The Military Test Space Station (MTSS)by Hans Dolfing Monday, August 12, 2024The US Air Force started a series of contractor studies in the late 1950s to look ahead and explore anything related to space. Rockets, rocket planes, short- and long-term stays in space, logistics to supply outposts in space, and weapons; the works. These studies were titled the System Requirement (SR) studies to prepare US Air Force long-range plans.
One such USAF study, SR 17527, Task Nr 7969, titled the Military Test Space Station (MTSS), with a timeframe between 1959 to 1962, is discussed here based on a two, mostly forgotten sets of documents.
The MTSS deserves more than a footnote in the list of US space station concepts because this study generated quite a diverse but detailed set of zero and artificial-gravity stations for which many basic arguments are still valid. Without history, it is easy to repeat mistakes in the future. To design future space stations, it helps to understand the ingenious and innovative space structures from the 1960s.
A thread to discuss more on the MTSS as well as related space stations, boosters, logistics based on the recent articlehttps://www.thespacereview.com/article/4840/1(Disclaimer, I am the author)Quote The Military Test Space Station (MTSS)by Hans Dolfing Monday, August 12, 2024The US Air Force started a series of contractor studies in the late 1950s to look ahead and explore anything related to space. Rockets, rocket planes, short- and long-term stays in space, logistics to supply outposts in space, and weapons; the works. These studies were titled the System Requirement (SR) studies to prepare US Air Force long-range plans.QuoteOne such USAF study, SR 17527, Task Nr 7969, titled the Military Test Space Station (MTSS), with a timeframe between 1959 to 1962, is discussed here based on a two, mostly forgotten sets of documents.QuoteThe MTSS deserves more than a footnote in the list of US space station concepts because this study generated quite a diverse but detailed set of zero and artificial-gravity stations for which many basic arguments are still valid. Without history, it is easy to repeat mistakes in the future. To design future space stations, it helps to understand the ingenious and innovative space structures from the 1960s.Ever since a brief mention about the MTSS in a book a decade ago, these and similar US space station concepts have been a source of fascination to me. As I like to research original reports and documents, I am pleased that another part of that work got published. In a way, consider this "Part 1" of the MTSS story. Various Air and Space Force FOIAs are in progress to retrieve more original documents. In particular see references 16 to 18 for a possible "Part 2" of this story whenever the Air Force would finally release these documents. In any case, the TSR article endnotes/references have many hyperlinks for follow-up. As there as many space veterans on this forum, I’d love to hear additional stories, more hints about which contractor concept is which or whatever additional info or pointers you can share. With respect to earlier threads here on NSF, the MTSS came up in the MOL discussion thread as well the very early boosters Late 50s-early 60s USAF Project Phoenix rockets, boosters and related projects
[18] Martin Co., Denver, Colo., by R. Hale, Contr. AF 33(600)-42456, Rept. no. M-0361-61-87, ASD TR 61-211, ASD CR 61-14, Dated: Jul 1961.- SR-17527, “MTSS PHASE II (GAMMA) VEHICLE DESIGN. VOLUME I, (u)”, AD 328 358L, vol. 1, illus., tbl.- SR-17527, “MTSS TEST MISSIONS. VOLUME II, (u)”, AD 328 359L, vol. 2, 178 pp., illus., tbl.
Hale, R. 1961 GENERAL HUMAN FACTORS CONSIDERATIONS - MTSS VOLUME III[Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio)FINAL REPORT - Contract No. AF 33(600)42456, ASD-CR-61-14(111), Vol. 3; ASD-TR-61-211(111), ASTIA AD 273005LABSTRACT: The final summary report of the military test space station study is divided into three volumes. Volume I discusses the Phase II (Gamma) vehicle design. The MTSS missions are described in Volume II. General human factors considerations are given in Volume III.
[18] Martin Co., Denver, Colo., by R. Hale, Contr. AF 33(600)-42456, Rept. no. M-0361-61-87, ASD TR 61-211, ASD CR 61-14, Dated: Jul 1961.- SR-17527, “MTSS PHASE II (GAMMA) VEHICLE DESIGN. VOLUME I, (u)”, AD 328 358L, vol. 1, illus., tbl.- SR-17527, “MTSS TEST MISSIONS. VOLUME II, (u)”, AD 328 359L, vol. 2, 178 pp., illus., tbl.- SR-17527, “GENERAL HUMAN FACTORS CONSIDERATIONS. VOLUME III”, AD 273 005L, vol. 3
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH STUDIES IN ACCELERATION, IMPACT, WEIGHTLESSNESS, VIBRATION, AND EMERGENCY ESCAPE AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS: A COMPREHENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHYDECEMBER 1963RICHARD G. SNYDER, Ph.D. , JOHN ICE, M., JUDITH C. DUNCAN, B.F.A., ALVIN S. HYDE, M.D., Ph.D., SIDNEY LEVERETT, JR., Ph.D.
