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Episodes Tagged with "Apollo"

Jul 18

An Encore Presentation of Space Rocket History #169 – Apollo 8 – Christmas 1968

Posted on July 18, 2018

Bill Anders: “We are now approaching lunar sunrise, and for all the people back on Earth, the crew of Apollo 8 has a message that we would like to send to you.” “‘In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. ‘And the earth was without fo...
Tagged:Anders, Apollo, Apollo 13, Borman, Lovell
Sep 13

An Encore Presentation of Space Rocket History #26 – Why the Moon?

Posted on September 13, 2017

“We have been plunged into a race for the conquest of outer space. As a reason for this undertaking some look to the new and exciting scientific discoveries which are certain to be made. Others feel the challenge to transport man beyond frontiers he ...
Tagged:Alan Shepard, Apollo, Jfk, Nasa, Rice
Dec 15

An Encore Presentation of Space Rocket History #30 – Godspeed John Glenn – Mercury-Atlas 6 – Friendship 7 – Part 1

Posted on December 15, 2016

“I am in a big mass of some very small particles, they’re brilliantly lit up like they’re luminescent. I never saw anything like it! They round a little: they’re coming by the capsule and they look like little stars. A whole shower of them coming by....
Tagged:Africa, Alan Shepard, Apollo, Atlas, Australia, Canton Island, Cape Canaveral, Cape Kennedy, Exploration, Fireflies, Friendship 7, Godspeed John Glenn, Hawaii, History, Indian Ocean, John Glenn, Kano, Lyndon Johnson, Mercury, Mercury 7, Mexico, Muchea, Nasa, Nigeria, Nikita Khrushchev, Perth, Rocket, Russia, Segment 51, Sensor, Soviet, Space, Titov, Wally Schirra, Walter Schirra
Dec 16

An Encore Presentation of Space Rocket History #31 – Godspeed John Glenn – Mercury-Atlas 6 – Friendship 7 – Part 2

Posted on December 16, 2016

Mercury Control was still undecided on the course of action to take with the heat shield problem. Some controllers thought the retrorocket pack should be jettisoned after retrofire, while other controllers thought the retro pack should be retained, a...
Tagged:Africa, Alan Shepard, Apollo, Atlas, Australia, Canton Island, Cape Canaveral, Cape Kennedy, Exploration, Fireflies, Friendship 7, Godspeed John Glenn, Hawaii, History, Indian Ocean, John Glenn, Kano, Lyndon Johnson, Mercury, Mercury 7, Mexico, Muchea, Nasa, Nigeria, Nikita Khrushchev, Perth, Rocket, Russia, Segment 51, Sensor, Soviet, Space, Titov, Wally Schirra, Walter Schirra
Feb 12

Space Rocket History #100 – Apollo: Preliminary Design

Posted on February 12, 2015

In January 1960, President Eisenhower directed NASA Administrator Glennan to accelerate the Super Booster Program that had recently been assigned to NASA. This order ensured the transfer of the von Braun group from the Army Ballistic Missile Agency t...

Using a model at upper left, William Rector of General Dynamics Corp. describes the design his company proposed for the Apollo lunar mission

Spacecraft modules in this drawing were identified in the Space Task Group’s request for proposals from contractors for developing and producing the command module

Saturn 1 test

Saturn 1 test 2

mySuperLamePic_c1194b7fa9498eb5af694d8530d3ebf8

At lower left, E. E. Clark and Carlos de Moraes of the Martin Company display three of a dozen command module configurations considered before the choice of the one to the right

ASA’s second Administrator, James E. Webb (at center above), and George M. Low (right above) of NASA Headquarters receive a model of General Electric’s proposed vehicle

Tagged:A Plan For Manned Lunar Landing, Abbott, Alan Shepard, Apollo, Avco, C 2 Saturn, Cape Kennedy, Charles Houbolt, Circumlunar, Congress, Convair, Docking, Dolan, Donlan, Eisenhower, Eldon Hall, Exploration, Faget, Feasibility Studies, Gagarin, Gemini Project, General Electric, George Low, Gilruth, Glennan, Goett, History, Houston, Hugh Dryden, J R Clark, James Killian, James Webb, Jerome Wiesner, Jfk, John Disher, John Lee, Jpl, Kennedy, Kieth Glennan, Langley, Lbj, Lovelace Foundation, Low, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lyndon Johnson, Manned Lunar Landing Task Group, Manned Spacecraft Center, Markley, Marshall Space Flight Center, Martin, Mercury, Moon, Nasa, Nova, Oran Nicks, Ostrandersiepert, Pickering, Piland, Project Apollo, Rendezvous, Richard S Johnston, Robert Chilton, Rocket, Saturn, Seamans, Silverstein, Soviet, Space, Space Task Group, Sputnik, Stanley White, Strass, Von Braun, Vought Astronautics, Webb, William Petynia
Feb 19

Space Rocket History #101 – Apollo: Preliminary Design Part 2 – Mode, Command Module, and Astronavigation.

Posted on February 19, 2015

In May 1961, NASA was not really prepared to direct an enormous Apollo program designed to fly its spacecraft to the moon. New and special facilities would be needed and the aerospace industry would have to be marshaled to develop vehicles not easily...

David G. Hoag, technical design director at the laboratory, examines the inertial measuring unit that would measure changes in Apollo spacecraft velocity when propulsion systems were fired

MIT Instrumentation Laboratory Director C. Stark Draper inspects a mockup of the Apollo guidance and control system in the September 1963

astronaut positions

Tagged:Apollo, Avco, C 2 Saturn, Cape Kennedy, Charles Houbolt, Circumlunar, Congress, Convair, Docking, Dolan, Donlan, Eisenhower, Eldon Hall, Exploration, Faget, Feasibility Studies, General Electric, George Low, Gilruth, Glennan, Goett, History, Houston, Hugh Dryden, J R Clark, James Killian, James Webb, Jerome Wiesner, Jfk, John Disher, John Lee, Jpl, Kennedy, Kieth Glennan, Langley, Lbj, Lovelace Foundation, Low, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lyndon Johnson, Manned Lunar Landing Task Group, Manned Spacecraft Center, Markley, Marshall Space Flight Center, Martin, Mercury, Moon, Nasa, Nova, Oran Nicks, Ostrandersiepert, Pickering, Piland, Project Apollo, Rendezvous, Richard S Johnston, Robert Chilton, Rocket, Saturn, Seamans, Silverstein, Soviet, Space, Space Task Group, Sputnik, Stanley White, Strass, Von Braun, Webb
Feb 26

Space Rocket History #102 – Apollo: Preliminary Design Part 3 – Command Module Contract, Mode, and Launch Vehicles

Posted on February 26, 2015

Max Faget thought the first stage of the moon rocket should use four solid-fueled engines, 6.6 meters in diameter.  He reasoned these could certainly accomplish whatever mission was required of either the Saturn or Nova, and it would be more cost eff...

John_Houbolt_and_LOR2

Earth Orbit Rendezvous

Apollo_Direct_Ascent

Tagged:Albert Clagett, Apollo, C 2 Saturn, C 4, Cape Kennedy, Charles Houbolt, Charles Mattews, Circumlunar, Congress, Dave Lang, Docking, Eor, Exploration, F 100, F 86, Faget, Feasibility Studies, Fleming, General Electric, George Low, Gilruth, Glennan, Goett, Golovin, Heinrich Weigand, History, Hjornevik, Hound Dog, Hugh Dryden, James Chamberlin, James Webb, Jerome Wiesner, Jfk, John Rubel, Jpl, Kavanau, Kennedy, Kieth Glennan, Kleinknecht, Koppenhaver, Langley, Lbj, Lor, Lovelace Foundation, Low, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lundin, Lyndon Johnson, Marshall Space Flight Center, Martin, Martin Company, Matthew Collins, Mcdonnell, Moon, Nasa, Navajo, North American Aviation, Nova, Oswald Lange, Piland, Project Apollo, Rendezvous, Robert Mcnamara, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Saturn, Saturn C 3, Seamans, Soviet, Space, Space Task Group, Sputnik, Von Braun, X 15
Mar 5

Space Rocket History #103 – Saturn Development 1957 – 1960

Posted on March 5, 2015

Many historians agree, the U.S. took its first step toward the moon in the spring of 1957, four years before President Kennedy declared the national goal of landing a man on the Moon, and returning him safely to the Earth. While still preparing for t...

12-Second stage (S-IV)

11-Booster stage (S-I)

10-Proposed C-2

9-C-1 and earlier vehicles

8-Model of blockhouse at Launch Complex 34

7-Vehicles using Titan and Atlas stages

6-Saturn C

5-Saturn B

4-Preliminary concept of Launch Complex 34, Cape Canaveral

3-Early H-1 Engine

2-Thor-Jupiter engine

1-Proposed configuration of a clustered booster

Tagged:Abma, Air Force, Alabama, Apollo, Army Ballistic Missile Agency, Army Ordnance Missile Command, Arpa, Atlantic Missile Range, C 2 Saturn, C 4, Cape Kennedy, Centaur, Charles Wilson, Circumlunar, Congress, Dx, Eisenhower, Exploration, Explorer 1, F 1, F 86, Gilruth, Glennan, Golovin, H 1, Herbert York, History, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, James Webb, Jfk, Jpl, Jupiter, Kennedy, Kerosene, Kieth Glennan, Kurt Debus, Launch Complex 34, Lox, Lr 119, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lyndon Johnson, Marshall Space Flight Center, Medaris, Missile Firing Laboratory, Moon, Nasa, North American Aviation, Nova, Prat Whitney, Project Apollo, Rendezvous, Rocket, Rocketdyne, Roy Johnson, Rp 1, S 3d, S I, S Iv, S V, Saturn, Saturn C 3, Saturn I, Saturn Ib, Saturn V, Soviet, Space, Sputnik, Tennessee River, Thor, Titan C, Von Braun
Mar 12

Space Rocket History #104 – Saturn’s First Flight – SA-1 – Part 1

Posted on March 12, 2015

Just as launch complex 34 dwarfed its predecessors, Saturn’s checkout represented a new magnitude in launch operations. The Saturn C-1 stood three times higher, required six times more fuel, and produced ten times more thrust than the Jupiter. Its si...

Lifting the first stage from the transporter

Hoisting the stage in vertical attitude

Erecting the upper stages

Early design concepts of C-1 and C-5 versions of the Saturn launch vehicles

16-Unloading Compromise in Florida

15-S-I and S-IV stages aboard the Compromise

14-Booster movement around Wheeler Dam

11-Launch Complex 34

10-Configurations of Saturn flight vehicles

9-Saturn Barge route

7-Six-engine configuration of the S-IV stage

6-Redesigned tail of the Saturn booster

5- The barge Palaemon

3-First horizontal mating of the Saturn vehicle

2-Movement of dummy S-IV stage to checkout

Tagged:Alabama, Albert Zeiler, Apollo, Arpa, Atlantic Missile Range, Block I, Block Ii, Braunschweig, C 2 Saturn, C 4, Cape Kennedy, Centaur, Circumlunar, Compromise, Corps Of Engineers, Crunk, Dyna Soar, Exploration, Explorer 1, F 1, Fort Bliss, Grady Williams, Green Cove Springs, H 1, Hans Gruene, History, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, Intracoastal Waterway, J 2, Jupiter, Karl Sendler, Kennedy, Kerosene, Kurt Debus, Launch Complex 34, Lox, Lr 119, Lunar, Lunar Module, M 26, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mercury Redstone, Milton Rosen, Missile Firing Laboratory, Missle Firing Labatory, Moon, Nasa, Nova, Palaemon, Peenemunde, Pershing, Project Apollo, Ranger, Rendezvous, Robert Gorman, Robert Moser, Rocket, Rp 1, S I, S Iv, S V, Sa 1, Saturn, Saturn C 3, Saturn I, Saturn Ib, Saturn V, Sendler, Soviet, Space, Tennessee River, Titan C, Von Braun, Wheeler Dam, White Sands
Mar 18

Space Rocket History #105 – Saturn’s First Flight – SA-1 – Part 2

Posted on March 18, 2015

No previous maiden launch had gone flawlessly, and the Saturn C-1 was considerably more complicated than any rocket launched thus far. Launch Operations Directorate officials gave the rocket a 75% chance of getting off the ground, and a 30% chance of...

