Another artists impression of the outpost, showing assembly of the laboratory from multiple vehicles and payloads.
Jul 262018
Jul 242018
Very late 1950’s Convair promo art of their “Outpost” space-base built from an Atlas launch vehicle. This was publicized enthusiastically by the likes of Krafft Ehricke; it preceded the MOL program, and would have resulted in a manned facility somewhat similar in size, thought dissimilar in capability. The MOL was a pre-finished, single-launch space lab, while the “Outpost” as a “wet lab” would have required considerable effort by workers in space suits to finish. To service the Outpost, an Atlas with a Centaur-like upper stage would orbit two wedge-like lifting bodies.
May 282018
A piece of 1960’s aerospace concept art depicting a sizable (50 to 100 crew) space station equipped with three modules at the ends of arms, intended for artificial gravity via centrifugal force. Presumably the conical structural at the left would contain the nuclear reactor, shielding and radiations; presumably the modules on the hub at the far left would be non-rotating to aid spacecraft docking. Unclear what the source is… but I’d bet on either North American Aviation or Lockheed.
I have uploaded righ-rez scans of both sides of this B&W photo glossy to the 2018-05 APR Extras folder on Dropbox for APR Patrons at the $4 level and up. If you are interested in these images and a great many other “extras” and monthly aerospace history rewards, please sign up for the APR Patreon. What else are you going to spend $4 a month on?
May 102018
The Convair VL-3A was a 1966 concept for a space station logistics spacecraft. It was a sleek, flat-bottomed lifting body featuring a twin tail and flip-out wings that would deploy shortly before landing to reduce the landing speed. It would be fitted with flip-out turbofan engines for range extension, self-ferry and control during landing. General Dynamics released sizable “educational” cards with information and photos of models of the spaceplane showing how the wings would deploy from within the lower fuselage.
I have uploaded righ-rez scans of both sides of this poster-sized card to the 2018-05 APR Extras folder on Dropbox for APR Patrons at the $4 level and up.
I also wrote about and illustrated the VL-3A in US Spacecraft Projects #2, showing the general arrangement of the design along with the disposable propulsion stage and the launch configuration atop the Titan III.
USSP #02 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $6:
If you are interested in thes VL-3A model images and a great many other “extras” and monthly aerospace history rewards, please sign up for the APR Patreon. What else are you going to spend $4 a month on?
Apr 262018
US Bomber Projects #21 and Spacecraft Projects #05 are now available.
US Bomber Projects #21
Cover art was provided by Rob Parthoens, www.baroba.be
US Bomber Projects #21 is now available (see HERE for the entire series). Issue #21 includes:
- Convair Submersible Nuclear Ramjet: a Mach 4 manned nuclear powered flying submarine
- Bell MX-776: an early post-war pilotless airplane
- Convair Manned Flyback Atlas: an unconventional recoverable ICBM
- DTNSRDC PAR-WIG Strategic Deterrent: a low-flying aircraft packing 4 Trident ballistic missiles
- Boeing Model 464-197: a supersonic B-52
- Martin Model 151-K: a pre-war twin-engined medium bomber
- Boeing Cruise Ballistic Missile: an entire aircraft packed into a silo, carrying an ICBM
- MC-747 Air Mobile System: a 1973 concept for carrying up to seven ICBMs in a modified cargo jet
USBP #21 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $4.25:
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US Spacecraft Projects #5
US Spacecraft Projects #05 is now available (see HERE for the entire series). Issue #05 includes:
- Project HORIZON Lunar Lander: a late 1950’s US Army concept for a manned Lunar lander
- Lockheed-Martin Mars Ascent/Descent Vehicle: A very recent concept for a future manned Mars vehicle
- JPL Interstellar Precursor: a 970’s design for a space probe to interstellar space
- Lockheed Modular Rotating Space Station: a truly gigantic design circa 1970
- Lockheed Payload Carrier: an early 1960’s spaceplane for space station logistics
- Martin-Marietta Winged NIMF: a nuclear powered “hopper”
- Lockheed CL-414: a capsule for Man in Space Soonest
- NASA HAVOC: High Altitude Venus Operational Concept, a 2015 project for manned exploration of the atmosphere of Venus
USSP #05 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $5.25:
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The previous releases of US Aerospace Projects:
US VTOL Projects #2
- SOS Interceptor: A US Navy Mach 3 aircraft with jettisonable wings
- Lockheed GL-224-3: A small battlefield surveillance and ground attack plane
- Phalanx Dragon MP-18: An unconventional small civilian transport
- Lockheed L-161-1: An early concept for a variable geometry roadable helicopter
- GE Supersonic V/STOL: A supersonic strike fighter with flip-out lift fans
- Convair ANP-VTOL: A nuclear-powered ground-effect craft of the Navy of unusual configuration
- Piasecki 16H-3: A compound helicopter for high speed passenger transport
- Boeing Vertol Model 147: A tilt-wing close support fire support design for the US Army
USVP #2 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $4.25:
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US Research & Recon Projects #2
- Lockheed A-1: The first true design leading to the SR-71
- Bell MX-2147 Model 105: The high altitude “X-16”
- Boeing/CRC/AMROC X-34 Reference Configuration: A reusable launcher test vehicle
- Martin Model 159: A scout/observation float plane
- NASA-Langley Low-Boom Demonstrator: a recent design to demonstrate quiet SST tech
- McDonnell-Douglas DC-9 Super 80 Propfan Configuration 1: A fuel efficient transport demo
- Convair “HAZEL” MC-10: An inflatable Mach 3 plane for the Navy
- Republic Manned Hypersonic Reconnaissance Vehicle: an early scramjet concept
USRP #2 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $4.25:
——–
Mar 292018
An old NASA video describing the HL-20 lifting body. In the 90’s NASA spent a lot of time and trouble trying to get an HL-20 built for a Personnel Launch System, a vehicle smaller than the Space Shuttle but capable of carrying as many passengers and riding a much smaller launch vehicle. For transporting passengers to and from the Space Station, it would have been much more economical and sensible than the Shuttle. And while the HL-20 was never built, the basic geometry has survived in the form of Sierra Nevada’s Dream Chaser, which *might* actually fly to space someday.
