View allAll Photos Tagged EngineeringMarvel
“Artist’s rendering of Mariner 9 braking into orbit around the planet Mars on November 13, 1971. Mariner’s 300-pound-thrust rocket engine fires for 15 minutes, slowing the spacecraft by about 3500 miles per hour. The orbit insertion maneuver consumes nearly 1000 pounds of propellant, reducing Mariner’s weight by more than 40 per cent. Mariner 9’s initial orbit takes it around Mars once each 12 1/2 hours.”
Mariner 9 was the first spacecraft to successfully orbit another planet. That’s 1971/72. What an amazing feat and the incredible subsequent mission of discovery it was.
The airbrush? artistic style, with the excellent detail, looks familiar, but I can’t place it. At least not yet.
This is the first & only artist’s concept I’ve seen of Mariner 9 which depicts it during ‘powered flight’.
Note the bland Mariner 4-, 6- & 7-like Martian surface depicted. Those missions being fly-bys and by luck, timing, flight path, whatever, etc., did not reveal the spectacular vistas to come.
Informative:
The Golden Gate Bridge's north tower rises majestically through the twilight, its International Orange paint glowing warmly under artificial lighting while the deep blue hour sky provides dramatic backdrop. Photographed from the rocky shoreline near Fort Point on the San Francisco side, this perspective captures the bridge at its most atmospheric—that fleeting moment when day surrenders to night and the iconic structure transforms into a beacon of light.
The bridge's distinctive Art Deco tower stands tall against Marin Headlands silhouetted in the distance, its steel lattice framework illuminated by powerful lights mounted at the base and along the span. The red aviation warning light at the tower's peak blinks as a safety measure for aircraft, while the decorative lighting traces the suspension cables and vertical supports. This lighting design, implemented in the 1980s, ensures the bridge remains visible and photogenic after dark while honoring its status as one of the world's most recognizable structures.
Fort Point area facilities cluster at the tower's base—the historic fortification, visitor amenities, and access roads all bathed in warm artificial light that creates a glowing pool against the darkening landscape. The juxtaposition of military history and engineering marvel is evident here, where a Civil War-era brick fort sits in the shadow of the 1937 suspension bridge that chief engineer Joseph Strauss designed to span directly over it rather than requiring its demolition.
The rocky foreground typical of San Francisco's rugged coastline frames the composition, while the calm bay waters reflect the bridge's illumination. Marin County's hills rise across the strait, their dark forms punctuated by scattered lights from Sausalito and other North Bay communities. The atmospheric conditions—likely some fog or marine layer evident in the soft focus of distant hills—create that quintessential Golden Gate Bridge aesthetic where the structure emerges from and disappears into California's coastal weather.
The deep blue twilight sky shows perfect timing for this type of photography. Too early and the artificial lights wouldn't register dramatically; too late and the sky would be completely black, losing the color gradation that provides context and mood. This blue hour window—perhaps fifteen minutes when the light balance is just right—requires planning and patience but yields images that capture the bridge's romantic, almost ethereal quality that has made it a global icon.
Where the magic happened.
Tim Samshuijzen’s wonderful Lunar Orbiter camera photos (linked to below) and their accompanying Eastman Kodak descriptions, allowed me to compile/paraphrase the following:
“The Kodak photographic subsystem of the Lunar Orbiter contained two cameras, a film processor, and a readout system. The entire unit was contained in a shell of aluminum .015 or 1/64th of an inch thick and measuring 22 x 26 x 32 inches. The pressure, temperature, and humidity in the shell were controlled. Total weight was about 145 pounds. The film, film advance, and shutter control were common to both cameras. A special sensor in the photo subsystem tracked the lunar surface through the 24-inch lens and determined the proper compensation for the movement of the spacecraft relative to the lunar surface.