To assemble the large Saturns, NASA needed a plant, preferably one already built. The Michoud facility (above), close to New Orleans, suited the requirements

Saturn_SA1_on_launch_pad

Modules of the Apollo spacecraft were tested in Florida in the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building. Above, NASA officials Walt Williams, Merritt Preston, Kurt Debus, Brainerd Holmes, and Wernher von Braun

Maiden launch of the Apollo program- Saturn SA-1 from Cape Canaveral, 27 October 1961

First Saturn Launch

Liftoff of Saturn I. Note the long cable mast falling away on the right

mySuperLamePic_c001b3d7f61bec278243523bf2e79253

Abe Silverstein, NASA’s Director of Space Flight Development, is shown touring a rocket engine facility

1-Launch Complex 34, blockhouse interior

Tagged:Alabama, Albert Zeiler, Ames Research Center, Andrew Pickett, Apollo, Atlantic Missile Range, Block I, Block Ii, C 2 Saturn, C 4, Cape Kennedy, Centaur, Circumlunar, Compromise, Congressman Albert W Thomas, Corps Of Engineers, Crunk, Daniel Mcmath, Dyna Soar, Exploration, Explorer 1, F 1, Fort Bliss, Gainsville, General W K Wilson, H 1, History, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, Intracoastal Waterway, J 2, Jim White, John Parsons, Jupiter, Karl Sendler, Kennedy, Kerosene, Kurt Debus, Launch Complex 34, Launch Operations Directorate, Lc 37, Lox, Lr 119, Lunar, Lunar Module, M 26, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mercury Redstone, Merritt Island, Michoud, Milton Rosen, Missile Firing Laboratory, Missile Systems Group, Missle Firing Labatory, Moon, Multiplexer, Nasa, Nova, Palaemon, Paul Dembling, Pearl River, Peenemunde, Pershing, Project Apollo, Ralph Ulmer, Ranger, Redstone Arsenal, Rendezvous, Robert Gorman, Robert Moser, Rocket, Rp 1, S 1, S I, S Iv, S V, Sa 1, Saturn, Saturn C 3, Saturn I, Saturn Ib, Saturn V, Sendler, Soviet, Space, Tennessee River, Titan C, Vice President Johnson, Von Braun, Xo 4b, Xo 6b
Mar 26

Space Rocket History #106 – Apollo: The Mode Decision – Part 1

Posted on March 26, 2015

The mode that Apollo would use to land on the moon was the most studied, analyzed, and debated decision made for the lunar landing program.  There were four main choices Direct-ascent, Earth-Orbit Rendezvous, Lunar-Orbit Rendezvous, and Lunar Surface...

two landing techniques proposed for the direct ascent mode

SA-1

RendezvousMethods

proposed lunar-surface-rendezvous procedure, a propellant-transfer vehicle takes fuel from the tanker to a manned space vehicle. After loading the fuel, the two astronauts would fire the engine of their spacecraft to return to the earth

Major configuration changes in the Apollo spacecraft from May 1960 to July 1962

Early design concepts of C-1 and C-5 versions of the Saturn launch vehicles

A ferry that would leave a command ship in orbit around the moon, visit the lunar surface, and then return to the command ship for the voyage back to the earth

Tagged:Abe Silverstein, Abma, Apollo, Arthur Bogeley, Astraco, Bell Aerosystems, C 2 Saturn, Cape Kennedy, Charles Houbolt, Charles Mattews, Clinton Brown, Congress, Direct Ascent, Docking, Dolan, Donald Heaton, E J Daniels, Earth0orbit, Eldon Hall, Eor, Exploration, Faget, Fleming, Gilruth, Glennan, Golovin, History, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, Institute Of Aerospace Sciences, J R Clark, James Webb, Jfk, John Bird, John Cord, John Rubel, Jpl, Juno V, Kavanau, Kennedy, Kieth Glennan, Koppenhaver, Kurbjun, Kurt Strass, Langley, Leonard Seale, Lor, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lunar Orbit, Lundin, Lunex, Marshall Space Flight Center, Max Faget, Mode, Moon, Nasa, Nova, Owen Maynard, Paul Purser, Project Apollo, Rendezvous, Robert Oneal, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Saturn, Saturn C 3, Seamans, Soviet, Space, Space Task Group, Von Braun, William Fleming, William Michael, William Pickering
Apr 2

Space Rocket History #107 – Apollo: The Mode Decision – Part 2

Posted on April 2, 2015

Langley’s brochure for the Golovin Committee described Lunar landers of varied sizes and payload capabilities.  There were illustrations and data on a very small lander that was able to carry one man for 2 to 4 hours on the moon.  There was an “econo...

Early design concepts of C-1 and C-5 versions of the Saturn launch vehicles

NASA announced selection of the lunar-orbit-rendezvous landing technique at an 11 July 1962 press conference. left to right James E. Webb, Robert C. Seamans, Jr., D. Brainerd Holmes, and Joseph F. Shea

Harry C. Shoaf (Space Task Group Engineering Division 15 November 1961 of a proposed lunar lander to be used with an advanced version of the Mercury spacecraft

concept of a small lunar lander during descent to the surface of the moon, as proposed by Langley Research Center employees in October 1961

Tagged:Abe Silverstein, Abma, Alfred Eggers, Ames Research Center, Apollo, Brainerd Holmes, Caldwell Johnson, Charles Frick, Charles Houbolt, Charles Mattews, Charlie Fricks Road Show, Clinton Brown, Congress, Direct Ascent, Docking, Dolan, Eldon Hall, Eor, Exploration, Faget, Fleming, General Dynamics Convair, George Low, Gilruth, Golovin, Harold Hornby, History, Holmes, Houbolt, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, James Chamberlin, James Webb, Jfk, John Eggleston, Joseph Shea, Jpl, Kennedy, Kurt Strass, Langley, Lewis Research Center, Lina, Lindsay, Lor, Lunar, Lunar Crasher, Lunar Module, Lunar Orbit Rendezvous, Lunar Orbit, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Max Faget, Mode, Moon, Nasa, Nova, Project Apollo, Rendezvous, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Saturn, Saturn C 5, Seamans, Soviet, Space, Space Task Group, Spacecraft Research Division, Vogeley, Von Braun, Vought, William Rector
Apr 9

Space Rocket History #108 – Apollo: The Mode Decision – Part 3

Posted on April 9, 2015

“I would like to reiterate once more that it is absolutely mandatory that we arrive at a definite mode decision within the next few weeks. . . . If we do not make a clear-cut decision on the mode very soon, our chances of accomplishing the first luna...

Shea uses models to demonstrate how the lunar module would dock with the command module

Rocket Comparison

Lunar orbit insertion

Tagged:Abe Silverstein, Abma, Alfred Eggers, Ames Research Center, Apollo, Brainerd Holmes, Caldwell Johnson, Charles Frick, Charles Houbolt, Charles Mattews, Charlie Fricks Road Show, Clinton Brown, Congress, Csm, Direct Ascent, Docking, Dolan, Douglas, Dryden, Eldon Hall, Eor, Exploration, Faget, Fleming, General Dynamics Convair, George Low, Gilruth, Golovin, Grumman, Harold Hornby, History, Holmes, Houbolt, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, James Chamberlin, James Webb, Jerome Wiesner, Jfk, John Eggleston, Joseph Shea, Jpl, Kennedy, Kurt Strass, Langley, Lem, Lewis Research Center, Lina, Lindsay, Lor, Lunar, Lunar Crasher, Lunar Module, Lunar Orbit Rendezvous, Lunar Orbit, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Max Faget, Mode, Moon, Msc, Msfc, Nasa, Nicholas Golovin, Nova, Presidents Science Advisory Committee, Project Apollo, Psac, Rca, Rendezvous, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Saturn, Saturn C 5, Saturn C 8, Saturn C Ib, Seamans, Soviet, Space, Space Task Group, Spacecraft Research Division, Vogeley, Von Braun, Vought, William Rector
Apr 16

Space Rocket History #109 – Apollo: The PSAC Strikes Back and Saturn SA-2

Posted on April 16, 2015

After viewing the Apollo spaceport being built in Florida, President Kennedy flew on to Huntsville, Alabama. There, during a tour of Marshall and a briefing on the Saturn V and the lunar-rendezvous mission by von Braun, Jerome Wiesner interrupted Von...

REF: 2-903-6 SA-2 LAUNCH AT CAPE. IGNITION OF ROCKET (SATURN 1 VEHICLE)

SA-2 erected on launch pedestal

Wernher_von_Braun_confers_with_Brainerd_Holmes_and_Nicholas_Golovin

Tagged:Apollo, Brainerd Holmes, Bruce Lundin, Csm, Direct Ascent, Docking, Downey, Dryden, Eor, Exploration, Fleming, Franklin A Long, General Dynamics Convair, George Low, Gilruth, Golovin, Grumman, High Water, Highwater, History, Holmes, Houbolt, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, James Webb, Jerome Wiesner, Jfk, Joseph Shea, Jpl, Kennedy, Kurt Debus, Langley, Lc34, Lem, Lester Lees, Lewis Research Center, Lina, Lor, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lunar Orbit Rendezvous, Lunar Orbit, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mercury, Mode, Moon, Msc, Msfc, Nasa, Nicholas Golovin, Nova, Presidents Science Advisory Committee, Project Apollo, Psac, Rendezvous, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Saturn, Saturn C 5, Seamans, Soviet, Space, Space Vehicle Panel, Von Braun
Apr 23

Space Rocket History #110 – Early Apollo Command Module Design

Posted on April 23, 2015

The Apollo contract specified a shirt-sleeve environment. For this reason, North American was told not to include in its design a hatch that opened by explosives, like Mercury’s. An accidentally blown hatch in space would cause an instant vacuum and ...

The impact facility at North American was used to drop-test the CM

Selection of Little Joe II completed the Apollo family of launch vehicles.

Scott Carpenter, John Glenn, and Walter Schirra in 1963 inspect a full-scale mock up of the Apollo CM

North American Aviation Stormy,

Interior of a partial full-scale mockup of the Apollo command module

major parts of the command module structure

Tagged:Ablator, Ac Spark Plug, Aerojet General, Airesearch Manufacturing, Ames, Apollo, Apollo Spacecraft Project Office, Avco, B 25, B 45, Block I, Brainerd Holmes, California, California Institute Of Technology, Cambridge, Carpenter, Charles Frick, Charles H Feltz, Collins Radio Company, Direct Ascent, Downey, Dryden, Exploration, F 86, F100, Gemini, George Low, Gilruth, Glenn, Harrison Storms, History, Holmes, Honeycomb, Honeywell Regulator Company, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Impact Facility, John Paup, Langley, Lewis Research Center, Little Joe Ii, Lockheed, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lunar Orbit Rendezvous, Man In Space Soonest, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marquardt Corporation, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mcdonnell, Mercury, Mit, Mode, Moon, Msc, Msfc, Nasa, Norman J Ryker, North American Aviation, Northrop, P 51, Phase A, Project Apollo, Radioplane, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Rocketdyne, S Ii, Saturn, Schirra, Seamans, Service Module, Shirt Sleve Environment, Smedal, Space, Stormy, Thiokol, White Sands, X 15, Xb 70
Apr 30

Space Rocket History #111 – Apollo: Early Lunar Module Design and Saturn SA-3”

Posted on April 30, 2015

During 1962, NASA faced three major tasks: first the mode selection and its defense (covered in episodes 106-109), second keeping North American moving on the command and service modules (covered in episode 110) and third finding a contractor to deve...
Tagged:Ames, Apollo, Apollo Spacecraft Project Office, Bell Aerosystems, Bethpage, Block I, Block Ii, Brainerd Holmes, C William Rathke, Charles Frick, Charles H Feltz, Clean Room, Cuban Missile Crisis, Dryden, E Clinton Towl, Ellington Air Force Base, Exploration, Gemini, George Low, Gilruth, Grumman, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, H 1, Highwater, History, Holmes, Houston, Hugh Dryden, James Webb, John Snedeker, Joseph G Gavin, Joseph Shea, Kurt Debus, Langley, Lc 34, Lem, Leroy R Grumman, Little Joe Ii, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lunar Orbit Rendezvous, M 31 Heat Shield, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Max Faget, Mcdonnell, Mercury, Mode, Moon, Msc, Msfc, Nasa, North American Aviation, Project Apollo, Promise, Ranger, Robert S Mullaney, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Sa 2, Sa 3, Saturn, Saturn 103, Saturn C Ib, Saturn Apollo 3, Seamans, Service Module, Space, Surveyor 1, Thomas J Kelly, Thomas Markley, Von Braun, White Sands, William Rector
May 7

Space Rocket History #112 – Apollo: Headquarters

Posted on May 7, 2015

“The contractor role in Houston was not very firm. Frankly, they didn’t want us. There were two things against us down there. Number one, it was a Headquarters contract, and it was decreed that the Space Centers shall use GE for certain things; and n...

General Electric employees monitor activities of a spacecraft test in the automatic-checkout-equipment spacecraft control room in 1965

comparison of spacecraft and launch vehicle configuration

Apollo tracking network in 1966. Radar stations with large antennas for continuous tracking and communications were at Goldstone, California; Madrid, Spain; and Canberra, Australia

Tagged:Ames, Apollo, Apollo Spacecraft Project Office, Bellcomm, Block I, Block Ii, Brainerd Holmes, Charles Frick, Edward S Miller, Ellington Air Force Base, Exploration, F 1, Frederick R Kappel, Gemini, General Electric, George Low, Gilruth, Grumman, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, H 1, Highwater, History, Holmes, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, J 2, James Webb, John P Mayer, Joseph Shea, Kurt Debus, Langley, Lewis Research Center, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lunar Orbit Rendezvous, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mcdonnell, Mercury, Mode, Moon, Msc, Msfc, Nasa, North American Aviation, Office Of Manned Space Flight, Project Apollo, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Rocketdyne, Saturn, Seamans, Service Module, Space, William Rector
May 14

Space Rocket History #113 – Apollo: Command Module Design and Development 1963-1964

Posted on May 14, 2015

…From the information they gathered on the existing technical problems, Disher and Tischler concluded that prospects were only one in ten that Apollo would land on the moon before the end of the decade….