ALVIN S. HYDE, M.D., Ph.D. Aerospace Medical Research Laboratories Aerospace Medical Division Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
TL;DR Searching for the Military Test Space Station in aero medical research mentions a "Centralized Space Training Facility Study" related to many more Study Requirement (SR) studies.With similar search-fu as the post before I got tohttps://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435025389875&seq=7&q1=%22MILITARY+TEST+SPACE+STATION%22and specifically pagehttps://hdl.handle.net/2027/osu.32435025389875?urlappend=%3Bseq=322%3Bownerid=115606170-338with reference #22.The authors of that study, Welch, J. C., and M. T. Snyder, are unknown to me. The title though "The Centralized Space Training Facility Study: Part III. Training for the Military Test Space Station", related to many more Study Requirement (SR) studies, is tantalizing. With more searching via STAR in 1963 I find that ASTIA AD 339 343L should be the report number. Finally, this one page of references is a treasure trove. I made some annotations in blue (ASTIA report numbers) and red (SR report number) which is attached as a screenshot. We see that a significant number of the elusive SR studies all refer back to the "Centralized Space Training Facility" which I did not know about. In other words, here is a different aero and space medical line of search for Wright Patterson AFB (where presumably this facility was located) which may lead to more original reports from 1959 to 1963 related to the MTSS. That also nicely matches the known interest of the big boss Gen. Bernard Schriever who was promoting space medical research as well.Where does that leave us? Well, one question would be whether anyone has a lead on the "Centralized Space Training Facility Study" from that time? Another follow-up could be more search for medical research related to Dyna-Soar and MOL via these bibliographies. EDIT: Updated the attachment mtss.et.al.medical.png to v2
Quote from: leovinus on 08/31/2024 12:15 pmTL;DR Searching for the Military Test Space Station in aero medical research mentions a "Centralized Space Training Facility Study" related to many more Study Requirement (SR) studies.With similar search-fu as the post before I got tohttps://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435025389875&seq=7&q1=%22MILITARY+TEST+SPACE+STATION%22and specifically pagehttps://hdl.handle.net/2027/osu.32435025389875?urlappend=%3Bseq=322%3Bownerid=115606170-338with reference #22.The authors of that study, Welch, J. C., and M. T. Snyder, are unknown to me. The title though "The Centralized Space Training Facility Study: Part III. Training for the Military Test Space Station", related to many more Study Requirement (SR) studies, is tantalizing. With more searching via STAR in 1963 I find that ASTIA AD 339 343L should be the report number. Finally, this one page of references is a treasure trove. I made some annotations in blue (ASTIA report numbers) and red (SR report number) which is attached as a screenshot. We see that a significant number of the elusive SR studies all refer back to the "Centralized Space Training Facility" which I did not know about. In other words, here is a different aero and space medical line of search for Wright Patterson AFB (where presumably this facility was located) which may lead to more original reports from 1959 to 1963 related to the MTSS. That also nicely matches the known interest of the big boss Gen. Bernard Schriever who was promoting space medical research as well.Where does that leave us? Well, one question would be whether anyone has a lead on the "Centralized Space Training Facility Study" from that time? Another follow-up could be more search for medical research related to Dyna-Soar and MOL via these bibliographies. EDIT: Updated the attachment mtss.et.al.medical.png to v2A new one to me, but I think this doc may be of interest: https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/AD0419018.pdf - I don't think it's one you've already seen is it ?Pure Heinlein in places ;-)
c. Measuring man's ability to perform duties in a satellite. Also included in this section are various biomedical experiments of which must be performed before man can be used for a military mission in space.
One more sleuthing question please. While I see that some Congress hearings in the period 1958 to 1962 are about "Defense Appropriations" and Air Force budgets, only one of them had a short list of AF contracts discussed. One page attached as example. If there were concise lists of Air Force contracts from that time period, we could simple search for numbers like AF 33(600)-41944 and see whether they are in there. If yes then we might be able to find e.g. the contract number for the General Electric studies which eludes me so far. Granted, such secret contracts might not be on a list for congressional hearings but I wondered whether one of you knows where to find such concise and complete lists of AF contract numbers? Thanks.