The two lenses in the two lunar orbiter cameras simultaneously made high- and medium-resolution exposures. The large lens (left), a 24-inch Paxoramic lens manufactured by Pacific Optical Company, produced the high-resolution photos of approximately 3-foot or 1-meter ground resolution. The smaller (right) 80mm Schneider wide-angle lens made the medium-resolution exposures of approximately 8-meter ground resolution. In one photographic pass over the moon’s surface, the Kodak photo subsystem exposed up to 20 frames of two pictures each. The intervals between frames varied from 2.2 to 8.8 seconds. The slow, high-resolution Kodak High-Definition Aerial film, used in the lunar orbiter camera, required long exposures. The film was 70mm wide, the same width as 120 amateur film, with a resolution of 450 lines per millimeter for a potential capability of 29,250 lines for the width of the film used. The optical-mechanical scanner in the subsystem scanned 18,942 lines over the 2¼” width of film. Prior analysis of the lunar surface, based on photographs from the Earth, was used to determine the exposure time. At least 176 frames of two pictures each were exposed with enough extra film footage to provide a potential of about 215 frames. When exposing a picture, the camera unit automatically (1) activated the movement-compensating sensor, (2) clamped the film to the platens and flattened it, and (3) opened the shutters to make two exposures simultaneously. The exposed film was stored on a looper system to await processing at times other than during actual photography or during the lunar night. Nine photographic targets of potential Apollo landing sites were recorded before the film supply was exhausted.
The Kodak photo subsystem processed the film before scanning into the video relay to the ground. The drum, (on the far left) contained the Kodak Bimat film supply. A gelatin layer on this film was saturated with a photographic processing solution. The Bimat film was laminated with the camera film on the small drum in the center where it developed and fixed the film in about 3½ minutes. The Bimat film then left the camera film and passed onto a separate take-up reel (on the right with the spokes). The camera film then passed over the drying drum at the bottom (barely visible above the lip of the shell). At a temperature of 95° F on the drum dried the film in about 11½ minutes. It then moved to the readout system.”
Amazing.
Additionally:
www.drewexmachina.com/2017/08/01/lunar-orbiter-5-filling-...
Credit: Andrew LePage/Drew Ex Machina website
“This view of Jupiter was obtained by Voyager 1 on Feb. 22, 1979, from a distance of 7.6 million miles (12.2 million kilometers). It shows the Great Red Spot just emerging from the brief, five-hour Jovian night. One of three bright, oval clouds which were observed to form approximately 40 years ago can be seen immediately below the Red Spot. Most of the other features appearing in this view are too small to be seen clearly from Earth. The color picture was assembled from three black-and-white photos in the Image Processing Lab at Jet Propulsion Laboratory. JPL manages and controls the Voyager project for NASA’s Office of Space Science.”
The only place I came across it - correctly oriented - with respect to the plane of the ecliptic:
digital.archives.caltech.edu/islandora/object/image%3A8625
Credit: ‘Caltech Archives’ website
Last & least:
They have it, under an Ames Research Center (ARC) photo ID - upside down. But hey, it’s from NASA’s Keystone Cop-emulating historical/archival photo…whatever it is. Although it looks like a scan of an 8” x 10” positive transparency left in the sun too long, it’s better than nothing, which is often the case. So ‘yay’:
“Shuttle related interaction with the space telescope.”
Huh?
Yes indeed, the above is a direct copy/paste from 'the' NASA image website, which surprisingly even has the image. Obviously, a generic caption, possibly as part of a batch upload of similar(?) images. Note also the blurred appearance of both the linked image & my actual photograph, commensurate with the above caption effort. And a safe bet that the ‘splotches’ along the lower left edge of the photo are the result of careless and/or incompetent processing, not subsequent damage. Finally, insult to injury - the worm logo.
images.nasa.gov/details-S80-40781
At the consistently superior Internet Archive website, which at least is only a minor indictment of the education system and/or learning capacity prevalent across/within the U.S.
“Artists concept of Space telescope with solar panels deployed.”
archive.org/details/NIX-S80-40781
Credit: Internet Archive website
“Saturn Voyager Mission Artwork depicts the spacecraft's path on it's journey to Saturn as it passed above the orbits of Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars and around Jupiter.”