Full-scale model of the command module, above- the strake aerodynamic devices may be seen at either side of the spacecraft just above the aft heatshield

Removing LM from S=IVB stage

On 16 November 1963 in Cape Canaveral’s Blockhouse 37, NASA’s new manned space flight chief George Mueller

Communications with the moon as the earth turned. Astronauts on the moon’s surface also could talk to one another

Tagged:Apollo, Apollo Spacecraft Project Office, Apollo Soyuz, Bellcomm, Block I, Block Ii, Boilerplate, Brainerd Holmes, Canards, Charles Frick, Disher, Downey, Exploration, F 1, Gemini, General Electric, George Low, George Mueller, Gilruth, Grumman, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, Harrison Storms, History, Holmes, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, J 2, James Webb, John P Mayer, John Paup, Joseph Shea, Kurt Debus, Langley, Lewis Research Center, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lunar Orbit Rendezvous, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall, Marshall Space Flight Center, Max Faget, Mcdonnell, Mercury, Mockup, Mode, Moon, Msc, Msfc, Nasa, North American Aviation, Office Of Manned Space Flight, Project Apollo, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Rocketdyne, Ruben Mettler, Samuel C Phillips, Saturn, Saturn I, Saturn Ib, Saturn V, Seamans, Service Module, Skylab, Space, Space Technology Laboratories, Strakes, Thomas Markley, Tischler, Tower Flaps, Tulsa, William Rector
May 21

Space Rocket History #114 – Apollo: Command Module Design and Development 1963-1964 Part 2

Posted on May 21, 2015

Max Faget’s position was that considering the difficulty of the job,  if each mission was successful half the time, it would be well worth the effort.  But Gilruth thought that was too low.  He want a 90% mission success ratio and a 99% ratio for Ast...

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The cabin section (or primary structure) of the CM is assembled at North American in 1965

The CM probe would slip into the LM’s dish-shaped drogue, and 12 latches on the docking ring would engage, to lock the spacecraft together, airtight

Full-scale model of the service module, resting on a mockup of a spacecraft-lunar module adapter, with panels off to reveal part of the internal arrangement

Jettison of the launch escape system (right) after successful launch, also pulls away the boost protective cover that protects the windows from flame and soot

On the drawing of the launch escape system at upper right, the canard aerodynamic devices are near the top of the escape tower

Tagged:Apollo, Apollo Spacecraft Project Office, Apollo Soyuz, Bellcomm, Block I, Block Ii, Boilerplate, Brainerd Holmes, Canards, Charles Frick, Disher, Downey, Exploration, F 1, Gemini, General Electric, George Low, George Mueller, Gilruth, Grumman, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, Harrison Storms, History, Holmes, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, J 2, James Webb, John P Mayer, John Paup, Joseph Shea, Kurt Debus, Langley, Lewis Research Center, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lunar Orbit Rendezvous, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall, Marshall Space Flight Center, Max Faget, Mcdonnell, Mercury, Mockup, Mode, Moon, Msc, Msfc, Nasa, North American Aviation, Office Of Manned Space Flight, Project Apollo, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Rocketdyne, Ruben Mettler, Samuel C Phillips, Saturn, Saturn I, Saturn Ib, Saturn V, Seamans, Service Module, Skylab, Space, Space Technology Laboratories, Strakes, Thomas Markley, Tischler, Tower Flaps, Tulsa, William Rector
May 28

Space Rocket History #115 – Saturn I: SA-4, SA-5, SA-6, and SA-7

Posted on May 28, 2015

Saturn 1, SA-6 was the first orbital launch of an Apollo Spacecraft by a Saturn Launch Vehicle and also the first flight utilizing an active ST-124 Stabilized Platform.

VonBraunMuellerReesSA6

SA5_launch

sa-6-spacecraft

sa-6-dem

SA-6 spacecraft and launch vehicle ready to go

SA-6 on pad

SA-5Section cuts

SA-5

SA-5 S-IV stage

SA-5 on pad

SA-5 Demensions

apollo_sa7_launch

apollo_sa4

Tagged:Apollo, As 101, As 102, Block I, Block Ii, Exploration, H 1, History, Holmes, Houston, Langley, Lc 34, Little Joe Ii, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Msc, Msfc, Mueller, Nasa, Project Apollo, Rees, Rocket, S Iv, Sa 2, Sa 3, Sa 4, Sa 5, Sa 6, Sa 7, Sa 8, Saturn, Saturn 103, Saturn I, Saturn Apollo 3, Seamans, Service Module, Space, Von Braun
Jun 4

Space Rocket History #116 – Apollo: Little Joe II

Posted on June 4, 2015

A few seconds after liftoff, a fin-vane at the base of the booster stuck and started the 13-meter-tall spacecraft-booster combination spinning like a bullet. Twenty-six seconds into the flight the vehicle started coming apart. The abort-sensing syste...

a-002

A-001_launch_1964_05_13

Pad_abort_test_1-237×300

Little Joe II- On Pad, Complex 36 (December 7, 1964)

BP12

Apollo_LJ_II_flight_profile

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A pad abort test at White Sands, left, helped determine that the launch escape system could propel the Apollo command module away from danger if a Saturn launch vehicle explosion should threaten

A desert area at White Sands Test Facility, New Mexico, was used for testing the spacecraft propulsion system module

Tagged:A 001, A 002, A 003, A 004, Alan Kehlet, Algol, Apex Cover, Apollo, Canard, Command Module, Convair, Exploration, General Dynamics, Gordon Cooper, History, Houston, John Glenn, Langley, Launch Escape System, Les, Little Joe Ii, Manned Space Flight, Max Q, Msc, Msfc, Nasa, Project Apollo, Q Ball, Qtv, Recruit Te 29, Rocket, Saturn, Saturn I, Scott Carpenter, Service Module, Space, Wally Schirra, White Sands Missile Range
Jun 11

Space Rocket History #117 – Apollo: Lunar Module Design

Posted on June 11, 2015

Since the lunar module would fly only in space (earth orbit and lunar vicinity), the designers could ignore the aerodynamic streamlining demanded by earth’s atmosphere and build the first true manned spacecraft, designed solely for operating in the s...

6-NASA engineers in 1964 decided that astronauts could stand in the lunar module cabin during the trip to the lunar surface. Note triangular windows

7-Proposed sleeping positions for astronauts on the moon

5-Mockup of lunar module cabin with seats

4-The drawing of the stage indicates positions of components

3-underside of the lunar module descent stage shows fuel tank installation

2-Administrator James Webb examines models of the lunar and command modules in docked position

1-Lunar module generations from 1962 (above left; the vehicle originally proposed by Grumman) to 1969

Tagged:8 Ball, Ac Electronics, Apollo, Ascent Stage, Bethpage, Block I, Block Ii, Cline W Frasier, Cruciform, Decent Stage, Donn Eislee, Downey, Electroluminescence, Exploration, Father Of The Lem, George Low, George Mueller, Gilruth, Grumman, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, Hamilton Standard, History, Holmes, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, J 2, J T Markley, James Webb, John P Mayer, John Paup, Joseph Shea, Langley, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lunar Orbit Rendezvous, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mit, Mockup, Moon, Msc, Msfc, Nasa, North American Aviation, Office Of Manned Space Flight, Owen Maynard, Pete Conrad, Project Apollo, Rca, Rendezvous Radar, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Saturn V, Scott Carpenter, Seamans, Service Module, Space, Space Technology Laboratories, Spacecraft Technology Division, Thomas J Kelly, William Rector
Jun 17

Space Rocket History #118 – Apollo: Lunar Module Design – Part 2

Posted on June 17, 2015

The Lunar Lander originally had two docking hatches, one at the top center of the cabin and another in the forward position, or nose, of the vehicle, with a tunnel in each location to permit astronauts to crawl from one pressurized vehicle to the oth...

3-improved lunar module features – ladder, porch, hatch, and rendezvous window

2-he addition of a ladder on a landing gear leg made the task much easier

1- Astronauts found a knotted rope from the lunar module difficult to climb down (or up)

Tagged:Apollo, Ascent Stage, Bethpage, Block I, Block Ii, Cruciform, Decent Stage, Exploration, Father Of The Lem, George Mueller, Gilruth, Grumman, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, Hamilton Standard, History, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, James Webb, Joseph Shea, Langley, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lunar Orbit Rendezvous, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mit, Mockup, Moon, Msc, Msfc, Nasa, North American Aviation, Office Of Manned Space Flight, Project Apollo, Rca, Rendezvous Radar, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Saturn V, Seamans, Space, Space Technology Laboratories, Spacecraft Technology Division, Thomas J Kelly, William Rector
Jul 2

Space Rocket History #119 – Apollo: Lunar Module Design – Part 3

Posted on July 2, 2015

At various stages of lunar module design, mockup reviews were conducted to demonstrate progress and identify weaknesses. These inspections were formal occasions, with a board composed of NASA and contractor officials and presided over by a chairman f...

5-Removing the LEM

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2-Tm-1 mockup of the Lunar Module

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Tagged:Apollo, Ascent Stage, Bethpage, Block I, Block Ii, Cruciform, Decent Stage, Exploration, Father Of The Lem, George Mueller, Gilruth, Grumman, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, Hamilton Standard, History, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, James Webb, Joseph Shea, Langley, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lunar Orbit Rendezvous, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mit, Mockup, Moon, Msc, Msfc, Nasa, North American Aviation, Office Of Manned Space Flight, Project Apollo, Rca, Rendezvous Radar, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Saturn V, Seamans, Space, Space Technology Laboratories, Spacecraft Technology Division, Thomas J Kelly, William Rector
Jul 9

Space Rocket History #120 – Apollo: Stages S-IV and S-IVB

Posted on July 9, 2015

The key to high-energy stages was to use liquid hydrogen as the fuel.  Liquid hydrogen fuel appealed to rocket designers because of its high specific impulse, which is a basic measure of rocket performance. Specific Impulse is the impulse delivered p...

4-SIV-SIVB

3-Saturn 1b-V

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1- SIV_rocket_stage

Tagged:Apollo, Block I, Block Ii, Convair, Cryogenic, Csm, Earth Orbit Rendezvouz, Exploration, Gemini, George Mueller, Gilruth, Hamilton Standard, Harold Felix, History, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, J 2, J B Gayle, James Webb, Joseph Shea, Kerosene, Liquid Hydrogen, Lm, Lox, Lunar, Lunar Orbit Rendezvous, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mercury, Mockup, Moon, Msc, Msfc, Nasa, Office Of Manned Space Flight, Project Apollo, Retro Rocket, Rl 10, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Rp 1, S Iv, S Ivb, Sa 5, Sacramento Test Operations, Sacto, Saturn I, Saturn Ib, Saturn V, Seamans, Space, Thor, Translunar, Transposition Maneuver, Ullage, W R Lucas
Jul 16

Space Rocket History #121 – Pegasus Wings inside SA-8 (AS-104), SA-9 (AS-103), & SA-10 (AS-105) and a Command Module update for 1965

Posted on July 16, 2015

The Pegasus satellite was named for the winged horse of Greek mythology.  Like its namesake, the Pegasus was notable for its “wings”, a pair of 29 meter long, 4.3 meter wide arrays of 104 panels fitted with sensors to detect punctures by micrometeoro...

4- Saturn_SA10_launch

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2- The SA-9

8- Pegasus_Deployment_sequence

7- Cutaway views show the interior of the command module (for clarity, the center couch is not shown)

6- Pegasus Deployed

5- Pegasus Stowed

4- Saturn_SA10_launch

Tagged:Apollo, As 101, As 102, As 103, As 104, As 105, Block I, Block Ii, Exploration, H 1, History, Holmes, Houston, Langley, Lc 34, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Msc, Msfc, Mueller, Nasa, Project Apollo, Rees, Rocket, S Iv, Sa 10, Sa 2, Sa 3, Sa 4, Sa 5, Sa 6, Sa 7, Sa 8, Sa 9, Saturn, Saturn 103, Saturn I, Saturn Apollo 3, Seamans, Service Module, Space, Von Braun
Jul 23

Space Rocket History #122 – Apollo: Serious Problems with the Lunar Module and Grumman

Posted on July 23, 2015

Toward the end of January 1967, it was revealed that Lunar Module 1 would not reach the Cape in February, as expected. This meant, the moon landing might be delayed because the lander was not ready. But the mission planners could not wait for the Apo...

