Jan 4, 2023United States Patent 3,576,298 was applied for in 1967 and issuedto the North American Rockwell Corp in 1971.ABSTRACT: An aerospace vehicle is described as comprising a substantially conical forward crew compartment or command module mated to a substantially cylindrical rearward servicemodule. Aerodynamic fairings are provided along the midline on the sides of the cylindrical portion and a substantial distance aft thereof for providing lift at hypersonic velocities and approximately vertical fins are provided on the fairings for aerodynamic stability and control. Wings are mounted within the aerodynamic fairings at high velocities and pivotably extended there from at lower velocities and altitudes to provide a low-speed lift. Upon reentry into the earth's atmosphere, the hypersonic lift is provided by the body and the fairings for bringing the vehicle to the areaof a selected landing site and, at lower flight speeds deeper into the atmosphere, the augmented lift is provided by the extended wings for landing the vehicle on a conventional runway.A rocket engine for propulsion has a large expansion ratio bell for use in the vacuum of space. The large ratio bell is jettisonable.Rear landing skids are pivotable into and out of the wake of the vehicle to reduce the requirement for heat shielding. Similarly, reaction control rocket motors are also pivotable into and out of the wake of the vehicle for minimizing heat protection requirements.Such a vehicle is readily adaptable to a broad variety of space missions such as cargo ferries or satelliterecovery, and is reusable with minimum refurbishment.
The Big G shuttle was a better concept.
Quote from: Jer on 01/04/2023 04:25 pmThe Big G shuttle was a better concept.Yeah... but...I wrote about Big G. I cannot remember if my large article on that program appeared in The Space Review or only in print. I actually found the multi-volume final report down in Houston and went through it. It was an interesting concept, but it really struck me that it was a design team desperately trying to cram fifty pounds into a ten pound bag. They wanted the shape and look of Gemini, but that was probably not the best way to do it, and if they had started from scratch, they would have come up with something different.
Sound about right. NAA, like every other major Apollo program contractor, realized that the music is going to stop and was scrambling to find a seat. But, wasn't Big the better concept if only for the fact that there was an actual MOL craft in existence while the Apollo Shuttle would barely qualify as a paper craft?