At/from:
archive.org/details/AILS_AC77-0849
Credit: Internet Archive website
The photograph is from the collection of Eric Burgess.
No clue on the artist.
towering assertively against the madrid sky, the KPMG tower at Cuatro Torres is a spectacle of reflective glass and steel. It stands as a testament to modern engineering and design, reaching for the clouds that casually drift by. The building's facade is a canvas for the shifting sky, reflecting the ever-changing tableau above, while below, the city pulses with its ceaseless rhythm.
“SKETCH III:
One of primary targets for Lunar Orbiter photo craft will be site where Surveyor I soft-landed on the moon to return more than 11,000 pictures from the lunar surface. Surveyor’s flat-faced solar panel and high-gain antenna have been positioned to the largest possible shadow to aid in catching Lunar Orbiter’s photographic eye. Photographs taken by Lunar Orbiter as low as 28 miles will permit precise study of terrain surrounding Surveyor site, as well as eight other proposed manned landing sites lying along lunar equator.
LOS ANGELES TIMES SYNDICATE”
Gorgeous. Russ Arasmith.
The same image:
www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/history/russ-arasmith-apoll...
Two others:
www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/history/russ-arasmith-lunar...
www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/history/russ-arasmith-lunar...
Based solely on the similar 'look’ of Figure 6-22 at the following link, along with its associated text, which might even refer to this photo, this might be an image of Jupiter taken by Pioneer 11’s infrared radiometer. Or maybe it’s just a negative photo, intentional or otherwise. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
~8” x 10.5”. From the estate of Eric Burgess.
The aforementioned text:
“In spite of the loss of some of the data covering the northern hemisphere of Jupiter when radiation affected the instrument, the infrared radiometer carried by Pioneer 11 provided two infrared spinscan images of the planet. A complete image was centered at 41° S and a partial image was centered at 52° N latitude on Jupiter. The ratio of total thermal energy to absorbed solar energy was revised to 1.9 ± 0.2 compared with previous estimates of 2.5 ± 0.5. The fact that both Pioneer 10 and Pioneer 11 data yield this result adds confidence in the new value.
Thus, Jupiter does not appear to be emitting as much internal heat as was once thought; about 24 percent less than had been assumed from Earth-based observations.
Jupiter's ionosphere rises 4000 km (2500 mi.) above the visible surface. It is ten times as thick and five times as hot as was predicted. Also, the ionosphere has at least five sharply defined layers of different density, similar to Earth's ionospheric layers that permit long range radio communication around Earth by returning certain radio waves to the ground.
The determination that Jupiter has a warm, extended, hydrogen rich atmosphere has important implications for further exploration of the giant planet.
Prior to measurements by the two Pioneers, it was generally considered that the heating of an entry probe into Jupiter's atmosphere would be greater than could be overcome by present-day technology. Now the new determinations of the Jovian atmosphere suggest that a probe can be made to survive entry into the Jovian atmosphere and measure directly its characteristics and constituents.
Enough has been confirmed or found out about Jupiter by the Pioneers to encourage further exploration. These two spacecraft have also demonstrated that such exploration is quite within the capabilities of present space technology which offers the opportunity now to sample directly what may be primordial material of the Solar System; thus, dipping back four and a half billion years in time.”
At:
history.nasa.gov/SP-349/ch6.htm
Specifically, Figure 6-22:
history.nasa.gov/SP-349/p121b.jpg
The truth may lie herein:
authors.library.caltech.edu/35833/
Credit: CaltechAUTHORS website
“During STS-31, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), grappled by the remote manipulator system (RMS) end effector, is held against the blackness of space. The two solar array (SA) wings (large gold panels) are fully extended with bistem cassette and secondary deployment mechanism (SDM) handle clearly visible. The two deployed high gain antennae (HGA) masts are parallel to the SA panels. RMS end effector is positioned on the starboard fixture during the pre-deployment checkout operations above
Discovery's, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103's, payload bay (PLB).”
The above - informative at least, although odd, oddly written/abbreviated/punctuated - is a cut/paste from:
science.ksc.nasa.gov/mirrors/images/images/pao/STS31/1006...
