fut_v_bw_o_n (ca. 1960-64, unnumbered, poss. Convair-GD concept art, ascent)
I don’t know. The only thing I’m sure of is that it’s an Atlas launch vehicle (SM-65/SM-65D), after booster stage jettison, along with a condensed sequence of first stage/payload fairing separation. The fairing, to me, having a Juno II-like external appearance.
That was the easy part...
What is that payload? An interplanetary probe? Lunar probe? Manned? Unmanned? It has what looks to be a high-gain communications dish/antenna, which I ignorantly associate with long distance space communications. Does the craft eventually separate from the ‘booster’ stage it’s still attached to? Which appears to have a four-nozzle Apollo-like reaction control system at the aft end. To permit finer course, trajectory, maybe even rendezvous maneuvers? And then there are the two exposed toroidal fuel tanks…with a ‘two-tiered” configuration of some pretty hefty nozzles. No landing gear apparent. Therefore, I’m back to IDK.
Being an Atlas booster, I'm assuming early 1960s, where I'm compelled to default to Krafft Ehricke & John Sentovic. While the vehicle looks Sentovic-like, the depiction of the earth, its landmasses & airglow leave some doubt...so, who knows.
fut_v_bw_o_n (ca. 1960-64, unnumbered, poss. Convair-GD concept art, ascent)
I don’t know. The only thing I’m sure of is that it’s an Atlas launch vehicle (SM-65/SM-65D), after booster stage jettison, along with a condensed sequence of first stage/payload fairing separation. The fairing, to me, having a Juno II-like external appearance.
That was the easy part...
What is that payload? An interplanetary probe? Lunar probe? Manned? Unmanned? It has what looks to be a high-gain communications dish/antenna, which I ignorantly associate with long distance space communications. Does the craft eventually separate from the ‘booster’ stage it’s still attached to? Which appears to have a four-nozzle Apollo-like reaction control system at the aft end. To permit finer course, trajectory, maybe even rendezvous maneuvers? And then there are the two exposed toroidal fuel tanks…with a ‘two-tiered” configuration of some pretty hefty nozzles. No landing gear apparent. Therefore, I’m back to IDK.
Being an Atlas booster, I'm assuming early 1960s, where I'm compelled to default to Krafft Ehricke & John Sentovic. While the vehicle looks Sentovic-like, the depiction of the earth, its landmasses & airglow leave some doubt...so, who knows.