Author Topic: Gemini for MOL and Circumlunar  (Read 19698 times)

Offline Blackstar

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Gemini for MOL and Circumlunar
« on: 03/09/2009 02:26 pm »
I'm working with somebody on something related to MOL and did a lot of scanning.  Thought I would share the scans.

Offline Blackstar

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Re: Gemini for MOL and Circumlunar
« Reply #1 on: 03/09/2009 02:26 pm »

Offline Blackstar

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Re: Gemini for MOL and Circumlunar
« Reply #2 on: 03/09/2009 02:27 pm »

Offline Blackstar

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Re: Gemini for MOL and Circumlunar
« Reply #3 on: 03/09/2009 02:27 pm »

Offline Blackstar

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Re: Gemini for MOL and Circumlunar
« Reply #4 on: 03/09/2009 04:00 pm »
I've never seen a formal report attached to this image.  I think it was mostly notional and not the result of any detailed study of the kinds of military operations a Gemini could perform.  There's a lot of reasons why you would not want to pack all of this stuff onto a single spacecraft.

Offline Herb Schaltegger

Re: Gemini for MOL and Circumlunar
« Reply #5 on: 03/09/2009 04:26 pm »
These are great.  Lots of interesting bits in here. One thing I saw, on p. 18 of the first document ("Gemini B MOL Schematics"), the aft EVA airlock has bulges labeled "Escape Capsule" - perhaps I'm showing my MOL-ignorance, but does anyone know what that was all about?
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Offline mike robel

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Re: Gemini for MOL and Circumlunar
« Reply #6 on: 03/09/2009 10:50 pm »
Very nice find.  Thanks very much

Offline Apolloman

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Re: Gemini for MOL and Circumlunar
« Reply #7 on: 03/10/2009 03:02 pm »
Nice... Thank
Paul Cultrera
webmaster du site http://www.de-la-terre-a-la-lune.com/
consacré au programme Apollo.

Le savoir est un trésor à partager avec tout le monde...

Offline Danderman

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Re: Gemini for MOL and Circumlunar
« Reply #8 on: 03/10/2009 03:52 pm »
These are great.  Lots of interesting bits in here. One thing I saw, on p. 18 of the first document ("Gemini B MOL Schematics"), the aft EVA airlock has bulges labeled "Escape Capsule" - perhaps I'm showing my MOL-ignorance, but does anyone know what that was all about?

I was wondering that too. My guess is that its a small capsule for return of film to Earth during the mission.

Offline Herb Schaltegger

Re: Gemini for MOL and Circumlunar
« Reply #9 on: 03/10/2009 05:13 pm »
These are great.  Lots of interesting bits in here. One thing I saw, on p. 18 of the first document ("Gemini B MOL Schematics"), the aft EVA airlock has bulges labeled "Escape Capsule" - perhaps I'm showing my MOL-ignorance, but does anyone know what that was all about?

I was wondering that too. My guess is that its a small capsule for return of film to Earth during the mission.


That was actually my guess too, especially since calling them "Escape Capsules" made a nice cover for the true mission as manned spysat. 
« Last Edit: 03/10/2009 05:14 pm by Herb Schaltegger »
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Offline nooneofconsequence

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Re: Gemini for MOL and Circumlunar
« Reply #10 on: 03/10/2009 08:26 pm »
Brings back memories. Now have to go through my Dad's attic and dig up the photo's of the MOL mockup, which was located at GE's Valley Forge facility.
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something" - Plato

Offline Danderman

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Re: Gemini for MOL and Circumlunar
« Reply #11 on: 12/10/2009 07:10 am »
Here is an 18 meg file from NTRS concerning "MORL - Gemini" Volume 2:

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19750069371_1975069371.pdf

Offline Blackstar

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Re: Gemini for MOL and Circumlunar
« Reply #12 on: 12/11/2009 05:03 pm »
As I understand it, MORL was NASA's space station idea from around 1963-1965.  They gave up on that in favor of the Apollo Applications Program and the Wet Workshop concept.  That did not prevent the MOL (not MORL) people from trying to pitch a MOL-like vehicle to NASA in the latter 1960s.

NASA had an MORL guy, Mike Yarymovych, who was sent to USAF to help them with MOL.  He was essentially on detail to USAF to return the USAF favor of helping with Apollo.  Yarymovych was supposed to bring NASA human spaceflight experience to the MOL program.

Offline Patchouli

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Re: Gemini for MOL and Circumlunar
« Reply #13 on: 12/11/2009 05:39 pm »
I always wondered how they accomplished the seal between the transfer tunnel and heat shield.
It's a lot simpler then I though it was as I figured the heat shield would not have been able to form a gas tight seal.
But heat shields back then were essentially a material similar to bowling balls right?

Offline Blackstar

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Re: Gemini for MOL and Circumlunar
« Reply #14 on: 12/11/2009 07:42 pm »
Did they have to form a seal between it and the heat shield?  I would assume that they would open the hatch and then have a small tunnel that would extend and connect.  But I haven't thought about this before.  Does anybody know the answer?

Offline js117

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Re: Gemini for MOL and Circumlunar
« Reply #15 on: 12/11/2009 11:23 pm »
I always liked the Mol program.
Were can I get the  NTRS concerning "MORL - Gemini" Volume 1 pdf.


Offline Danderman

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Offline Proponent

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Re: Gemini for MOL and Circumlunar
« Reply #17 on: 12/12/2009 05:24 am »
Here are two more circumlunar Gemini docs.  The first is a file containing parts of reports, memos, a newspaper clipping and letters from 1961 to 1965. 

The second is a single memo dated 1964 exploring both direct and EOR approaches using a variety of launch vehicles and upper stages.  Some possibilities involved strapping small SRBs onto the Titan II.

[The first PDF actually contains a portion of the second; is there free a tool with which one can chop pages off of PDFs?]
« Last Edit: 12/12/2009 05:29 am by Proponent »

Offline js117

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Re: Gemini for MOL and Circumlunar
« Reply #18 on: 12/12/2009 03:37 pm »
Thanks For the articles Blackstar and others.
Open office 3 by sun  is free and has a pdf editer in it.
I don't know how good.

Offline MarsMethanogen

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Re: Gemini for MOL and Circumlunar
« Reply #19 on: 12/15/2009 09:01 pm »
Thanks, Blackstar.  Gemini literature is relatively more reclusive to come by.  Regarding the .pdf files in Entry 2, the first one only goes to page 6-17.  Any idea what happened?  In trying to open or save the second file to another location, both gave me failure messages. 

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