And:
science.ksc.nasa.gov/mirrors/images/images/pao/STS31/1006...
From which this was derived, but with a MUCH better image:
picryl.com/media/sts-31-hubble-space-telescope-hst-is-gra...
And then there’s this:
nara.getarchive.net/media/s31-76-034-sts-031-close-up-vie...
And…the best one yet, non-NASA, non-NARA, and I think, correctly. At least with respect to the photographer’s orientation/position in the aft flight deck:
“The RMS of Space Shuttle Discovery grapples the Hubble Space Telescope, as both solar arrays have been deployed. Taken at an altitude of 615 km over the Philippine Sea.”
At:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:S31-76-034.jpg
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
I’ll be damned, it’s even HERE, with unaltered cut/paste of the 'original' odd write-up:
“The southern hemisphere of Umbriel displays heavy cratering in this Voyager 2 image, taken Jan. 24, 1986, from a distance of 557,000 kilometers (346,000 miles). This frame, taken through the clear-filter of Voyager's narrow-angle camera, is the most detailed image of Umbriel, with a resolution of about 10 km (6 mi). Umbriel is the darkest of Uranus' larger moons and the one that appears to have experienced the lowest level of geological activity. It has a diameter of about 1,200 km (750 mi) and reflects only 16 percent of the light striking its surface; in the latter respect, Umbriel is similar to lunar highland areas. Umbriel is heavily cratered but lacks the numerous bright-ray craters seen on the other large Uranian satellites; this results in a relatively uniform surface albedo (reflectivity). The prominent crater on the terminator (upper right) is about 110 km (70 mi) across and has a bright central peak. The strangest feature in this image (at top) is a curious bright ring, the most reflective area seen on Umbriel. The ring is about 140 km (90 miles) in diameter and lies near the satellite's equator. The nature of the ring is not known, although it might be a frost deposit, perhaps associated with an impact crater. Spots against the black background are due to 'noise' in the data. The Voyager project is managed for NASA by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.”
Being from the estate of Eric Burgess, the following attached description apparently accompanied the image in one of his books:
“Figure 4-16. An early image of Umbriel taken at a distance of 650,000 miles (1.04 million km) was in color. The surface is characterized by its overall dark coloration and lack of any variations in brightness. The surface is generally grey and colorless and covered with impact craters. A bright ring near the satellite’s equator appears unique. The image reproduced here was taken later from a distance of 346,000 miles (557,000 km). It shows evidence of only minor internal activity and a surface molded mainly by impacts. The surface looks very similar to the highland areas of Earth’s Moon, the oldest parts of the lunar surface. Strangely, there are virtually no bright young craters as on the other Uranian satellites. A large crater on the terminator has a bright central peak, and the curious bright ring appears to be the wall of a large crater about 90 miles (140 km) across. The nature of this ring and its possible origin are enigmas.”
See also:
archive.org/details/AILS-A86-7037
Credit: Internet Archive website
photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00040
Credit: JPL Photojournal website
“Transforming the LLRV into the LLTV involved a long series of changes. This artist’s conception shows the LLTV with the addition of another window, positioned to replicate the LM’s layout and the pilot’s limited view. Although a roof was installed in the LLTV, the proposed window in front of the pilot was never added.
(Bell Aerosystems C25321)”
Above per "NASA Monographs in Aerospace History no. 35" (NASA SP-2004-4535/Unconventional, Contrary, and Ugly: The Lunar Landing Research Vehicle), page 135, at:
www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/LLRV_Monograph.pdf
Credit: ALSJ website
Submitted for your approval/my edification:
Note the striking similarity in the vast, flat expanse of pavement stretching out toward the horizon, with control tower/associated buildings in the distance, and the near identical attitude/orientation & exhaust plume of the LLRV/LLTV, in both this work and that of the more 'prevalent' and iconic (in my world) depiction by Carl Zoschke. Even the similarity of the printed block letter signatures; despite being all capitals in the Zoschke version (other than the "L" in “CARl”, oddly) and all lower case in “brown”.
