I was thinking that NASA has been in the business of building launch vehicles for a very long time. Looking backward, we have SLS, Shuttle, the Saturns. NASA picked up the Saturns in 1960, when the von Braun team moved to NASA, but I believe it briefly also managed Atlas-Vega, which was cancelled when Atlas-Centaur, then managed by the Air Force, was revealed. Have I got that right? Which came first, Atlas-Vega or the transfer of Saturn to NASA? Have I neglected any other early NASA launch-vehicle efforts?
I was thinking that NASA has been in the business of building launch vehicles for a very long time.
Quote from: Proponent on 10/19/2022 07:11 pmI was thinking that NASA has been in the business of building launch vehicles for a very long time. Looking backward, we have SLS, Shuttle, the Saturns. NASA picked up the Saturns in 1960, when the von Braun team moved to NASA, but I believe it briefly also managed Atlas-Vega, which was cancelled when Atlas-Centaur, then managed by the Air Force, was revealed. Have I got that right? Which came first, Atlas-Vega or the transfer of Saturn to NASA? Have I neglected any other early NASA launch-vehicle efforts?NASA started work on the Nova rocket in 1958.
NASA started work on the Nova rocket in 1958.
Quote from: Proponent on 10/19/2022 07:11 pmI was thinking that NASA has been in the business of building launch vehicles for a very long time. Pedantic but important point: contractors built them.
Quote from: AmigaClone on 10/19/2022 08:00 pmNASA started work on the Nova rocket in 1958.Nova is not what I have in mind, because no development contracts were ever issued. NASA certainly discussed Nova early on, as the attached document dating from very early 1959 shows. But that document also mentions several explicitly non-NASA launch vehicles, including Saturn (then known as Juno V), which was at the time an Army project. I would not be surprised if in considering Nova, NASA envisioned it would be developed by the Army.
Not to pick nits, but ....
Nova is not what I have in mind, because no development contracts were ever issued. NASA certainly discussed Nova early on, as the attached document dating from very early 1959 shows. But that document also mentions several explicitly non-NASA launch vehicles, including Saturn (then known as Juno V), which was at the time an Army project. I would not be surprised if in considering Nova, NASA envisioned it would be developed by the Army.
Quote from: Proponent on 10/19/2022 10:33 pmNova is not what I have in mind, because no development contracts were ever issued. NASA certainly discussed Nova early on, as the attached document dating from very early 1959 shows. But that document also mentions several explicitly non-NASA launch vehicles, including Saturn (then known as Juno V), which was at the time an Army project. I would not be surprised if in considering Nova, NASA envisioned it would be developed by the Army.No, even though it did not happen right away like Vanguard (July 1958), ABMA ops division was to be brought over to NASA in December 1958 with JPL. It didn't happen until July 1960. In the meanwhile, NASA "contracted" for ABMA support.NASA wasn't going to have the Army manage Nova. There was no benefit to the Army to do it.
IN THE PENTAGON Ultimate fate of ABMA . . . remains decidedly unclear in the wake of re- cent Pentagon space juggling. Both NASA and the Air Force are considered likely inheritors of the Army space agency.
Quote from: Proponent on 10/19/2022 07:11 pmI was thinking that NASA has been in the business of building launch vehicles for a very long time. Looking backward, we have SLS, Shuttle, the Saturns. NASA picked up the Saturns in 1960, when the von Braun team moved to NASA, but I believe it briefly also managed Atlas-Vega, which was cancelled when Atlas-Centaur, then managed by the Air Force, was revealed. Have I got that right? Which came first, Atlas-Vega or the transfer of Saturn to NASA? Have I neglected any other early NASA launch-vehicle efforts?It's complicated <snip>So NASA first self build Launcher was Saturn V follow by Space Shuttle and now SLS
NASA wasn't going to have the Army manage Nova. There was no benefit to the Army to do it.