3- 1230_Lunar_module_LTA-2_R

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Tagged:Apollo, Ascent Stage, Bell, Bethpage, Block I, Block Ii, Decent Stage, Deke Slayton, Donald Sullivan, Exploration, Gemini, George Mueller, George Titterton, Gerorge Skurla, Gilruth, Ground Support Equipment, Grumman, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, Gse, Hamilton Standard, History, Hjornevik, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Hughes Aircraft, Huntsville, James Webb, John Rubel, Joseph Shea, Langley, Llewellyn Evans, Lm 1, Lm 2, Lm 3, Lm 4, Lm 5, Lm 6, Lm7, Lta, Lunar, Lunar Module, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Max Faget, Mockup, Moon, Msc, Msfc, Nasa, North American Aviation, Office Of Manned Space Flight, Optical Tracker, Pintle, Project Apollo, R Wayne Young, Rca, Rendezvous Radar, Richard E Mayo, Robert Brader, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Russell Schwickart, Saturn V, Seamans, Space, Space Technology Laboratories, Spacecraft Technology Division, Thomas J Kelly, Trw, William Lee, William Rector
Jul 30

Space Rocket History #123 – Apollo: Astronaut Selection and Training – Part 1

Posted on July 30, 2015

Selection of Group Two virtually depleted the pool of qualified candidates from the small corps of test pilots in the country, and it was the last group for which test-pilot certification would be a requirement. The new trainees reported to Houston i...

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2-Back row- See, McDivitt, Lovell, White, & Stafford. Front row- Conrad, Borman, Armstrong, & Young

1- Project_Mercury_AstronautsBack row- Shepard, Grissom, Cooper; front row- Schirra, Slayton, Glenn, Carpenter.

Tagged:Alan Shepard, Apollo, Deke Slaton, Deke Slayton, Ed White, Exploration, Frank Borman, Gemini, George Mueller, Gilruth, Gordon Cooper, Gus Grissom, History, Houston, Hugh Dryden, James A Mcdivitt, James Webb, Jim Lovell, John Glen, John Young, Joseph Shea, Lunar, Lunar Module, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Mockup, Moon, Nasa, Neil Armstrong, Office Of Manned Space Flight, Pete C, Project Apollo, Richard E Mayo, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Scott Carpenter, Seamans, Space, Space Task Group, Tom Stafford, Wally Schirra
Aug 5

Space Rocket History #124 – Apollo: Astronaut Selection and Training – Part 2

Posted on August 5, 2015

With Group 4, for the first time, the selection criteria did not include a requirement for test pilot proficiency. Selectees who were not qualified pilots would be assigned to the Air Force for a year of flight training. The primary scientific requir...

Group4Astronaut

4-Group 4 L-R- Garriott, Gibson. Front row, L-R- Michel, Schmitt, Kerwin.

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Tagged:Alan Bean, Alan Shepard, Apollo, Charles Bassett, Clifton Williams, Curtis Michel, David Scott, Deke Slaton, Deke Slayton, Donn Eisele, Duane M Graveline, Ed White, Edward G Gibson, Edwin Buzz Aldrin, Eugene Cernan, Exploration, Frank Borman, Gemini, George Mueller, Gilruth, Gordon Cooper, Gus Grissom, Harrison Jack Schmitt, History, Houston, Hugh Dryden, James A Mcdivitt, James Webb, Jim Lovell, John Glen, John Young, Joseph P Kerwin, Joseph Shea, Lunar, Lunar Module, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Mike Collins, Mockup, Moon, Nasa, Neil Armstrong, Office Of Manned Space Flight, Owen K Garriott, Pete C, Project Apollo, Richard E Mayo, Richard Gordon, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Rodger Chaffee, Russell Schweickart, Scott Carpenter, Seamans, Space, Space Task Group, Theodore Freeman, Tom Stafford, Wally Schirra, Walter Cunningham, William Anders
Aug 13

Space Rocket History #125 – Apollo: Astronaut Selection and Training – Part 3

Posted on August 13, 2015

“Some of those guys came in figuring, “I’ll write my textbooks and my thesis and teach [university courses] and I’ll come by twice a week and be an astronaut.” Well, that didn’t work …. We were devoting our lives to this whole thing, and you couldn’t...

5-Back row, from L-R- Swigert, Pogue, Evans, Weitz, Irwin, Carr, Roosa, Worden, Mattingly, Lousma. Front row, from L-R- Givens, Mitchell, Duke, Lind, Haise, Engle, Brand, Bull, McCandless

Tagged:Alan Bean, Alan Shepard, Alfred Worden, Apollo, Bruce Mccandless Ii, Charles Bassett, Charles M Duke, Clifton Williams, Curtis Michel, David Scott, Deke Slaton, Deke Slayton, Don L Lind, Donn Eisele, Duane M Graveline, Ed White, Edgar D Mitchell, Edward G Gibson, Edward G Givens, Edwin Buzz Aldrin, Eugene Cernan, Exploration, Frank Borman, Fred W Haise, Gemini, George Mueller, Gerald P Carr, Gilruth, Gordon Cooper, Gus Grissom, Harrison Jack Schmitt, History, Houston, Hugh Dryden, James A Mcdivitt, James B Irwin, James Webb, Jim Lovell, Joe H Engle, John Glen, John L Swigert, John R Lousma, John S Bull, John Young, Joseph P Kerwin, Joseph Shea, Lunar, Lunar Module, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Mike Collins, Mockup, Moon, Nasa, Neil Armstrong, Office Of Manned Space Flight, Owen K Garriott, Paul J Weitz, Pete C, Project Apollo, Richard E Mayo, Richard Gordon, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Rodger Chaffee, Ronald E Evans, Russell Schweickart, Scott Carpenter, Seamans, Space, Space Task Group, Stuart A Roosa, Theodore Freeman, Thomas K Mattingly Ii, Tom Stafford, Vance D Brand, Wally Schirra, Walter Cunningham, William Anders, William R Pogue
Aug 20

Space Rocket History #126 – Apollo-Saturn IB: AS-201, AS-202, and AS-203

Posted on August 20, 2015

Apollo Saturn 201 employed the Saturn IB launch vehicle, which  was the up-rated version of the Saturn I rocket flown in ten earlier Saturn-Apollo missions. It featured an upgrade of the first stage engines to increase thrust from 1,500,000 lb-ft of ...

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Apollo-Saturn 201 mission – launch, recovery

Tagged:Aerojet General, Apollo, As 201, As 202, As 203, Block I, Block Ii, Cape Canaveral, Chrysler, Csm 009, Csm 011, Dan David, Exploration, H 1, History, Holmes, Houston, Ibm Federal Systems Division, Instrument Unit, J 2, Langley, Launch Complex 34, Little Joe Ii, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Msc, Msfc, Mueller, Nasa, North American, Pad 34, Pad 37b, Pad 39a, Project Apollo, Promise, Rca 110a, Robert E Field, Rocket, Rocketdyne, S Ivb, Saturn, Saturn I, Saturn Ib, Saturn V, Saturn Apollo 3, Service Module, Space, Trinidad Tracking Station, Uss Boxer, Von Braun
Aug 27

Space Rocket History #127 – Apollo Mission Control: Christopher Columbus Kraft – Part 1

Posted on August 27, 2015

Christopher Columbus Kraft Jr. was Born on February 28, 1924 in a town that no longer exist, Phoebus, Virginia. The town has now been engulfed by Hampton, Virginia. Kraft was named after his father, Christopher Columbus Kraft, who was born in New Yor...

3-Christopher_Kraft,_flight_director_during_Project_Mercury,_works_at_his_console_inside_the_Flight_Control_area_at_Mercury_Mission_Control

2-Wally Schirra (right) consults the flight plan for his Mercury-Atlas-8 (MA-8) mission with Flight Director Chris Kraft

1-Chris Kraft and Rober Gilruth

Tagged:Alan Shepard, American Legion, Apollo, Atlas, Bugle Corp, Cape Canaveral, Cape Kennedy, Christopher Kraft, Chuck Mathews, Columbus, Corps Of Cadets, Eisenhower, Enos, Exploration, Flight Director, Gagarin, Gemini, Gus Grissom, Ham, Hampton, History, John Glenn, Manned Spacecraft Center, Mercury, Mercury Redstone 2, Mercury Atlas 4, Mercury Atlas 5, Midas, Msc, Naca, Nasa, New York City, Phoebus, Prop Wash, Redstone, Robert Gilruth, Soviet, Space, Space Task Group, Sputnik 1, University Of Kentucky, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wingtip Vortices, Yuri Gagarin
Sep 3

Space Rocket History #128 – Apollo Mission Control: Christopher Columbus Kraft – Part 2

Posted on September 3, 2015

At the beginning of the Apollo program, Kraft retired as a flight director to concentrate on management and mission planning. In 1972, he became director of the Manned Spacecraft Center, following the path of his mentor Robert Gilruth.

3-Robert F. Thompson (center) and Christopher C. Kraft Jr. (right) brief Rear Admiral W.C. Abhau

2-Kraft with his new flight directors before the Gemini 4 mission Clockwise from lower right Kraft, Gene Kranz, Glynn Lunney and John Hodge

1-Kraft Kranz Gemini Fuel Cell problem

Tagged:Alan Shepard, American Legion, Apollo, Apollo 11, Apollo 13, Apollo 8, Atlas, Betty Turnbull, Bugle Corp, Cape Canaveral, Cape Kennedy, Christopher C Kraft Jr Mission Control Center, Christopher Kraft, Chuck Mathews, Columbus, Ed White, Eisenhower, Episcopalian, Exploration, Flight Director, Gagarin, Gemini, Gemini 4, Gemini 7, Gene Kranz, George Low, Glynn S Lunney, Goddard Memorial Trophy, Gordon Kraft, Gus Grissom, Ham, Hampton, Heat Shield, History, John Glenn, John Hodge, John J Montgomery Award, John Mccain, Kristi Anne Kraft, Manned Spacecraft Center, Max Faget, Mercury, Mercury Atlas 6, Mercury Atlas 7, Midas, Msc, Naca, Nasa, Nasa Distinguished Service Medals, Nasa Outstanding Leadership Medal, New York City, Phoebus, Prop Wash, Redstone, Robert Gilruth, Rotary National Award For Space Achievement, Scott Carpenter, Soviet, Space, Space Task Group, Sputnik 1, Sy Liebergot, University Of Kentucky, Us Navy, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wally Schirra, Wingtip Vortices, Yuri Gagarin
Sep 10

Space Rocket History #129 – Apollo Mission Control: An Introduction to Eugene Frances Kranz

Posted on September 10, 2015

As Procedures Officer, Kranz was put in charge of integrating Mercury Control with the Launch Control Team at Cape Canaveral, Florida, writing the “Go/NoGo” procedures that allowed missions to continue as planned or be aborted, along with serving as ...

3-Kranz and his teacher Kraft

2-Kranz at his console on May 30, 1965, in the Mission Operations Control Room, Mission Control Center, Houston

1-Kranz-F86 Sabre Cat

Tagged:Alan Shepard, Apollo, Apollo 11, Apollo 13, Apollo 8, Atlas, Cape Canaveral, Cape Kennedy, Christopher C Kraft Jr Mission Control Center, Christopher Kraft, Chuck Mathews, Exploration, Flight Director, Gagarin, Gemini, Gemini 4, Gemini 7, Gene Kranz, George Low, Glynn S Lunney, Gus Grissom, Hampton, History, John Glenn, John Hodge, Manned Spacecraft Center, Max Faget, Mercury, Mercury Atlas 6, Mercury Atlas 7, Msc, Nasa, Nasa Distinguished Service Medals, Redstone, Robert Gilruth, Rotary National Award For Space Achievement, Scott Carpenter, Soviet, Space, Space Task Group, Wally Schirra, Yuri Gagarin
Jan 14

Space Rocket History #144 – Lunar Orbiter 2 – 5 and Wresat

Posted on January 14, 2016

A total of five Lunar Orbiter missions were launched by the US in 1966 through 1967.  The purpose of the lunar orbiter series was to photograph the moon’s surface for selection and verification of safe landing sites for the Surveyor and Apollo missio...

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5-Lunar Orbiter 5 photo of the entire Tycho impact crater in the southern highlands

4-LO 4 Davy crater chain chain stretches from Davy Y at left to the large bright Davy G diameter 15 km Note the even spacing of the craters

3Lunar Orbiter 3 Image 3121_M – Tsiolkovskiy Crater center

2-Lunar Orbiter 2 on November 20, 1966, 29 miles (47 km) above the lunar surface, over the Sea of Tranquility

1-Lunar Orbiter 3 spacecraft

Tagged:Agena D, Apollo, Astrogeology Research Program, Atlas, Australia, Canberra, Canopus, Cape Canaveral, Cislunar Trajectory, Copernicus Crater, European Lanucher Development Organization, History, Lc 13, London Trade Fair In 1968, Lunar Orbiter 1, Lunar Orbiter 2, Lunar Orbiter 3, Lunar Orbiter 4, Lunar Orbiter 5, Lunar Orbiter Image Recovery Project, Marius Hills, Marquardt, Nasa, Parliament House, Project Sparta, Redstone, Regional Planetary Information Facilities, Rocket, Simpson Desert, Space, Sulpicius Gallus Rille, Surveyor 1, Surveyor 2, Surveyor 3, University Of Adelaide, Weapons Research Establishment Satellite, Woomera, Woomera Heritage Centre, Wresat
Jan 21

Space Rocket History #145 – Surveyors 2 – 7 with a Little Apollo 12

Posted on January 21, 2016

The primary objectives of the Surveyor program, were to support the Apollo landings by: (1) developing and validating the technology for landing softly on the Moon; (2) providing data on the compatibility of the Apollo design with conditions encounte...