Hmm...
'Paul Brown' <---> Carl Zoschke??? I’m serious.
I suppose “Mr. Brown” may have emulated the style of the senior?, master?, mentor? However, wouldn’t he want to establish or promote his style, within whatever/if any parameters established by Bell Aerosystems management/art department?
| Vettuvan Koil | Sculptor's Paradise | Kazhugumalai | Near Kovilpatti | 2014 | For more details on this refer my blog: cookndine.blogspot.in/2013/06/kazhugumalai-explore-how-sa...
Thanks for the comments.
Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission.
©VR Danduprolu: All rights reserved.
Shooting the Golden Gate from the south anchorage at twilight is an exercise in restraint. Everyone photographs this bridge, and most of them stand at Battery Spencer or Marshall Beach to catch the full sweep of Joseph Strauss and Irving Morrow's 1937 Art Deco span. I wanted something different — the south tower isolated, rising out of the coastal scrub of the Presidio bluffs, with the Marin Headlands compressed into a soft blue-grey backdrop.
The hour matters. This is the narrow window after the sodium-vapor tower lights have warmed up but before full darkness collapses the sky into black. The International Orange — Morrow's deliberate choice to harmonize with the headlands rather than fight them — reads almost incandescent against the cooling atmosphere. The roadway lamps trail a hot seam along the deck, anchoring the composition horizontally where the tower drives it vertically.
The foreground is what makes this frame work for me. Those serpentine paths through the native plant restoration cut diagonals into the lower third, leading the eye up through the visitor pavilion and the silhouetted cypress to the tower itself. The Welcome Center buildings hunker below, scaled small to emphasize the tower's 746-foot reach. Fog hangs offshore but hasn't yet committed — a Bay Area negotiation with the marine layer that defines this place.
This Pioneer 11 photograph of Saturn’s rings, supposedly taken on August 31, 1979, at a distance of 943,000 km (585,950 miles) from the planet, revealed amazing detail (for that time). Although now crude & primitive, this historic photograph revealed a new feature in the Cassini Division (commonly referred to as the ‘Cassini Gap’ previously), new features in the A-Ring, the discovery of the F-Ring, and a new moon, then designated 1979-S1. Although some uncertainty exists, the moon was likely/possibly Epimetheus, named so in 1983, following higher resolution imaging by the Voyager 1 spacecraft, along with more refined orbital calculations. However, caveat to the above is a reference to Epimetheus (at an ‘official’ NASA website mind you) as 1980-S3, so call it whatever you want. Tethys is to the upper left.
I clearly remember this photograph and its revelatory significance, so I naively expected a Google image search to reveal a JPL photo ID number…accompanied by a well-written & informative description.
NOPE. Nothing. Nada. Squat. Zip. Zilch. Zed. ZERO. What the hell was I thinking? The Ames Research Center photo ID hand-written on the verso also yields nothing.
So, the above is my take from the content available at the following. Better than nothing:
On page 123:
atmos.nmsu.edu/data_and_services/atmospheres_data/SATURN/...
And:
www.nasa.gov/image-feature/45-years-ago-pioneer-11-launch...
Specifically:
www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/ac79-91...
Finally:
www.fossilhunters.xyz/saturn-ring-system/encounters-with-...
Credit: Dennis Larson/"Fossil Hunters" blogsite
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epimetheus_(moon)
Credit: Wikipedia
solarsystem.nasa.gov/moons/saturn-moons/epimetheus/in-dep...
“This oblique view of the crater Copernicus can be matched with a near-vertical picture of the area if Lunar Orbiter V follows through as planned. The Copernicus area is one of major “hot spots” on the moon’s front face according to infrared measurements made by Boeing scientists during a total lunar eclipse in 1964. Orbiter II’s telephoto lens captured this central slice of the 60-mile-wide crater on November 23, 1966. Keyhole crater in foreground is Fauth, 13 miles across and 4,500 feet deep. It is 33 miles south of the rime of Copernicus. When the photo was taken, Orbiter II was 28.4 miles above the moon and 150 miles south of the 1,000-foot peaks shown rising from the floor of the crater. The Lunar Orbiter program is managed by NASA’s Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. The Boeing Company is prime contractor for construction and operation of the spacecraft.”
