

[Igor B]

MARTIN MARIETTA.

I have one report prepared MARTIN MARIETTA for NASA in November 1962. There are two drawing: LOR configuration and DF configuration:

 

[Michel Van]

THX again, Igor Bezyaev

DF stand for Direct Flight
lucky they not take decision to use that
imagine Niel Armstrong down-climbing this Martin design in cumbering A7L space suit...

 

[Igor B]

Today I try to imagine Niel Armstrong down-climbing this Martin design in cumbering A7L space suit ... and there is result of it. Not so exactly, but somehow like that :

 

[Michel Van]

one moment, you are "that" Igor Bezyaev !
http://spaceart1.ning.com/profile/IgorBezyaev

 

[Igor B]

Yes, I am "that" Igor Bezyaev and some my illustrations accessible on the my page in International Space Art Network by the link:

http://spaceart1.ning.com/photo/photo/listForContributor?screenName=29mezxzv5np3a

Many thanks to Nick Stevens for that site!

Concerning concept of Boeing LEM I have only data from "The Lunar Exploration Scrapbook". Many thanks to Robert Godwin for that book and I hope he will not complain to me if I show one illustration from that book here. So the concept of Boeing LEM below. If somebody have the drawings or technical description of that concept, please, help me. I have plan to make space scene with that concept.

 

[blackstar]

Today I try to imagine Niel Armstrong down-climbing this Martin design in cumbering A7L space suit ... and there is result of it.

I work with him. A week ago he was showing us a video of his landing.

 

[Igor B]

Do you work with Niel Armstrong? You are lucky man! When I was the schoolboy, I dreamt to be the cosmonaut as well as many boys at that time. I envy to Armstrong and all other astronauts who went on the Moon (white envy, not black!). I regret that I cannot to handshake with him.

 

[blackstar]

Yes, I do. But it's aviation-related, not space. He is very interested in aircraft engineering and refers to his time as an astronaut as "the dark side." So it was a treat to hear him talk about space.

 

[Igor B]

I understood one more of the reason why NASA rejected Direct Flight. Look at the situation presented on the illustration below. Who will be the first? Smile !

 

[Grey Havoc]

;D

 

[blackstar]

I understood one more of the reason why NASA rejected Direct Flight. Look at the situation presented on the illustration below. Who will be the first?

Well, the Russians got a very late start to all of this. The timelines don't match. But I agree that a smaller spacecraft is easier to build than a big one.

But there is a well-known quote from one of the Apollo books where an Apollo official (I forget who) asked the question "Can you imagine trying to back an Atlas down onto the launch pad?" Try imagine steering something that tall as you bring it in for a landing. Probably impossible. The center of gravity would be very high, and it would be moving as the vehicle burned propellant.

 

[Michel Van]

I understood one more of the reason why NASA rejected Direct Flight. Look at the situation presented on the illustration below. Who will be the first? Smile !

 

[Igor B]

Mr. Michel Van! Thank you very much for your phrase “imagine Niel Armstrong down-climbing this Martin design in cumbering A7L space suit...”! It is help me to develop of series of illustrations. I cannot stop. It means the illustration above is not last! There is question: “Who will be first on the Moon?” Everybody! Please, consider about that question and prepare the answer. The day after tomorrow I will show the true answer and everybody can check it!

 

[Igor B]

I update illustration.

 

[Igor B]

I am ready to explain who will first. Please look at picture. Smile!

 

[Michel Van]

Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the space,
Britons never will be the last, thanks to the BIS.

When Britain first at Heav’n’s command
Arose from out the azure main;
Arose, arose, arose from out the azure main;
This was the charter, the charter of the land,
And guardian angels sang this strain;

Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the space,
Britons never will be the last, thanks to the BIS...

sung by crew of BIS Lander "Francis Drake" as they put the Union Jack on moon ;D

 

[archipeppe]

Really nice illustration, bravo!!

 

[Archibald]

;D

 

[Igor B]

Yes, I also thought about

 

[OM]

Today I try to imagine Niel Armstrong down-climbing this Martin design in cumbering A7L space suit ...

...Actually, the fun thing to imagine would be Pete Conrad trying to climb down from such a spacecraft. I'd pseudoquote him verbatim, but as Pete was a "master of the colorful metaphor", were I to do so Dwayne's head would explode