6-Astronauts Pay a Visit to Surveyor 3

5-Photomosaic of a panorama taken by Surveyor 7 of its landing site

4-Surveyor 6 on the Plains of Sinus Medii

3-Wide-angle picture of the northwest wall of the Surveyor 5 crater

2-Surveyor_4_launch

1-Photograph of the Surveyor 3 spacecraft resting on the surface of the Moon, taken by Apollo 12 astronauts

Tagged:Alan Bean, Alpha Scattering, Apollo, Apollo 12, Atlas, Atlas Lv 3c, Atlas Centaur, Ats 1, Canopus, Cape Canaveral, Centaur D, Centuar, Cislunar Trajectory, Copernicus Crater, History, Huges Space And Communications Group, Hughes Aircraft Company, Hughes Space Systems Division, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Jpl, Lc 36a, Lc 36b, Lunar Night, Nasa, Pete Conrad, Radar Reflectivity, Rocket, Scintillating, Selenographic, Sinus Medii, Smithsonian National Air And Space Museum, Space, Surveyor 1, Surveyor 2, Surveyor 3, Surveyor 4, Surveyor 5, Surveyor 6, Surveyor 7, Syncom, Vernier, William Pickering
Jun 13

Space Rocket History #16 – Astronaut Candidates

Posted on June 13, 2013

Candidates were given continuous psychiatric interviews throughout the week, and extensive self-examination through a battery of 13 psychological tests for personality and motivation, and another dozen different tests on intellectual functions and sp...

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gustraining

Tagged:Alan Shepard, Allen Gamble, Apollo, Astronaut, Bill Bridgeman, Charles J Donlan, Chuck Yeager, Donald Slayton, Edwin Levy, Eisenhower, Gemini, George Ruff, Gordon Cooper, History, Icbm, Ike, John Glenn, Man In Space Soonest, Mercury, Mercury 7, Nasa, National Aeronautics And Space Administration, Neil Armstrong, Project Mercury, Robert Gilruth, Robert Rushworth, Robert Voas, Scott Carpenter, Scott Crossfield, Space, Space Task Group, Stanley White, T Keith Glennan, Test Pilot, Virgil Grissom, Walter Schirra, Warren North, William Argerson, Wright Air Development Center
Aug 22

Space Rocket History #26 – Why the Moon?

Posted on August 22, 2013

“We have been plunged into a race for the conquest of outer space. As a reason for this undertaking some look to the new and exciting scientific discoveries which are certain to be made. Others feel the challenge to transport man beyond frontiers he ...

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413px-John_F._Kennedy_speaks_at_Rice_University

Tagged:Alan Shepard, Apollo, Cape Canaveral, Cape Kennedy, Chemical, Eisenhower, Exploration, History, Houston, Icbm, Jfk, Lbj, Liquid, Lloyd Berkner, Lyndon Johnson, Mercury, Moon, Nasa, Nuclear, Rice, Rocket, Saturn, Solid Fuel, Soviet, Space, Space Race, Von Braun, Webb, Werner, Wiesner, Yuri Gagarin
Aug 29

Space Rocket History #27 – Mercury-Redstone 4 – Liberty Bell 7 with Gus Grissom

Posted on August 29, 2013

Mercury-Redstone 4 was the fourth mission in the Mercury-Redstone series and the second U.S. manned suborbital spaceflight. The mission was essentially a repeat of Alan Shepard’s Freedom 7 flight.   So why was it necessary to launch another sub-orbit...

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Tagged:Alan Shepard, Apollo, Apollo 11, Cape Canaveral, Corning Glass Works, Dr Who, Ed White, Exploration, Explosive Hatch, Freedom 7, Gilruth, Gus Grissom, History, Hunt Club 1, Icbm, John Glenn, Liberty Bell 7, Man In Space, Mercury, Mercury 4, Mercury 7, Mercury Redstone 3, Mercury Redstone 4, Mr 3, Mr 4, Nasa, Pitch, Posigrade, Redstone, Retro, Rocket, Roger Chaffee, Roll, Sigma 7, Soviet, Space, Space Task Group, Virgil Grissom, Vostok, Vostok 1, Vycor, Wally Schirra, Yaw
Jun 12

Space Rocket History #304 – Apollo 14 – Commander Alan B. Shepard Jr. – Part 4

Posted on June 12, 2019

Even with all the problems, Shepard piloted the Lunar Module Antares to the most accurate landing of the entire Apollo program. Shepard became the fifth and, at the age of 47, the oldest man to walk on the Moon, and the only one of the Mercury Seven ...

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P7-Shepard, Alan

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P8-Shepard’s memorial stone in Derry, New Hampshire; his ashes were scattered at sea

P7-Shepard in 1995

P5-Alan_Shepard_during_training_for_the_Apollo_14_mission

Tagged:Alan Shepard, Apollo, Deke Slayton, Louise Shepard
Sep 26

Space Rocket History #31 – Godspeed John Glenn – Mercury-Atlas 6 – Friendship 7 – Part 2

Posted on September 26, 2013

Mercury Control was still undecided on the course of action to take with the heat shield problem. Some controllers thought the retrorocket pack should be jettisoned after retrofire, while other controllers thought the retro pack should be retained, a...

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Ma6Smith

MA6-dye released

MA6 on tv

Tagged:Africa, Alan Shepard, Apollo, Atlas, Australia, Canton Island, Cape Canaveral, Cape Kennedy, Exploration, Fireflies, Friendship 7, Hawaii, History, Indian Ocean, John Glenn, Kano, Lyndon Johnson, Mercury, Mercury 7, Mexico, Muchea, Nasa, Nigeria, Nikita Khrushchev, Perth, Rocket, Russia, Segment 51, Sensor, Soviet, Space, Titov, Wally Schirra, Walter Schirra
Oct 3

Space Rocket History #32 – Ranger-4, Ariel-1, and Telstar-1

Posted on October 3, 2013

As part of the pre-Apollo preparations, NASA created the Ranger series of missions to take high-quality pictures of the Moon and transmit them back to Earth in real time…

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Telstar1

space rocket history pic22

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Thor_Delta_with_Ariel_1_(Apr._26,_1962)

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Ranger4JPL

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Tagged:17a, Able, Apollo, Ariel, Ariel 1, Att, Atlas, Atlas Agena, Bell Labs, Cape Canaveral, Echo 1, Exploration, Goddard, Goonhilly, History, Launch Complex, Lyman Alpha, Moon, Nasa, Rocket, Russia, Solar Cells, Solar Panels, Soviet, Space, Sputnik, Starfish, Telstar, Telstar 1, Thor Delta, Van Allen
Mar 25

Space Rocket History #335 – Impacts of Soyuz 11 on Future Soyuz, Salyut-1 & Apollo

Posted on March 25, 2020

It was decided that henceforth, cosmonauts would wear pressure suits for launch and the return to Earth. Also, a system was installed to automatically pump air into the descent module in the event of decompression.  Additionally, the ventilation valv...

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Tagged:Apollo, Dobrovolsky, Mishin, Patsayev, Salyut 1, Shatalov, Soyuz, Soyuz 11, Volkov
Apr 8

Space Rocket History #336 – Apollo 15 – Introduction, Crew Selection & CMP Al Worden

Posted on April 8, 2020

The twelve day Apollo 15 mission was scheduled to launch on July 26, 1971.  It would be the fourth United States human exploration of the Moon. As compared with earlier missions, Apollo 15 would double the time and extend by a factor of ten the range...

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P1-Map

Tagged:Al Worden, Apollo, Dave Scott, Endeavor, Falcon, Jim Irwin
Apr 22

Space Rocket History #337 – Apollo 15 – LMP Jim Irwin & CDR Dave Scott

Posted on April 22, 2020

Dave Scott showed incredible presence of mind during the unexpected events of the Gemini 8 mission. Even in the middle of an emergency, out of contact with Mission Control, he had thought to reenable ground control of the Agena before the two vehicle...

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Tagged:Apollo, Apollo 15, Dave Scott, David Scott, James Irwin, Jim Irwin
May 6

Space Rocket History #338 – Apollo 15 – CDR Dave Scott Part 2 & The Postal Covers Incident

Posted on May 6, 2020

As Command Module Pilot for Apollo 9, Scott’s responsibilities were heavy. The Lunar Module was to separate from the Command and Service Module during the mission; if it failed to return, Scott would have to run the entire spacecraft for reentry, nor...

P2-ScottMoon

P1-Dave_Scott_Apollo_15_CDR

P3-Apollo_15_Flown_Cover

Tagged:Al Worden, Apollo, Apollo 15, Chris Kraft, Dave Scott, David Scott, Deke Slayton, James Irwin, Jim Irwin
May 20

Space Rocket History #339 – Apollo 15 – The Launch

Posted on May 20, 2020

The last face they saw was Guenter’s, smiling and waving an enormous crescent wrench. Then the heavy hatch closed with a deep thunk. Dave Scott Suits UpApollo 15 Building ThrustApollo 15 Liftoff

P2-A15-Ignition

P3-Layout-of-launch-vehicle-indicator-lamps

P1-vehicle-well-into-its-vertical-flight

P3-A15-liftoff

P1-Dave-Scott

Tagged:Al Worden, Apollo, Apollo 15, Dave Scott, David Scott, Deke Slayton, Guenter Wendt, James Irwin, Jim Irwin
Jun 3

Space Rocket History #340 – Apollo 15 – Climb to Orbit

Posted on June 3, 2020

For Scott all feelings were forgotten. All senses except sight were subordinated. All Scott’s concentration was focused on hearing information from Irwin, Worden and Mission Control about the status of the spacecraft and the Saturn V. Apollo 15 in V...

P1- vehicle well into its vertical flight

P2-Graph of g-forces during the Saturn V’s ascent into Earth orbit

Tagged:Al Worden, Apollo, Apollo 15, Dave Scott, David Scott, Deke Slayton, James Irwin, Jim Irwin
Jun 17

Space Rocket History #341 – Apollo 15 – Serious Problems

Posted on June 17, 2020

The SPS engine was used for all the future burns.   It was the astronauts ticket home.  Any doubt as to whether it could fire raised the question as to whether the mission could continue. TranspositionDelta-V Thrust Switch Showing ContaminationShatt...

P3-Frame-from-TV-transmission-showing-shattered-glass-pane-on-tapemeter

P2-DeltaVThrust-Switch

P1-transPositioning

Tagged:Al Worden, Apollo, Apollo 15, Dave Scott, David Scott, Deke Slayton, James Irwin, Jim Irwin
Jul 1

Space Rocket History #342 – Apollo 15 – Lunar Orbit & Landing

Posted on July 1, 2020

Craning to look through the triangular window for a glimpse of the land ahead, Scott saw no sign of Hadley Rille. Landing SiteLandingFalcon on the Moon

P3-A15-leaning

P2-A15-landing-site

P1-A15-landing

Tagged:Al Worden, Apollo, Apollo 15, Dave Scott, David Scott, Deke Slayton, James Irwin, Jim Irwin
Jul 15

Space Rocket History #343 – Apollo 15 – Falcon on the Moon

Posted on July 15, 2020

It was immediately clear that Falcon had landed on uneven ground, right on the rim of a small crater; the LM was tipped backward at a slight angle. It turned out that one of the rear feet had landed in a shallow crater. Landing site LandmarksSEVA SE...

P3-Pana15pan1065345

P2-40_a15SEVA

P1-a15.names_

Tagged:Al Worden, Apollo, Apollo 15, Dave Scott, David Scott, Deke Slayton, James Irwin, Jim Irwin
Jul 29

Space Rocket History #344 – Apollo 15 – Oxygen Leak, Glass Ball, First Steps & The Lunar Rover

Posted on July 29, 2020

After a good nights sleep, Houston woke the astronauts up an hour early the next morning because of a slight oxygen leak. Irwin Nearly FallsGreen Glass ClodsLunar Rover

p3-Image-of-LRV_main_components

P2-Apollo-15-green-glass-clod-15426-This-sample-has-a-mass-of-224-grams-The-clods-as-a-whole-are-several-centimeters-in-size

P1-IrwinNearFall

Tagged:Al Worden, Apollo, Apollo 15, Dave Scott, Jim Irwin, Lunar Rover
Oct 24

Space Rocket History #35 – Textbook Spaceflight – Mercury-Atlas 8, Sigmac 7 with Wally Schirra

Posted on October 24, 2013

After Scott Carpenter’s science heavy Mercury-Atlas 7 flight, Nasa’s next mission would concentrate on the technical and engineering aspects of space travel.  Mercury Atlas 8 became the third manned orbital flight of the Mercury program. The pilot se...