I never tire of this photograph. And it’s the first one I’ve come across of definitive Boeing origination. Back when the company was shit-hot, not the dumpster fire it currently is, at least WRT human-rated spacecraft or aircraft.
Always “stellar”:
www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/lunarorbiter/frame/?2162
Credit: LPI website
"The Hubble Space Telescope is backdropped over Madagascar, berthed in Endeavour's cargo bay, following its capture by the STS-61 astronauts."
Above is paraphrased to avoid propagating the butchering of the English language in the caption.
Online version, MUCH better & complete:
"The Hubble Space Telescope (HST), backdropped over Madagascar, is berthed in Endeavour's cargo bay following its capture by the STS-61 astronauts. The crew used TV cameras to survey the spacecraft before sending out four astronauts on five separate sessions of extravehicular activity (EVA) to perform a variety of servicing tasks."
Above at:
science.ksc.nasa.gov/mirrors/images/images/pao/STS61/1009...
See also:
nara.getarchive.net/media/sts061-79-089-sts-061-hubble-sp...
Credit: U.S. National Archives website
The conspicuous white rectangle is Wide-Field/Planetary Camera 1 (WFPC 1), more precisely, its radiator panel. WFPC 1 was one of the instruments replaced/upgraded during the mission.
Further:
www.nasa.gov/content/about-hubble-servicing-missions-sm1
asd.gsfc.nasa.gov/archive/hubble/missions/sm1.html
Note the beaten/worn appearance of the solar arrays, and this perspective doesn’t show the prominent warping of them. Excellent HST solar array reading:
www.spacetelescope.org/news/heic0203/
Credit: ESA Hubble Space Telescope website
Finally, the emblem seen at the upper right corner of... the...WFPC container(?):
images.app.goo.gl/sRRkqY9ybahnVc2x9
Credit: Sea and Sky website. First seen by me. Who knew?! Although I’m not into patches insignias or emblems at all, this site is really really cool, featuring others seldom seen, bravo!
“Jupiter Mission: Pioneer Galileo Entry Probe Artwork (heatshield separation)
Artist: C Kallas
(JPL ref: 4S30599)”
Since the JPL is cited, it’s possibly their ‘original’ caption associated with the image? At:
archive.org/details/AILS_AC89-0146-3
Credit: Internet Archive website
Also, which may be THE original Hughes Aircraft Company caption:
“Artistic impression of the Galileo atmospheric probe as it would enter the atmosphere of Jupiter.”
At:
commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Galileo_probe_-_artisti...
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Additionally, what was likely an oft-reproduced press slug for the re-issue of the photo upon Galileo’s arrival at Jupiter:
“On Dec. 7, 1995, more than six years after its launch, the Galileo spacecraft’s probe, shown in this 1989 artist’s rendering, will parachute down through the 28,000 mph winds of Jupiter to become the first manmade object to touch an outer planet.”
8.375” x 11”.
A beautiful & rich work by Chris Kallas, another eminently talented - yet excruciatingly enigmatic artist - with minimal attribution provided him. As such, there’s nary a trace, history or record available, despite at least a smattering of admirable works 'appropriated' by JPL/ARC.
Based upon this image and the linked works, Mr. Kallas’ would appear to have been employed by/contracted to Hughes Aircraft Company, being the manufacturer of the items ‘featured’ in the images.
Finally, and check this out...the plethora, variety and diversity of artist’s concepts depicting the Galileo probe’s deployment, atmospheric entry & parachute descent is quite surprising! Seriously, click on the following link:
www.google.com/search?q=galileo+probe+concept&rlz=1C1...
Credit: Google search results
Am I right or what?
“The Hubble Space Telescope being deployed by the Space Shuttle Discovery.
Painting by Ball Corporation artist B. Scott Kahler.”