Quote from: leovinus on 09/01/2024 11:28 amOne more sleuthing question please. While I see that some Congress hearings in the period 1958 to 1962 are about "Defense Appropriations" and Air Force budgets, only one of them had a short list of AF contracts discussed. One page attached as example. If there were concise lists of Air Force contracts from that time period, we could simple search for numbers like AF 33(600)-41944 and see whether they are in there. If yes then we might be able to find e.g. the contract number for the General Electric studies which eludes me so far. Granted, such secret contracts might not be on a list for congressional hearings but I wondered whether one of you knows where to find such concise and complete lists of AF contract numbers? Thanks.No idea in general, but have you already grabbed all the contract #s that accompany the SR numbers from the DoD technical abstract bulletins, like this one from July '61 ? https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/_/4SPJ4687C_AC?hl=en&gbpv=1 SR178, for example, is accompanied by its contract number as far as I can see. I suspect you've already done this though, no other bright ideas I'm afraid.
Quote from: LittleBird on 09/01/2024 05:42 pmQuote from: leovinus on 09/01/2024 11:28 amOne more sleuthing question please. While I see that some Congress hearings in the period 1958 to 1962 are about "Defense Appropriations" and Air Force budgets, only one of them had a short list of AF contracts discussed. One page attached as example. If there were concise lists of Air Force contracts from that time period, we could simple search for numbers like AF 33(600)-41944 and see whether they are in there. If yes then we might be able to find e.g. the contract number for the General Electric studies which eludes me so far. Granted, such secret contracts might not be on a list for congressional hearings but I wondered whether one of you knows where to find such concise and complete lists of AF contract numbers? Thanks.No idea in general, but have you already grabbed all the contract #s that accompany the SR numbers from the DoD technical abstract bulletins, like this one from July '61 ? https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/_/4SPJ4687C_AC?hl=en&gbpv=1 SR178, for example, is accompanied by its contract number as far as I can see. I suspect you've already done this though, no other bright ideas I'm afraid.Thanks for the reminder. Been a while since a looked at those. I do have a local copy of the Technical Abstract Bulletins (TAB) from 1960 to 1965 plus Scientific and technical aerospace reports (STAR) from 1963 to 1965. After some script-fu and trawling AF contract numbers there is no match that I see. There was one small surprise as a "grep" for "SR 17527", the MTSS, gave me an unknown hit, attached. This is from the TAB 1965, part 1, annual index. <unknown contractor> "MILITARY TEST SPACE STATION EVALUATION (SR17527) ", ASD TDR 62 96, AD-365 423L That particular "AD" report was unknown to me. When compared with reference 16 to 18, it does not line up well with the GD/A, Lockheed or Martin reports. However, always nice to find a new report reference and the hunt continues.PS: As you mention SR178, I looked at my NARA materials this morning and there are some papers regarding that study as well. Contractor names, dates, and organization of the final report discussion I believe. I have not looked at it closely and I wondered whether I should bring it up in the MOL thread, or anywhere.
[16] General Dynamics/Astronautics (GD/A), San Diego, Calif., Contr. AF 33(600)-42457, Rept. no. AE 61-0570, ASD TR 61-208, Dated: 15 Jul 1961- SR-17527, “MILITARY TEST SPACE STATION. VOLUME I. SUMMARY (U)”, AD 328 351L, vol. 1, 75 pages.- SR-17527, “MILITARY TEST SPACE STATION. VOLUME II, PART I, PRE-I965 SPACE STATION (u)”, AD 328 352L, vol. 2, part 1, 166 pages.- SR-17527, “MILITARY TEST SPACE STATION. VOLUME II, PART I, PRE-I965 SPACE STATION (U)”, AD 328 353L, vol. 2, part 2.- SR-17527, “MILITARY TEST SPACE STATION. VOLUME III. ADVANCED SPACE STATIONS (U)”, AD 328 354L, vol. 3, illus. tbl. refs.[17] Lockheed Aircraft Corp., Sunnyvale, Calif. by S. B. Kramer, Contr. AF 33(600)-41944, Rept. no. IMSD-895091, ASD TR 61-21, Dated: 1 Jul 1961- SR-17527, “POST-1965 VEHICLE MILITARY TEST SPACE STATION (U)”, AD 328 338L, vol. 1, illus., tbl., 37 refs.[18] Martin Co., Denver, Colo., by R. Hale, Contr. AF 33(600)-42456, Rept. no. M-0361-61-87, ASD TR 61-211, ASD CR 61-14, Dated: Jul 1961.- SR-17527, “MTSS PHASE II (GAMMA) VEHICLE DESIGN. VOLUME I, (u)”, AD 328 358L, vol. 1, illus., tbl.- SR-17527, “MTSS TEST MISSIONS. VOLUME II, (u)”, AD 328 359L, vol. 2, 178 pp., illus., tbl.
