Encyclopedia Astronautica

How do you get a man out of space, easiest? MOOSE - the bonkers 1960's wearable re-entry system http://www.astronautix.com/m/moose.html 23 comments 6/12/2022 space

Brian O'Leary wrote his Ph.D. thesis on the physical properties of the Martian surface and was selected as a scientist-astronaut by NASA in 1967 for a potential manned Mars mission when it was still in NASA's program plan http://www.astronautix.com/o/oleary.html 24 comments 15/6/2022 space

Shenzou spacecraft design details http://www.astronautix.com/s/shenzhou.html 7 comments 16/4/2022 space

Yang Liwei became China's first citizen in space when he launched in 2003. However, William Anders of Apollo 8 was born in Hong Kong, while American astronauts Shannon Lucid and Taylor Wang were both born in Shanghai http://www.astronautix.com/y/yangliwei.html 10 comments 30/8/2021 space

Von Braun Mars Expedition planned in 1969 using Apollo hardware http://www.astronautix.com/v/vonbraunmarpedition-1969.html 28 comments 3/2/2020 space

Von Braun's proposal for a manned mission to mars in 1965, written in the late 40s/early 50s http://www.astronautix.com/v/vonbraunmarpedition-1952.html 568 comments 20/5/2017 space

Looking for rocket specifications/launch data for school project http://www.astronautix.com/v/v-2.html 3 comments 25/3/2017 space

[Discussion] Can SpaceX VTVL technology be used to revive ROMBUS/SASSTO (see link)? http://astronautix.com/s/sassto.html 4 comments 17/2/2017 space

Von Braun's final vision for a manned expedition to Mars - 1969 http://www.astronautix.com/v/vonbraunmarpedition-1969.html 4 comments 29/9/2016 space

Interesting reading on a SpaceX Predecessor; Beal Aerospace http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/bealba2.htm 14 comments 17/10/2015 spacex

1958 concept drawing of a Juno-V first stage landing, over 50 years before SpaceX. http://astronautix.com/graphics/j/juno5rec.jpg 2 comments 7/8/2015 space

Sea Dragon was an immense, sea-launched, two-stage launch vehicle designed by Robert Truax for Aerojet in 1962. It was to be capable of putting 1.2 million pounds (550 tonnes) into LEO. http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/searagon.htm 3 comments 25/3/2015 space

Ghost of the past: McGregor rocket test site before SpaceX, with Beal Aerospace http://www.astronautix.com/engines/ba810.htm 24 comments 4/2/2015 spacex

Otrag - 1 ton to LEO for $20M, developed in the late 70s http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/otrag.htm 16 comments 3/5/2014 space

TIL In 1968 studied the possibility of creating a rocket capable of putting 1 million lbs into LEO, by strapping together 4 Saturn V first stages (but stretched to hold more fuel), and 4 Saturn V second stages. 20 F-1 Engines at liftoff! http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/satnv4xu.htm 12 comments 6/4/2013 space

Skylab's Untimely Fate - the sad story of how the United States abandoned the largest space station ever built http://www.astronautix.com/articles/skyyfate.htm 25 comments 27/10/2012 space

General Electric devised a system for individual astronaut re-entry from orbital velocities that involved climbing into a foam-filled bag with a flexible heat shield and using a small rocket to return to Earth safely. [x-post] http://www.astronautix.com/craft/moose.htm 8 comments 9/1/2012 space

actual Combat spacecraft ideas http://www.astronautix.com/fam/comcraft.htm 10 comments 3/1/2012 space

A modified form of the Gemini capsule was considered as an alternative to Apollo for reaching the moon. http://www.astronautix.com/articles/bygemoon.htm 3 comments 26/12/2011 space

The Von Braun Lunar Lander was a proposed 1953 moon exploration vehicle and an immense spacecraft, larger in earth orbit than a Saturn V booster and capable of carrying 25 men. http://www.astronautix.com/craft/vonander.htm 5 comments 14/4/2011 space

TIL in 1984 the Soviet Union fired a high powered laser at the Space Shuttle Challenger as a "warning shot." http://www.astronautix.com/craft/terra3.htm 8 comments 18/3/2011 reddit.com

Why did the Soviet Union lose the Moon Race? http://www.astronautix.com/articles/whynrace.htm 4 comments 27/1/2011 space

The LK was the Soviet lunar lander and counterpart of the American Lunar Module and was flown three times in earth orbit http://astronautix.com/craft/lk.htm 5 comments 28/1/2010 space

In 1984, the russians shot USS Challenger with a laser causing temporary blindness to crew members and malfunctions to on-board equipment http://www.astronautix.com/flights/sts41g.htm 85 comments 4/1/2010 science

The NASA Mars flyby mission was designed in 1965 to use existing Apollo hardware, allowing a manned flyby by 1975. http://www.astronautix.com/craft/nasy1965.htm 23 comments 21/10/2009 space

Road To The Stars: An Amazingly Visionary Soviet Space Propaganda Film From 1957 That Served As An Inspiration For 2001: A Space Odessey (Lots of Pics) http://www.astronautix.com/articles/roastars.htm 3 comments 16/8/2009 space

Soviet Mars Propulsion - Nuclear Thermal http://www.astronautix.com/articles/sovermal.htm 2 comments 15/2/2009 space

The Space Cannon: The Cold War's Coolest Gun http://www.astronautix.com/lvfam/gunnched.htm 3 comments 20/4/2008 science