A visual feast. Granted, as the artist for a company that contributed major, mission saving hardware, specifically, Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement (COSTAR), I guess it should be; however, Mr. Kahler went above & beyond. Look at the detail, ranging from the tiles - their detail, variance & discoloration - to the reflection of Discovery in HST’s aluminized Teflon skin…even an accurate “aspirational” moon, and everything in between.
Ludwik Źiemba would be proud.
Additionally, a beautiful artist's concept of STS-61/SM-1 EVA activity by another premiere 'Space Shuttle artist', Paul Hudson. And, what a pleasant & unexpected surprise, it's at the NASA image website:
images.nasa.gov/details-s93-48826
And check this out, this SOB/ass-clown went apeshit with a bunch of photos I’ve posted and/or linked to in my postings.
And never a single “thanks”:
www.redbubble.com/i/photographic-print/The-Hubble-Space-T...
Thanks to Mike Chimeri and his posting of this photo, along with my superior searching prowess to find it, several patches/logos on the banner can be resolved, to include:
- The "Cold Flow Test Site" patch/logo seen to the lower right (and below).
- Unfortunately, the "BWR" acronym, hence the nature/origin of the Bethpage/NASA patch to the upper right has proven to be elusive. That’s despite my myriad of keyword search combinations.
- And to the lower left, the patch/logo of "AERO SPACELINES". The good folks that transported a host of Apollo spacecraft components using their trusty & innovative "Pregnant Guppy" & "Super Guppy" aircraft! This revelation, although of a different flavor, is a bonafide WIN.
Finally, again thanks to Mike Chimeri, at least as of December 2022, this banner was still on display at the Cradle of Aviation Museum:
mikechimeri.com/category/aviation/
Specifically:
mikechimeri.files.wordpress.com/2022/12/mc121022030a.jpg
Both above credit: Mike Chimeri/mikechimeri.com website
Tall refinery towers rise against a bright sky, connected by intricate pipes and platforms. The metallic surfaces and bold vertical lines create a striking industrial composition, blending engineering precision with monumental scale.
“APOLLO LM VIEWED FROM CSM --- The Apollo Lunar Module (LM), in a lunar landing configuration, is photographed in lunar orbit from the Command and Service Modules (CSM). Inside the LM were astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, commander, and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot. Astronaut Michael Collins, command module pilot, remained with the CSM in lunar orbit while Armstrong and Aldrin descended in the LM to explore the lunar surface.”
“Voyager 2 obtained this color picture of Titania, one of Uranus’ two largest satellites, on Jan. 22, 1986. The spacecraft was 3.11 million kilometers (1.93 million miles) from the satellite and heading for Jan. 24 closest approach. This image, which has a resolution of 56 km (35 mi), is a computer reconstruction from three frames, exposed with the Voyager narrow-angle camera’s clear, orange and violet filters. The grayness or apparent lack of strong color is a distinctive characteristic of the satellites and the rings of Uranus and can serve as one indicator of the possible composition of the satellites’ surfaces. Titania has a diameter of about 1,600 km (1,000 mi) and orbits the planet at a radial distance of 438,000 km (272,000 mi). Titania’s surface displays areas of lighter and darker material, probably associated in part with impact craters formed during its long exposure to bombardment by cosmic debris. The resolution of this particular image is not sufficient, however, to reveal with confidence the nature of these features. The Voyager project is managed for NASA by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.”
nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/imgcat/html/object_page/vg2_p29496c.html
Credit: NSSDCA website
Standing proudly in the heart of Tokyo, Tokyo Tower is an iconic symbol of the city’s post-war rebirth, embodying a fusion of Japan’s traditional aesthetics and modern aspirations. Inspired by the Eiffel Tower, this 333-meter structure was completed in 1958, making it a distinctive landmark during Japan’s economic boom. Unlike the French tower's classic iron hue, Tokyo Tower is painted in a striking red and white color scheme to meet air safety regulations. As Japan’s tallest structure at the time of its completion, it served as a beacon of Tokyo's modernization and a broadcast tower, transmitting signals across the city.