[GDA] General Dynamics/Astronautics (GD/A), San Diego, Calif., Contr. AF 33(600)-42457, Rept. no. AE 61-0570, ASD TR 61-208, Dated: 15 Jul 1961- SR-17527, “MILITARY TEST SPACE STATION. VOLUME I. SUMMARY (U)”, AD 328 351L, vol. 1, 75 pages.- SR-17527, “MILITARY TEST SPACE STATION. VOLUME II, PART I, PRE-1965 SPACE STATION (u)”, AD 328 352L, vol. 2, part 1, 166 pages.- SR-17527, “MILITARY TEST SPACE STATION. VOLUME II, PART I, PRE-1965 SPACE STATION (U)”, AD 328 353L, vol. 2, part 2.- SR-17527, “MILITARY TEST SPACE STATION. VOLUME III. ADVANCED SPACE STATIONS (U)”, AD 328 354L, vol. 3, illus. tbl. refs.[Lockheed] Lockheed Aircraft Corp., Sunnyvale, Calif. by S. B. Kramer, Contr. AF 33(600)-41944, ASD TR 61-21, Dated: 1 Jul 1961- SR-17527, “PRE-1965 <unknown title> ”, Rept. no. LMSD-895028, Dated: 1 Feb 1961- SR-17527, “POST-1965 VEHICLE MILITARY TEST SPACE STATION (U)”, 1 July 1961, AD 328 338L, Rept. no. LMSD-895091, vol. 1, illus., tbl., 37 refs.[McDonnell] McDonnell Aircraft Corp. (MAC), St. Louis, AF 33(600)-41945, ASD TR 61-212,- SR-17527, "Military Test Space Station Study", MAC Report No. 7962, 15 February 1961. - SR-17527, "MTSS Final Report", Volume I, MAC Report No. 8277, 15 July 1961. - SR-17527, "MTSS FINAL REPORT. VOL. II. TECHNICAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS.", July 1961, 381 pages, [Martin] Martin Co., Denver, Colo., by R. Hale, Contr. AF 33(600)-42456, Rept. no. M-0361-61-87, ASD TR 61-211, ASD CR 61-14, Dated: Jul 1961.- SR-17527, “MTSS PHASE II (GAMMA) VEHICLE DESIGN. VOLUME I, (u)”, AD 328 358L, vol. 1, illus., tbl.- SR-17527, “MTSS TEST MISSIONS. VOLUME II, (u)”, AD 328 359L, vol. 2, 178 pp., illus., tbl.- SR-17527, “GENERAL HUMAN FACTORS CONSIDERATIONS. VOLUME III”, AD 273 005L, vol. 3[GE] General Electric Co, Philadelphia, PA, Missile and Space Div., AF 33(600)-41943- "MILITARY TEST SPACE STATION FINAL REPORT. VOLUME II TECHNICAL DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN (BOOK 2)", Vol 2. BK2., AD-362 668L, 65-16 FLD.22A- "MILITARY TEST SPACE STATION FINAL REPORT. VOLUME III APPENDICES", Vol 3., AD-362 669L, 65-16 FLD.22A[unknown] "MILITARY TEST SPACE STATION EVALUATION (SR17527) ", ASD TDR 62-96, AD-365 423L [unknown] "THE CENTRALIZED SPACE TRAINING FACILITY STUDY. PART III. TRAINING FOR THE MILITARY TEST SPACE STATION", by Welch, J. C. and Snyder, M. T., (AMRL MP3D 3), AMRL P-30-III, March 1963 AD-339 343L DEV 23A[unknown] MTSS Study Part I - Configuration Selection, NTRS 20150016131 ?, dated 1961