Recovery_of_Sigma_7_spcae_capsule_by_USS_Kearsarge_October_1962

MA-8_landing_under_parachute

MA-8_liftoff

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760px-Mercury_Astronaut_Wally_Schirra_-_GPN-2000-001351

479px-Mercury_8_in_Hanger_-_GPN-2000-001441

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163085main_sigma7-sm

Tagged:Apollo, Atlas, Australia, Brisbane, Canary Islands, Cape Canaveral, Cape Kennedy, Christopher Kraft, Deke Slayton, Echo 1, Ecuador, Fireflies, Gyroscopes, History, Hypergolic Fuel Igniter, Indian Ocean, John Glenn, Kennedy, Liberty Bell 7, Mercury, Mercury 7, Mercury Atlas 7, Mesico, Muchea, Nasa, Naval Academy At Annapolis, Philippines, Port Elizabeth, Quito, Retrorocket, Rocket, Seventh Fleet, Sigma 7, South America, Spacecraft, Spaceflight, Telstar, Turtle Club, Uss Kearsarg, Wally, Walter Schirra, Weightlessness
Nov 7

Space Rocket History #37 – Flight of Faith 7, Mercury-Atlas 9 with Gordon Cooper

Posted on November 7, 2013

Mercury-Atlas 9 was the fourth and final manned orbital flight of the Mercury program. The flight objectives were to: (1) evaluate the effects on the astronaut of approximately one day in orbital flight; (2) verify that man can function for an exte...

space rocket history pic36

S63-07856

Mercury9_tibet

Gordon_Cooper_Jr._-_cropped

773px-Mercury_On_Deck_-_GPN-2000-001403

479px-Cooper_-_GPN-2000-000997

Tagged:0 05g, Airglow, Apollo, Atlas, Beco, Boy Scouts Of America, Cape Canaveral, Cape Kennedy, Coastal Sentry Quebec, Exploration, Faith 7, Gordo, Gordon Cooper, Gus Grissom, Himalayas, History, John Glenn, Kearsarge, Kentucky, Kyushu Japan, Leroy G Cooper, Life Scout, Mcdonnell, Mercury, Mercury 7, Mercury 9, Mercury Control, Mercury Atlas 8, Mercury Atlas 9, Murray, Nasa, Oklahoma, Prayer, President Kennedy, Retro, Rocket, Scott Carpenter, Seco, Shawnee, Space, Tibetan, University Of Ohio, Virgil Grissom, Visual Acquisition And Perception, Walter Schirra, Xenon Strobe Lights, Zanzibar, Zodiacal Light
Dec 19

Space Rocket History #43 – Ranger-7, Nimbus-1, European Space Organizations, and Christmas From the Moon

Posted on December 19, 2013

You may recall from episode 32 Ranger- 4 was the first  U.S. spacecraft to reach another celestial body. However, Ranger-4 failed it primary mission of returning pictures from the moon…

space rocket history pic46

Esro-logo

nimbus_meteorological_satellite

64-041A

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Tagged:540, Agena, Apollo, Apollo 16, Apollo 8, Atlas, Blue Streak, Cape Canaveral, Cape Kennedy, Eldo, Erso, European Launcher Development Organization, European Space Research Organization, Exploration, Harrie Massey, History, Moon, Nasa, Nimbus, Nimbus 1, Ocean Of Storms, Pierre Auger, Ranger, Ranger 7, Rocket, Russia, Sea Of Clouds, Solar Cells, Sounding Rocket
Jan 23

Space Rocket History #47 – Gemini Concepts

Posted on January 23, 2014

This brings us to Project Gemini.  Gemini started after Apollo had begun, in part to answer a crucial question for Apollo. Was rendezvous and docking in orbit a feasible basis for a manned lunar landing mission?

fig6 (1)McDonnell-proposed two-man Mercury spacecraft. Shown is the interior arrangement of spacecraft equipment

fig4

fig3

Tagged:Ames, Apollo, Demarquis D Wyatt, Exploration, Gemini, Goddard, History, Houbolt, Jpl, Kehlet, Kondratyuk, Langley, Lewis, Luna, Lunar, Mark Ii, Marshall, Mercury, Moon, Nasa, National Space Vehicle Program, Noordung, Nova, Oberth, Pirquet, Post Mercury, Rca, Rendezvous, Rocket, Seamans, Soviet, Space, Space Task Group, Station, Stg, Strass, Tsander, Tsiolkovskii, Von Braun, Werner, William Michael
Jan 30

Space Rocket History #48 – Gemini Design – 1961

Posted on January 30, 2014

“The main trouble with the Mercury capsule was that most system components were in the pilot’s cabin; and often, to pack them in this very confined space, they had to be stacked like a layer cake and components of one system had to be scattered about...

The operating principle of the fuel cell designed by General Electric, adopted for use in the Gemini spacecraft

modified Titan II booster

Gemini spacecraft to be released publicly

Adapter Section of Mark II

Four stages in a rendezvous mission as conceived early in 1962

An artist’s version of the use of ejection seats to escape from the Gemini spacecraft

fig8 proposed lunar lander to be used with an advanced version of the Mercury spacecraft

Tagged:Adapter Ring, Agena, Apollo, Atlas Agena B, Cape Kennedy, Ejection Seat, Escape Tower, Eva, Exploration, Extravehicular Activity, Gemini, Goddard, History, Hypergolic, James Chamberlin, James Decker, Lunar, Manned Spacecraft Center, Mark Ii, Martin Company, Mcdonnell, Mercury, Modularization, Nasa, Paraglider, President Kennedy, Robert Gilruth, Rocket, Saturn C 3, Space, Space Task Group, Stg, Titan, Titan Ii
Feb 6

Space Rocket History #49 – Gemini Systems Design – 1962

Posted on February 6, 2014

On January 3 1962, “Gemini” became the official designation of the Mercury Mark II program. The name had been suggested by Alex  Nagy of NASA Headquarters because the twin stars Castor and Pollux in constellation Gemini (the Twins) seemed to him to s...

The general arrangement of liquid rocket systems (OAMS and RCS) in the Gemini spacecraft

Gemini landing gear part of the land landing system along with the paraglider

fig41The B. F. Goodrich partial-wear full-pressure suit being developed for the Gemini program

fig33Figure 33. The emergency parachute recovery system for the half-scale paraglider flight test vehicle for Phase II-A of the development program – Copy

fig27Gemini spacecraft nomenclature – Copy

Agena B

Tagged:Agena, Airesearch, Ames A Mcdivitt, Apollo, B F Goodrich, Cape Canaveral, Charles Conrad, Dcs, Edward H White Ii, Ejection Seat, Electrocardiogram, Electroenecephalogram, Elliot M See, Exploration, Frank Borman, Gemini, Gemini Procurement Office, Gemini Project Office, Gilruth, Goddard, Gpo, History, Houston, Ibm, Icbm, James A Lovell, James Chamberlin, John W Young, Manned Spacecraft Center, Mcdonnell, Mercury, Mercury 7, Msc, Nasa, Neil A Armstrong, Oams, Paraglider, Phoncardiogram, Rcs, Rocket, Rocketdyne, Space, Thiokol, Thomas P Stafford, Titan, Titan Ii, Us Army Quartermaster, Us Naval Ordance, Webb, Weber Aircraft, Whirlpool
Feb 27

Space Rocket History #52 – Gemini 1 – Test Flight – Part 2

Posted on February 27, 2014

One second after 11 o’clock Wednesday morning, April 8th 1964, the Titan II booster’s first-stage engine ignited. Four seconds later, the 156 ton vehicle lifted from the pad on that curiously lambent flame so distinctive of Titan II’s hypergolic prop...

Tang

space rocket history pic69

Gemini1-1

Gemini Launch

Gemini 1 Left Instrument Pallet

Gemini 1 Experiment Pallets

Tagged:Actuators, Aerojet, Agena, Apollo, Atmospheric Inversion, Blockhouse, Cape Canaveral, Cape Kennedy, Exploration, Gemini, Gemini Titan, Glv, Goddard, History, Manned Spacecraft Center, Mcdonnell, Nasa, Robert Gilruth, Rocket, Seamans, Space, Von Braun, Walter Williams, Werner
Jul 17

Space Rocket History #71 – Agena vs. the Augmented Target Docking Adapter, with Some EVA Equipment on the Side

Posted on July 17, 2014

Many doubted that Agena could be ready in time to meet Gemini’s tight launch schedules. The end of 1965 saw Agena’s usefulness in manned space flight once again called into question, but this time time a substitute target had already been approved fo...

gemini_atv_8

Gemini Augmented Target Docking Adapter during pre-flight checkout

gemagena

agenhgre

800px-S66-25781_PR

facebook hint

Tagged:Abbott, Aerojet, Agena, Amu, Apollo, Atda, Augmented Target Docking Adapter, Bell Aerosystems, Canton Island, Cape Canaveral, Cape Kennedy, Chis Kraft, Crew Systems Division, Ed White, Elss, Esp, Exploration, Extravehicular Life Support System, Extravehicular Support Package, Gatv, Gemini, Gemini 4, Gemini 5, Gemini 6a, Gemini 7, Gemini Iv, Gemini Project, Gemini V, Gemini Vi, Gemini Via, Gemini Vii, Gemini Viii, Gene Kranz, General Ben Funk, General Bernard Schriever, George Mueller, History, Horace Whitacre, Houston, Hudson, James Webb, Jerome Hammack, Jingle Bells, Lawrence Smith, Manned Space Center, Martin, Mcdonnell, Mercury, Mission Control Center, Msc, Nasa, Noeggerath, Rendezvous, Ritland, Robert Gilruth, Rocket, Roughing It, Seamans, Space, Super Tiger, Yardley
Jul 24

Space Rocket History #72 – Gemini VIII with Neil Armstrong and Dave Scott – Part 1

Posted on July 24, 2014

On September 20th 1965, NASA named the crew for Gemini VIII. The command pilot selected was Neil Armstrong, a civilian test pilot with much experience in the X-15 rocket research aircraft program. David Scott was selected as pilot.  Scott was the fir...

Niel and David

Neil_Armstrong_in_Gemini_G-2C_training_suit

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Neil_Armstrong_1956_portrait

gemini8 at air and space museum Wapkoneta ohio

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Gemini 8 water egress test

F9F-2_Panthers_VF-51_over_Korea_1951 with Armstrong piloting

David Scott

Gemini-VIII-flight-crew-SCOTT-David-R.-and-ARMSTRONG-Neil-A.

Tagged:Aerojet, Agena, Aileron, Apollo, Auglaize, B 29, B 47, Bell X 1b, Bill Dana, Boy Scouts, Cape Canaveral, Cape Kennedy, Chis Kraft, Chuck Yeager, Crew Systems Division, D 588 2, Eagle Scout, Eva, Exploration, F 101, F 106, F104, F9f, Ford Trimotor, Gatv, Gemini, Gemini 4, Gemini 5, Gemini 6a, Gemini 7, Gemini Iv, Gemini Project, Gemini V, Gemini Vi, Gemini Via, Gemini Vii, Gene Kranz, George Mueller, German, History, Holloway Plan, Houston, Irish, James Webb, Jim Lovell, John Hodge, Kc 135, Kranz, Life Scout, Man In Space Soonest, Manned Space Center, Martin, Mcdonnell, Merritt Preston, Michael Knapp, Milt Thompson, Mission Control Center, Mit, Msc, Nasa, Purdue, Rendezvous, Retrorockets, Robert Gilruth, Rocket, Scottish, Seamans, Soesterberg, Space, Stationkeeping, T 33, Tin Goose, University Of Michigan, Uss Cabot, Uss Essex, Wapakoneta, Webb Air Force Base, West Point, X 15, X 20 Dyna Soar, X 5
Jul 30

Space Rocket History #73 – Gemini VIII with Neil Armstrong and Dave Scott – Part 2

Posted on July 30, 2014

This was the most complex mission attempted to date. The primary mission objectives were to perform rendezvous and four docking tests with the Gemini Agena Target Vehicle (GATV) and to execute an ExtraVehicular Activity (EVA)…

gatv_diagram_labelled

Agena view from G8

640px-Gemini_8_during_rescue

Gemini_8_launch

Gemini_8_docking with agena

Gemini_8_Atlas-Agena_launch

Tagged:Agena, Apollo, Baha, Cape Canaveral, Cape Kennedy, Carnarvon, Chis Kraft, Dave Scott, Edwards Air Force, Eva, Exploration, Gatv, Gemini, Gemini 4, Gemini 5, Gemini 6a, Gemini 7, Gemini 8, Gemini Iv, Gemini Project, Gemini V, Gemini Vi, Gemini Via, Gemini Vii, Gemini Viii, Gene Kranz, Guenter Wendt, Hawaii, History, Houston, James Webb, Jim Lovell, John Hodge, Karnai, Kranz, Martin, Maui, Mcdonnell, Mission Control Center, Molokai, Msc, Nasa, Neil Armstrong, Oahu, Pete Conrad, Rendezvous, Retrorockets, Robert Gilruth, Rocket, Seamans, Space, Stationkeeping, T 33, Tananarive, Tom Stafford, Walter Schirra, Westinghouse, X 15
Aug 7

Space Rocket History #74 – Gemini VIII with Neil Armstrong and Dave Scott – Part 3

Posted on August 7, 2014

Armstrong eased Gemini VIII toward the target at a barely perceptible speed of 8 centimeters per second. Then Armstrong gleefully reported, “Flight, we are docked!” For a brief moment, the flight controllers in Houston did not realize they had really...

