bigg/aap_v_c_o_AKP (ca. 1968-69, orig. unnumbered McDonnell Douglas Corp. photo)
In this artist’s conception, with its crew section in cutout, is the Big or Big GEMINI spacecraft under study by McDonnell Douglas for NASA-Houston. S-IVB Orbital WORKSHOP is seen in the background. Holding a nominal crew of nine plus cargo, the Big G would be used as space shuttle to orbiting space stations in the mid-1970’s. It is a top contender in the dual Houston-Marshall space shuttle study.
8.5” x 11”.
The above is paraphrased from the December 5, 1968 issue of “SPACE Daily”, page 149, thanks to the always excellent Aerospace Projects Review website, at:
www.aerospaceprojectsreview.com/blog/?p=1140
Wow…see/read also:
www.astronautix.com/b/biggemini.html
Credit: Astronautix website
Finally, per the August 21, 1969 entry:
“McDonnell Douglas Corporation, under contract to MSC, submitted an eight-volume final report on a "Big G" study.
The study was performed to generate a preliminary definition of a logistic spacecraft derived from Gemini that would be used to resupply an orbiting space station. Land-landing at a preselected site and refurbishment and reuse were design requirements. Two baseline spacecraft were defined: a nine-man minimum modification version of the Gemini B called Min-Mod Big G and a 12-man advanced concept, having the same exterior geometry but with new, state-of-the-art subsystems, called Advanced Big G. Three launch vehicles-Saturn IB, Titan IIIM, and S-IC/S- IVB-were investigated for use with the spacecraft. The Saturn IB was discarded late in the study.
The spacecraft consisted of a crew module designed by extending the Gemini B exterior cone to a 419-cm-diameter heat shield and a cargo propulsion module. Recovery of the crew module would be effected by means of a gliding parachute (parawing). The parametric analyses and point design of the parawing were accomplished by Northrop- Ventura Company under a subcontract, and the contents of their final report were incorporated into the document. The landing attenuation of the spacecraft would be accomplished by a skid landing gear extended from the bottom of the crew module, allowing the crew to land in an upright position. The propulsion functions of transfer, rendezvous, attitude control, and retrograde would be performed by a single liquid-propellant system, and launch escape would be provided by a large Apollo-type escape tower.
In addition to the design analyses, operational support analyses and a program development plan were prepared…”
The above contained within the “McDonnell Douglas Corp. Report H321, Big G Final Report, Logistic Spacecraft System Evolving from Gemini, Volume I-Condensed Summary, 21 August 1969.”
Additionally:
forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=37347.60
Credit: NASA Spaceflight Forum website
Who KNEW?!? Did YOU!?! I DIDN’T!!!
No signature unfortunately.
It's probably just me, but I'm picturing the four guys secured to the aft bulkhead spinning around - about the central hatch - all yelling "WHEEEH!!!" & "FASTER!!!", kicking their legs up & down. No? I bet Pete Conrad would've done so. And…if each seat were to rotate, voila…an orbital Tea-Cup ride! Yay! Fun, artificial-gravity-inducing & data-producing...a three-fer.
bigg/aap_v_c_o_AKP (ca. 1968-69, orig. unnumbered McDonnell Douglas Corp. photo)
In this artist’s conception, with its crew section in cutout, is the Big or Big GEMINI spacecraft under study by McDonnell Douglas for NASA-Houston. S-IVB Orbital WORKSHOP is seen in the background. Holding a nominal crew of nine plus cargo, the Big G would be used as space shuttle to orbiting space stations in the mid-1970’s. It is a top contender in the dual Houston-Marshall space shuttle study.
8.5” x 11”.
The above is paraphrased from the December 5, 1968 issue of “SPACE Daily”, page 149, thanks to the always excellent Aerospace Projects Review website, at:
www.aerospaceprojectsreview.com/blog/?p=1140
Wow…see/read also:
www.astronautix.com/b/biggemini.html
Credit: Astronautix website
Finally, per the August 21, 1969 entry:
“McDonnell Douglas Corporation, under contract to MSC, submitted an eight-volume final report on a "Big G" study.
The study was performed to generate a preliminary definition of a logistic spacecraft derived from Gemini that would be used to resupply an orbiting space station. Land-landing at a preselected site and refurbishment and reuse were design requirements. Two baseline spacecraft were defined: a nine-man minimum modification version of the Gemini B called Min-Mod Big G and a 12-man advanced concept, having the same exterior geometry but with new, state-of-the-art subsystems, called Advanced Big G. Three launch vehicles-Saturn IB, Titan IIIM, and S-IC/S- IVB-were investigated for use with the spacecraft. The Saturn IB was discarded late in the study.
The spacecraft consisted of a crew module designed by extending the Gemini B exterior cone to a 419-cm-diameter heat shield and a cargo propulsion module. Recovery of the crew module would be effected by means of a gliding parachute (parawing). The parametric analyses and point design of the parawing were accomplished by Northrop- Ventura Company under a subcontract, and the contents of their final report were incorporated into the document. The landing attenuation of the spacecraft would be accomplished by a skid landing gear extended from the bottom of the crew module, allowing the crew to land in an upright position. The propulsion functions of transfer, rendezvous, attitude control, and retrograde would be performed by a single liquid-propellant system, and launch escape would be provided by a large Apollo-type escape tower.
In addition to the design analyses, operational support analyses and a program development plan were prepared…”
The above contained within the “McDonnell Douglas Corp. Report H321, Big G Final Report, Logistic Spacecraft System Evolving from Gemini, Volume I-Condensed Summary, 21 August 1969.”
Additionally:
forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=37347.60
Credit: NASA Spaceflight Forum website
Who KNEW?!? Did YOU!?! I DIDN’T!!!
No signature unfortunately.
It's probably just me, but I'm picturing the four guys secured to the aft bulkhead spinning around - about the central hatch - all yelling "WHEEEH!!!" & "FASTER!!!", kicking their legs up & down. No? I bet Pete Conrad would've done so. And…if each seat were to rotate, voila…an orbital Tea-Cup ride! Yay! Fun, artificial-gravity-inducing & data-producing...a three-fer.