g_v_bw_o_n (1963/1965, Rocketdyne photo no. ILS-654, 65-H-2062 eq)
“ORBIT MANEUVERING---Artist’s drawing shows position and firing direction of spacecraft engines which comprise the orbit attitude and maneuvering system (OAMS) for the two-man Gemini spacecraft. The OAMS has 16 engines, which enable astronaut pilots to maneuver the Gemini forward, backward, sideways, vertically and to control roll during earth orbit and rendezvous. Eight of the engines develop 25 pounds, two develop 85 pounds, and six develop 100 pounds of thrust each. OAMS is developed and produced by Spacecraft Engine division of Rocketdyne, a division of North American Aviation, Inc. under subcontract to McDonnell Aircraft Corporation, which is developing the Gemini spacecraft under the technical direction of NASA’s Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston, Texas. Drawing shows portion of another spacecraft, upper right, in position for rendezvous with Gemini in space.
GHH 03/04/65”
Not bad. However, I find the generic “another spacecraft” reference to be odd. C’mon man…Agena.
The following is my accompaniment to my posting of the color version in late 2023:
Allow me a moment to toot my horn:
The stylized signature of “Laurene” on this beautiful work has confounded me since I first saw it many years ago, as it sure looked to be a first name. However, conventional artist’s signatures are either: last name only, first & last name, initial & last name or merely initials. Fortunately, I unearthed a Rocketdyne document (possible evidence?) at the “Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL) Environmental Investigation and Cleanup” website…which contained the artist’s name, along with that of Sol Dember, under the heading/section “Visual Presentations: Canoga Annex – Zone 6”…and voilà, LAURENE ERICKSON.
Against all odds/MOST fortunately, whoever put the list to paper decided to, quite conspicuously, use the full first names of females. Males appear to have been identified only by the initials of their first names. Interesting. Possibly discriminatory? Whatever the reason, for my purposes this was a good thing.
I like her style, going by her first name. Bravo Laurene!
An unexpected & massive WIN! Yet ANOTHER female artist revealed, from the early days! And that of a contractor!!!
Although tempered, as I fully expected, thus far at least, by nothing else found on her.
Hopefully, my revelation here can/will have the same impact as my previous 'work' WRT Rosemary Dobbins.
Note the chest-mounted convex mirrors worn by both Astronauts. However, these were only used during the Mercury Program, apparently through MA-7.
g_v_bw_o_n (1963/1965, Rocketdyne photo no. ILS-654, 65-H-2062 eq)
“ORBIT MANEUVERING---Artist’s drawing shows position and firing direction of spacecraft engines which comprise the orbit attitude and maneuvering system (OAMS) for the two-man Gemini spacecraft. The OAMS has 16 engines, which enable astronaut pilots to maneuver the Gemini forward, backward, sideways, vertically and to control roll during earth orbit and rendezvous. Eight of the engines develop 25 pounds, two develop 85 pounds, and six develop 100 pounds of thrust each. OAMS is developed and produced by Spacecraft Engine division of Rocketdyne, a division of North American Aviation, Inc. under subcontract to McDonnell Aircraft Corporation, which is developing the Gemini spacecraft under the technical direction of NASA’s Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston, Texas. Drawing shows portion of another spacecraft, upper right, in position for rendezvous with Gemini in space.
GHH 03/04/65”
Not bad. However, I find the generic “another spacecraft” reference to be odd. C’mon man…Agena.
The following is my accompaniment to my posting of the color version in late 2023:
Allow me a moment to toot my horn:
The stylized signature of “Laurene” on this beautiful work has confounded me since I first saw it many years ago, as it sure looked to be a first name. However, conventional artist’s signatures are either: last name only, first & last name, initial & last name or merely initials. Fortunately, I unearthed a Rocketdyne document (possible evidence?) at the “Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL) Environmental Investigation and Cleanup” website…which contained the artist’s name, along with that of Sol Dember, under the heading/section “Visual Presentations: Canoga Annex – Zone 6”…and voilà, LAURENE ERICKSON.
Against all odds/MOST fortunately, whoever put the list to paper decided to, quite conspicuously, use the full first names of females. Males appear to have been identified only by the initials of their first names. Interesting. Possibly discriminatory? Whatever the reason, for my purposes this was a good thing.
I like her style, going by her first name. Bravo Laurene!
An unexpected & massive WIN! Yet ANOTHER female artist revealed, from the early days! And that of a contractor!!!
Although tempered, as I fully expected, thus far at least, by nothing else found on her.
Hopefully, my revelation here can/will have the same impact as my previous 'work' WRT Rosemary Dobbins.
Note the chest-mounted convex mirrors worn by both Astronauts. However, these were only used during the Mercury Program, apparently through MA-7.