G8 Ohio A&

gemini8 at air and space museum Wapkoneta ohio

G8

Tagged:Agena, Apollo, Capcom, Cape Canaveral, Cape Kennedy, Carnarvon, Chis Kraft, Coastal Sentry Quebec, Csq, Dave Scott, Docking, Eva, Exploration, Gatv, Gemini 8, Gemini Project, Gene Kranz, Goddard, Gulfstream, Harold W Nolan, Hawaii, Hc 54, History, Houston, Hubert H Humphrey, James Webb, Jim Lovell, John Hodge, Kranz, Leonard F Mason, Martin, Mcdonnell, Melvin F Brooks, Mission Control Center, Msc, Mueller, Naha, Nasa, Neil Armstrong, Nuclear Emulsions, Oams, Okinawa, Rendezvous, Rescuemasters, Retrorockets, Robert Gilruth, Rocket, Rose Knot Victor, Seamans, Space, Spectrophotography, Stationkeeping, Synoptic Terrain Photography, Tachikawa, Tananarive, Thruster, Tom Stafford, Walter Schirra, Westinghouse, Zodiacal Light Photography
Aug 14

Space Rocket History #75 – Luna 10, Surveyor 1, and Lunar Orbiter 1 – Scouting the Moon

Posted on August 14, 2014

In the 1960s, during the cold war, the US and Soviet Union turned their attention to the moon. The question was, who could place a man on the moon and return him safely to the earth first? Obtaining the necessary data on the moon to risk sending a pe...

First_View_of_Earth_from_Moon

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Surveyor_1_shadow_lunarsurface

Surveyor_1_Foot_Pad on the moon

Surveyor_1_launch with Atlas Centar

surveyor 1 mockup_beach

luna10

Tagged:Apollo, Atlas, Canopus, Centaur, Gemini, History, Luna 1, Lunar Orbiter 1, Lunar Orbiter 2, Lunar Orbiter 3, Lunar Orbiter 4, Lunar Orbiter 5, Lunik 1, Mercury Atlas, Mercury Redstone, Orion, Rocket, Soviet, Space, Sputnik, Surveyor 1, Surveyor 2, Surveyor 3, U S, Vernier, Vostok
Aug 28

Space Rocket History #77 – Gemini IX-A with Tom Stafford and Gene Cernan – Part 1

Posted on August 28, 2014

After the untimely deaths of Elliot See and Charles Basset, NASA assigned the Gemini IX prime crew positions to Tom Stafford and Gene Cernan.  This was the first time in NASA’s manned space flight history that a backup crew had taken over a mission. ...

Gemini_9Acrew

g9patch

AtlasAgenaG9a

Tagged:A 4 Skyhawk, Agena, Amu, Apollo, Aspo, Atlas, Buzz Aldrin, Charles Bassett, Charles Mathews, Clifford Charlesworth, Colonel Daniel Mckee, Dave Scott, Docking, Edwin Aldrin, Elliot See, Equiperiod, Eva, Exploration, Fj 4 Fury, Gatv, Gemini 10, Gemini 5, Gemini 6, Gemini 8, Gemini 9, Gemini 9a, Gemini Ix, Gemini Ix A, Gemini Ixa, Gemini Project, Gemini V, Gemini Vi, Gemini Viii, Gemini X, Gene Cernan, Gene Kranz, George Mueller, Glynn S Lunney, History, Houston, Ivar, Jim Lovell, Mcdonnell, Mission Control Center, Msc, Nasa, Naval Aviator, Naval Reserve, Phi Gamma Delta, Purdue, Rendezvous, Rocket, Space, Tether, Thruster, Tom Stafford, Vfr, Wally Schirra, Warren J North
Aug 21

Space Rocket History #76 – Tragic Prelude to Gemini IX with Elliot See, Charles Bassett, Tom Stafford, and Gene Cernan

Posted on August 21, 2014

In October 1965, Elliot M. See and Charles A. Bassett II were selected to fly Gemini IX. Chief Astronaut Deke Slayton also told them that their backups would be Thomas Stafford and Eugene Cernan.  At that time Stafford was copilot for Gemini VI…

Elliot_See

gemini9

Charles_Bassett

Elliot_McKay_See

Tagged:Agena, Alan Shepard, Amu, Apollo, Apollo 11, Arlington National Cemetery, Building 101, Buzz Aldrin, Charles Bassett, Cj805, Columbia, Dallas, Dave Scott, Deke Slayton, Docking, Donald Slayton, Edwin Aldrin, Ellington, Elliot See, Eva, Exploration, F 104, F 86, F11f 1f, F4h, Frank Borman, Gatv, Gemini 10, Gemini 5, Gemini 6, Gemini 8, Gemini 9, Gemini 9a, Gemini Ix, Gemini Ixa, Gemini Project, Gemini V, Gemini Vi, Gemini X, Gene Cernan, Gene Kranz, General Electric, History, Houston, Ifr, J 47, J 73, J 79, Jim Lovell, Lambert Airfield, Life Scout, Mcdonnell, Mission Control Center, Msc, Nasa, Neil Armstrong, Phi Kappa Psi, Rb 66, Rick Husband, Rocket, Space, Sts 107, T 38, Texas Tech, Thruster, Tom Stafford, Two Sides Of The Moon, Ucla, Vfr, William Anders, Xf4d
Sep 4

Space Rocket History #78 – Gemini IX-A with Tom Stafford and Gene Cernan – Part 2 – Rendevouz

Posted on September 4, 2014

As contractors worried about technical problems with the Atlas, Once again NASA, faced the necessity for a quick recovery plan when a target vehicle failed to reach orbit. You may recall the first time was with Gemini 6.  But this time Nasa had somet...

AugmentTargetDockingAdapter

tom Stafford in orbit

hint for facebook

Tagged:Agena, Amu, Angry Alligator, Apollo, Atlas, Augment Target Docking Adapter, Cape Kennedy, Carnarvon, Charles Mathews, Clifford Charlesworth, Colonel Daniel Mckee, Dave Scott, Docking, Elliot See, Equiperiod, Eva, Exploration, Frank Borman, Gatv, Gemini 10, Gemini 5, Gemini 6, Gemini 8, Gemini 9, Gemini 9a, Gemini Ix, Gemini Ix A, Gemini Ixa, Gemini Project, Gemini Project Office, Gemini V, Gemini Vi, Gemini Viii, Gemini X, Gene Cernan, Gene Kranz, General Dynamics, George Mueller, George Towner, Gpo, History, Houston, Ivar, Jim Lovell, John Hudson, Mcdonnell, Melbourne, Merritt Preston, Mission Control Center, Msc, Nasa, Neil Armstrong, Rendezvous, Richard Keehn, Rocket, Sahara Desert, Scott Simpkinson, Space, Tananarive, Thruster, Tom Stafford, Warren J North, Westinghouse, William Schneider
Sep 11

Space Rocket History #79 – Gemini IX-A with Tom Stafford and Gene Cernan – Part 3 – EVA

Posted on September 11, 2014

We left off last week with Tom Stafford and Gene Cernan completing three rendezvous with the ATDA but, no docking because the shroud was still in place on the Docking Adapter. On June 5, 1966 at 5:30 a.m., nearly 45 hours and 30 minutes into the miss...

Gemini 9 splashes down at 9-00 A.M., June 6, 1966. The day of the EVA was also their last in space

gemini9_crew_a

Gem9down-S66-34118

eugene_cernan

cernan_gt9_eva

Tagged:Amu, Angry Alligator, Apollo, Augment Target Docking Adapter, Cape Kennedy, Docking, Eva, Exploration, Gatv, Gemini 10, Gemini 5, Gemini 6, Gemini 8, Gemini 9, Gemini 9a, Gemini Ix, Gemini Ix A, Gemini Ixa, Gemini Project, Gemini Project Office, Gemini V, Gemini Vi, Gemini Viii, Gemini X, Gene Cernan, Gene Kranz, Gpo, History, Houston, Ivar, Jim Lovell, Mcdonnell, Mission Control Center, Msc, Nasa, Neil Armstrong, Rendezvous, Rocket, Space, Tom Stafford
Sep 18

Space Rocket History #80 – Gemini X with John Young and Mike Collins – Part 1

Posted on September 18, 2014

Deputy Administrator Seamans wanted a mission review board created to study: (1) Corrective measures for the Atlas-Agena failure (2) The guidance update problem that delayed the launch two days (3) The shroud incident (4) The suit environmental c...

KSC-66P-0323

KSC-66P-0317

gemini-10-astronaunt-michael-collins-pilot-for-nasa

Gemini 9 astronauts Gene Cernan and Tom Stafford brief Gemini 10 astronauts John Young and Mike Collins. And….how about that nice ATDA model in full gator

640px-Gemini10crew

Tagged:Agena, Alan Bean, Alexandria, Amu, Angry Alligator, Apollo, Brooks Air Force Base, Buzz Aldrin, Cape Kennedy, Charles Bassett, Chaumont, Clifton Williams, Colorado Springs, Columbus Air Force Base, David Scott, Deke Slayton, Docking, Ed White, Edward Givens, Edwards Air Force Base, Elliot See, Episcopalian, Eva, Exploration, F 104, F 86, Frank Borman, Gatv, Gemini 10, Gemini 4, Gemini 5, Gemini 6, Gemini 8, Gemini 9, Gemini 9a, Gemini Ix, Gemini Ix A, Gemini Ixa, Gemini Project, Gemini Project Office, Gemini V, Gemini Vi, Gemini Viii, Gemini X, George Air Force Base, Governors Island, Gpo, History, Houston, Hungarian Revolution, James Lawton Collins, Jim Irwin, Jim Lovell, Joe Engle, Joesph Collins, John Glenn, John Young, Kate Collins, Lunney, Mcdonnell, Mercury Atlas 6, Mike Collins, Mission Control Center, Msc, Mueller, Nasa, Nato, Nellis, New York, Norad, Patricia Finnegan, Protestantism, Puerto Rico, Rendezvous, Rocket, Roman Catholic, Rome, San Antonio, Seamans, Space, St Albans, T 6, Tom Stafford, Usaf Aerospace Research, Washington D C, West Germany, West Point
Sep 25

Space Rocket History #81 – Gemini X with John Young and Mike Collins – Part 2 – Riding the Agena

Posted on September 25, 2014

“At first, the sensation I got was that there was a pop, then there was a big explosion and a clang. We were thrown forward in the seats. We had our shoulder harnesses fastened. Fire and sparks started coming out of the back end of that rascal. The l...