Jan 302018
A fanciful late 1950’s Martin Company illustration of a space station. This rendering features a large parabolic solar reflector to concentrate sunlight onto a boiler to run a turbogenerator for electricity, a hockey-puck shaped habitation section (you might think it was meant to rotate, but there are windows in the floor *and* a group of astronauts seemingly standing on the side of the thing, somehow not getting flung off), some standard 1950’s gee-whiz rocketships and something at far right that I can only describe as “a thing.” Maybe it’s meant to represent the radiator for the solar generators working fluid, but if so, it seems a terrible design. Maybe it’s the death ray.
Jan 042018
A Rocketdyne concept for a space station from the late 1950’s. This was a sphere some 60 feet in diameter, with at least three counter-rotating internal centrifuges (think “2001’s” Discovery) to provide between 0.2 and 0.8 of an Earth-normal gravity. This station was to be parked in geosynchronous orbit, 22,400 miles up, and would weigh 250,000 pounds. The crew was to be a rather surprising 50 men. There are enough questions about the design that it can be safely assumed to either not be an entirely serious design, or to have been artistically greatly altered from the engineering concept. It *appears* to be equipped with:
- Possibly a small nuclear power source with attached rectangular radiators, held at some distance.
- Some sort of small rocket vehicle… possibly a proble launcher, or, since this was the 1950’s, possibly a nuclear weapon launcher
- A parabolic reflector, probably a solar mirror for concentrating sunlight and generating power
- An optical telescope
- A radar or communications dish that is pointed nowhere near towards Earth
Nov 152017
Every now and then something of aerospace history interest and importance shows up on EBay that is too expensive for easy acquisition, and so I will run a “crowdfunding campaign” to procure the funds to purchase the item. In these cases, the item – almost always a document of some kind – is scanned, the funders get complete copies, and the original is then sent to a relevant archive. Another such item has popped up.
In this case, the item is expensive because the seller has put a stupid-high Buy It Now price on it. What they have is a pair of early-1960’s Grumman documents abut manned lifting body logistics spacecraft. Very interesting-looking stuff, the sort of item I’d snap up in a heartbeat for Aerospace Projects Review… if they didn’t cost $800.
So, I’m looking for people willing to join in on purchasing this. I currently have six people lined up, but the minimum this time is fifteen: this would drop the price per person to about $53.50. That’s still a pretty good chunk of change, but the more people who sign on, the lower the price will be.
So if you’d like to sign on, just send me an email 
or comment below. You won’t be asked to put up money unless the documents are purchased, and that won’t happen until at least 15 people sign up. Check back here for updates.
UPDATE, 11/15/2017-9:37PM mountain time: 10 people signed up. 2/3 of the way there…
UPDATE, 11:17 PM: 12 people.
UPDATE, 11/16/2017-8:29 AM: 14 people signed up. One more and I’ll pull the trigger on this, but I’ll keep availability open for a little while longer in order to hopefully bring in more funders and reduce the per-person cost. Can’t keep it open *too* long, because… sheesh, 800 bucks. My mortgage payment comes due *tomorrow.*
UPDATE, 7:54 PM: Now at 17 funders. The seller is currently away for a few days and it seems unlikely that anyone else will plunk down the $802 for this, so I’ll risk it and leave things open for a few more days to get more funders on board. With 17, the price per person is now $47.17. If it gets to 20, that’ll be $40.10, and so on.
Oct 282017
Some NASA art from back in the day. Click to embiggen.
