I've seen some mention here and elsewhere about what NASA was planning prior to the famous Rice speech and the whole "to the Moon before 1970" plan Kennedy came up with. However, what I've seen is mostly rather vague about what exactly they wanted to do (usually just stating that there weren't any landings planned) and doesn't mention anywhere to go to look up more information. I was therefore wondering if anyone here knew of any decent sources (on-line or off) on what NASA envisioned they would do in the future prior to Kennedy setting that goal.
Nit: Kennedy didn't set the Moon goal in the Rice speech (September 1962), he did it before a joint session of Congress in May 1961.
Quote from: Jorge on 02/22/2011 06:54 pmNit: Kennedy didn't set the Moon goal in the Rice speech (September 1962), he did it before a joint session of Congress in May 1961.True...well, the point is still the same. I'd like to know more about whatever NASA was planning before then.
Here's one glimpse at planning, circa 1959. http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/report59.html - Ed Kyle
Quote from: edkyle99 on 02/22/2011 07:36 pmHere's one glimpse at planning, circa 1959. http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/report59.html - Ed KyleAh! Thank you very much. Now to go over it and compare to what actually happened...
In terms of launch vehicle and spacecraft, my recollection is that the "two-stage Saturn" mentioned is what we know as "Saturn I". There would have been a follow on Saturn, derived from Saturn I, for circumlunar and manned LEO space station flights with a spacecraft that looked dimly like Apollo. Landing on the Moon, sometime after 1970, would have been done with a much bigger rocket named Nova, and the thinking at the time was that the lander (topped by a return spacecraft complete with heat shield) would have flown directly (no docking, no orbiting, etc.) to the lunar surface from Earth. Others like von Braun contemplated a modified direct mode (eventually named Earth Orbit Rendezvous) that involved building up a spacecraft and propellant load in LEO via. multiple Saturn launches. - Ed Kyle
Would President Kennedy have made "The Speech" to Congress if these conditions (Gagarin's flight, Bay of Pigs, Shepard's flight...)did not exist and what combination of these were needed to push the President to make the decision to go to the moon?