John Young in Gemini 10

Gemini_10_launch_time_exposure_-_GPN-2006-000036

Gemini 10 Agena

Ge10Patch_orig

Collins shortly after launch

Agena_Firing_-_GPN-2000-001355

Tagged:Agena, Agena 10, Agena 8, Airglow, Amu, Angry Alligator, Apollo, Beta Crucis, Beta Spectrometer, Bremsstrahlung Spectrometer, Capcom, Cape Kennedy, Carnarvon, Charlesworth, Colorado Springs, Docking, Ed White, Eva, Exploration, Eyeballs Out, Gamma Velorum, Gatv, Gemini 10, Gemini 4, Gemini 5, Gemini 6, Gemini 8, Gemini 9, Gemini 9a, Gemini Ix, Gemini Ix A, Gemini Ixa, Gemini Project, Gemini Project Office, Gemini V, Gemini Vi, Gemini Viii, Gemini X, Gpo, Hawaii, History, Houston, Ilon, Ion Wake, Jim Irwin, John Young, Kollsman, Lunney, Mcdonnell, Mike Collins, Milky Way, Mission Control Center, Msc, Mueller, Nasa, Norad, Red Sea, Rendezvous, Rocket, Rome, South Atlantic Anomaly, Space, Tri Axis Magnetometer
Oct 2

Space Rocket History #82 – Gemini X with John Young and Mike Collins – Part 3

Posted on October 2, 2014

Collins emerged from the spacecraft at dawn. Like Gene Cernan on Gemini IX-A, he found that all tasks took longer than he expected. But he was able to retrieve the package from the exterior of his spacecraft…

gemini-10_recovery

gemini_11_splashdown_recovery_print-r5a59c8d7c6244f54af0dc3eba26b9a72_wa3_8byvr_512

G10RecoveryCertificate

DaveG10

Tagged:Agena, Agena 10, Agena 8, Apollo, Capcom, Cape Kennedy, Carnarvon, Charles Mattews, Charlesworth, Docking, Eva, Exploration, Gatv, Gemini 10, Gemini 4, Gemini 5, Gemini 6, Gemini 8, Gemini 9, Gemini 9a, Gemini Ix, Gemini Ix A, Gemini Ixa, Gemini Project, Gemini Project Office, Gemini V, Gemini Vi, Gemini Viii, Gemini X, Gpo, Hasselblad, Hawaii, History, Houston, John Young, Lunney, Mcdonnell, Mike Collins, Mission Control Center, Msc, Mueller, Nasa, Paul Haney, Rendezvous, Rocket, Shuttle, South Atlantic Anomaly, Space, Space Station, Sunday School, Umbillical
Oct 9

Space Rocket History #83 – Gemini XI With Charles (Pete) Conrad and Richard Gordon – Part 1

Posted on October 9, 2014

Some significant goals had been set for the last two Gemini flights. For example, the Apollo Spacecraft Program Office wanted a rendezvous in the first spacecraft orbit, which would simulate lunar orbit rendezvous. There was also interest in linking ...

scan0704

RichardFGordon

320px-Gemini_11_patch

agena 11

Gemini_11_prime_crew_(Gordon_and_Conrad)

Gemini_11_Gordon_suits_up for G11

Tagged:A 4d, Agena, Agena 10, Agena 11, Agena 8, Amu, Apollo, Artificial Gravity, Autopilot, Bendix Trophy Race, Capcom, Cape Kennedy, Carnarvon, Charles Mattews, Docking, Eva, Exploration, F 11f, F 4h, F 8u, Gatv, Gemini 10, Gemini 4, Gemini 5, Gemini 6, Gemini 8, Gemini 9, Gemini 9a, Gemini Ix, Gemini Ix A, Gemini Ixa, Gemini Project, Gemini Project Office, Gemini V, Gemini Vi, Gemini Viii, Gemini X, Gemini Xii, Gordon Cooper, Gpo, Hasselblad, Hawaii, History, Houston, John Young, Lunney, Mcdonnell, Mike Collins, Mission Control Center, Msc, Mueller, Nasa, Niel Armstrong, Pete Conrad, Poulsbo, Rendezvous, Richard Gordon, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Seattle, Space, Space Station, Sunday School, Umbillical, Uss Ranger, Vf 121, Vf 96, William Anders
Oct 16

Space Rocket History #84 – Gemini XI With Charles (Pete) Conrad and Richard Gordon – Part 2

Posted on October 16, 2014

Conrad shouted to Gordon “Ride ’em, cowboy!”  Gordon was Riding bareback, with his feet and legs wedged between the docked vehicles. In practice sessions in zero-g aircraft flights, Gordon had been able to push himself forward, straddle the reentry a...

Gordon Astride Agena

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Tagged:Agena, Agena 11, Apollo, Artificial Gravity, Capcom, Cape Kennedy, Carnarvon, Charles Mattews, Charlesworth, Docking, Eva, Exploration, Gatv, Gemini 10, Gemini 4, Gemini 5, Gemini 6, Gemini 8, Gemini 9, Gemini 9a, Gemini Ix, Gemini Ix A, Gemini Ixa, Gemini Project, Gemini Project Office, Gemini V, Gemini Vi, Gemini Viii, Gemini X, Gemini Xii, Gpo, Guenter Wendt, Hawaii, History, Houston, Ivar, James Elms, John Young, Lunney, M Equals 1, Mcdonnell, Mike Collins, Mission Control Center, Msc, Mueller, Nasa, Pete Conrad, Rendezvous, Richard Gordon, Rocket, Rose Knot Victor, Space, Tananarive, Tether, Umbillical, Vf 121, William Anders, William Schneider
Oct 23

Space Rocket History #85 – Gemini XI With Charles (Pete) Conrad and Richard Gordon – Part 3

Posted on October 23, 2014

The rotation rate checked out at 55 degrees per minute, and the crew could now test for a minute amount of artificial gravity. When they put a camera against the instrument panel and then let it go, it moved in a straight line to the rear of the cock...

Recovery of G11

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G11 parachute

Agena Tether Experiment

Tagged:Agena, Agena 11, Apollo, Artificial Gravity, Bean, Canary Islands, Capcom, Cape Kennedy, Carnarvon, Cernan, Charles Mattews, Charlesworth, Coincident Orbit, Computer Controlled Reentry, Docking, Eva, Exploration, Gatv, Gemini 10, Gemini 4, Gemini 5, Gemini 6, Gemini 8, Gemini 9, Gemini 9a, Gemini Ix, Gemini Ix A, Gemini Ixa, Gemini Project, Gemini Project Office, Gemini V, Gemini Vi, Gemini Viii, Gemini X, Gemini Xii, Gpo, Gravity Gradient, Hawaii, History, Houston, John Young, Lunney, M Equals 1, Mcdonnell, Mission Control Center, Msc, Mueller, Nasa, Pete Conrad, Pps, Rendezvous, Richard Gordon, Rocket, Rose Knot Victor, Space, Stafford, Tananarive, Tether, Umbillical, Uss Guam, Velcro, William Schneider
Oct 30

Space Rocket History #86 – Gemini XII With Jim Lovell and and Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin – Part 1

Posted on October 30, 2014

When the  Gemini IX-A Agena fell into the Atlantic Ocean, Gemini XII was threatened with a major hardware shortage of an Agena and an Atlas to launch it. Replacing the Agena was no real problem. Lockheed’s first production model, 5001, used for devel...

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Tagged:Agena, Agena 12, Agena 5001, Amu, Apollo, Buzz Aldrin, Cape Kennedy, Cernan, Charles Mattews, Charlesworth, Colonel John Albert, Computer Controlled Reentry, Docking, Edwin Aldrin, Eva, Exploration, Francis Carey, Gatv, Gemini 10, Gemini 12, Gemini 4, Gemini 5, Gemini 6, Gemini 8, Gemini 9, Gemini 9a, Gemini Ix, Gemini Ix A, Gemini Ixa, Gemini Mission Review Board, Gemini Project, Gemini Project Office, Gemini V, Gemini Vi, Gemini Viii, Gemini X, Gemini Xii, Gpo, Gravity Gradient, Hawaii, History, Houston, John Young, Keplerian Trajectory, Langley Research Center, Lunney, M Equals 1, Major General Ben Funk, Maryland, Mcdonnell, Mcdonogh, Mike Collins, Mission Control Center, Msc, Mueller, Nasa, Pete Conrad, Rendezvous, Richard Gordon, Rocket, Space, Stafford, Tether, Umbillical, William Schneider
Nov 6

Space Rocket History #87 – Gemini XII With Jim Lovell and and Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin – Part 2

Posted on November 6, 2014

In space, Jim and Buzz began to wonder if everything had been shut down too soon. For 25 minutes, with one brief exception, they heard nothing from the ground. The Ascension Island tracking station had the wrong acquisition time, so its communicators...

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G12 tether

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Tagged:Agena, Agena 12, Apollo, Buzz Aldrin, Cape Kennedy, Charles Mattews, Charlesworth, Coastal Sentry Qebec, Computer Controlled Reentry, Conrad, Csq, Docking, Edwin Aldrin, Eva, Exploration, Fuel Cell, Gatv, Gemini 10, Gemini 12, Gemini 4, Gemini 5, Gemini 6, Gemini 8, Gemini 9, Gemini 9a, Gemini Ix, Gemini Ix A, Gemini Ixa, Gemini Mission Review Board, Gemini Project, Gemini Project Office, Gemini V, Gemini Vi, Gemini Viii, Gemini X, Gemini Xii, Gpo, Gravity Gradient, Hawaii, History, Houston, James Bates, John Young, Keplerian Trajectory, Langley Research Center, Lima Peru, Lunney, Mcdonnell, Mcdonogh, Mike Collins, Mission Control Center, Mit, Msc, Mueller, Nasa, Pps, Rendezvous, Richard Gordon, Rocket, Space, T 2, Tether, Umbillical, William Schneider
Nov 13

Space Rocket History #88 – Gemini XII With Jim Lovell and and Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin – Part 3

Posted on November 13, 2014

We left off last week after Buzz Aldrin’s third and final EVA. The hard work for the Gemini 12 mission was now complete.  Even with the problems with the radar, the Agena main engines, and the fuel cells, Gemini XII as a whole had gone very well…

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Tagged:Agena, Agena 12, Apollo, Apollo 13, Buzz Aldrin, Cape Kennedy, Charles Mattews, Charlesworth, Christopher Kraft, Coastal Sentry Qebec, Computer Controlled Reentry, Conrad, Csq, Docking, Edwin Aldrin, Eva, Exploration, Fuel Cell, Gatv, Gemini 10, Gemini 12, Gemini 4, Gemini 5, Gemini 6, Gemini 8, Gemini 9, Gemini 9a, Gemini Ix, Gemini Ix A, Gemini Ixa, Gemini Mission Review Board, Gemini Project, Gemini Project Office, Gemini V, Gemini Vi, Gemini Viii, Gemini X, Gemini Xii, Gpo, Gravity Gradient, Grumman, Hawaii, History, Homer Newell, Houston, Howard Tindall, Ibm 7094, James Bates, Jfk, John Glen, John Young, Joseph Loftus, Kennedy, Kieth Glennan, Lbj, Leonov, Lima Peru, Lunar Module, Lunney, Lyndon Johnson, Manned Spacecraft Center, Mcdonnell, Mcdonogh, Mercury, Mike Collins, Mission Control Center, Mit, Moon, Msc, Mueller, Nasa, North American, Paraglider, Pps, Rendezvous, Richard Gordon, Rocket, Rolf Lanzkron, Soviet, Space, T 2, Tether, Umbillical, Uss Wasp, William Schneider, Wright Brothers
Jan 29

Space Rocket History #98 – Apollo Beginnings

Posted on January 29, 2015

President Kennedy proposed the manned lunar landing as the focus of the US space program but, at the time of his address, only one American, Alan B. Shepard, Jr. had been into space, on a suborbital lob shot lasting 15 minutes. No rocket launch vehic...

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Tagged:Abe Silverstein, Abraham Hyatt, Air Force, Ames, Apollo, Army, Caldwell Johnson, Cape Kennedy, Circumlunar, Csq, Docking, Eisenhower, Eldon Hall, Exploration, F 1, Gatv, Gemini, Gemini Project, George Sutton, Glennon, Goddard, Goett, History, Homer Newell, Houston, Jfk, John Hodge, Jpl, Kennedy, Kieth Glennan, Lbj, Lewis, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lyndon Johnson, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Max Faget, Mercury, Mit, Moon, Naca, Nasa, Nova, Project Apollo, Rendezvous, Robert Piland, Rocket, Rocketdyne, Saturn, Soviet, Space, Space Task Group, Sputnik, Strass, Thomas Muse, Von Braun, William Schneider, X 15
Feb 5

Space Rocket History #99 – Apollo: The Opposition

Posted on February 5, 2015

The goal of the nation’s space program should be the scientific exploration of the moon and the planets but also to recognize that nontechnical factors are vital to public acceptance of a space program. Human exploration of the moon and planets would...

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Tagged:Alan Shepard, Alfred Sloan, Apollo, Brainerd Holmes, Cape Kennedy, Circumlunar, Clinton Anderson, Congress, Docking, Eisenhower, Exploration, Gagarin, Gemini Project, Goett, History, Houston, Hugh Dryden, James Killian, James Webb, Jerome Wiesner, Jfk, Jpl, Kennedy, Kieth Glennan, Lbj, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lyndon Johnson, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mercury, Moon, Nasa, Philip Abelson, Project Apollo, Rendezvous, Rocket, Saturn, Sky Scientist, Soviet, Space, Space Science Board, Space Task Group, Sputnik, Strass, Urgent National Needs, Von Braun, Warren Weaver
Apr 20

Space Rocket History An Encore Presentation of Episode #35 – Textbook Spaceflight – Mercury-Atlas 8, Sigmac 7 with Wally Schirra

Posted on April 20, 2016

After Scott Carpenter’s science heavy Mercury-Atlas 7 flight, Nasa’s next mission would concentrate on the technical and engineering aspects of space travel.  Mercury Atlas 8 became the third manned orbital flight of the Mercury program. The pilot se...
Tagged:Apollo, Atlas, Australia, Brisbane, Canary Islands, Cape Canaveral, Cape Kennedy, Christopher Kraft, Deke Slayton, Echo 1, Ecuador, Fireflies, Gyroscopes, History, Hypergolic Fuel Igniter, Indian Ocean, John Glenn, Kennedy, Liberty Bell 7, Mercury, Mercury 7, Mercury Atlas 7, Mesico, Muchea, Nasa, Naval Academy At Annapolis, Philippines, Port Elizabeth, Quito, Retrorocket, Rocket, Seventh Fleet, Sigma 7, South America, Spacecraft, Spaceflight, Telstar, Turtle Club, Uss Kearsarg, Wally, Walter Schirra, Weightlessness