An insider tip: Visit the tower’s main observatory, where panoramic views of the sprawling cityscape and glimpses of Mount Fuji on clear days offer a breathtaking experience. You can also explore the lower levels filled with quaint souvenir shops and the Foot Town area featuring restaurants and a quirky "One Piece" manga-themed park. For those craving a romantic night, Tokyo Tower shines with different lighting schemes throughout the year, casting a warm glow over the city. The unique lighting designs change seasonally, and occasionally, special colors light up the tower for holidays or events, making each visit feel special and memorable. With its rich history, architectural significance, and unrivaled views, Tokyo Tower is more than a tourist spot—it's a cultural touchstone connecting past and present Tokyo.
“In this artists view, the Hubble Space Telescope is seen as it might appear in Earth orbit at an altitude of over 300 miles. The telescope aperature door is open allowing the interior of the mirror truss with the various baffles to be seen. The twin solar panels are shown extended on either side of the telescope and the two high-gain TDR tracking and data communication antennas are shown extended as they will be for operations. The Hubble Space Telescope is one of a family of NASA astronomical instruments which will cover a full range of observations from infrared through gamma-rays.”
Another beautiful work by LM&SC artist Joe Boyer, and per his signature, from 1986. Unfortunately, I still haven’t found anything on him. Ugh.
The only place I found the image. Apparently used as the cover of a book:
airandspace.si.edu/research/publications/space-telescope-...
Credit: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (NASM) website
Note the name hand-annotated on the verso. Apparently(?) the photograph was intended/destined for, or property of Dr. David Whitehouse, who was the BBC's science correspondent from 1988 until 2006, and is a former science editor at the BBC News website. Quite impressive:
“Operation of the surface sampler in obtaining Martian soil for Viking 2's molecular analysis experiment last Saturday (September 25) was closely monitored by one of the Lander cameras because of the precision required in trenching the small area--8 by 9 inches--surrounded by rocks. Dubbed “Bonneville Salt Flats,” the exposure of thin crust appeared unique in contrast with surrounding materials and became a prime target for organic analysis in spite of potential hazards. Large rock in foreground is 8 inches high. At left, the sampler scoop has touched the surface, missing the rock at upper left by a comfortable 6 inches, and the backhoe has penetrated the surface about one-half inch. The scoop was then pulled back to sample the desired point and (second photo) the backhoe furrowed the surface pulling a piece of thin crust toward the spacecraft. The initial touchdown and retraction sequence was used to avoid a collision between a rock in the shadow of the arm and a plate joining the arm and scoop. The rock was cleared by 2 to 3 inches. The third picture was taken 8 minutes after the scoop touched the surface and shows that the collector head has acquired a quantity of soil. With surface sampler withdrawn (right), the foot-long trench is seen between the rocks. The trench is three inches wide and about 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep. The scoop reached to within 3 inches of the rock at far end of trench. Penetration appears to have left a cavernous opening roofed by the crust and only about one inch of undisturbed crust separates the deformed surface and the rock.”
Note the dramatically different appearance...of everything, under the different sun angles.
Above and image also at:
photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00145
Credit: JPL Photojournal
“Engineers working within the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building prepare the Apollo 12 lunar module, LM-6, for enclosure within the Spacecraft Lunar Module Adapter. Astronauts Charles Conrad, Jr., and Richard Gordon, Jr., are to descend in this lunar module to the Moon’s surface while Alan Bean orbits overhead in the command module.”
Just transcribing the above as it was printed on the verso. Maybe the writer had fond memories of the crew of Gemini 11 & transposed it to this. Then again, maybe just incompetence and/or cluelessness.
Note all of the exposed innards of Intrepid, both ascent & descent stage, in addition to the lack of the RCS plume deflectors. I don't know the timeline/workflow of LM/SLA encapsulation, but this looks like it may have been an early fit check/test.
Thanks for the comments. Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission. copyright all rights reserved.
Soaring across the Douro River, the Ponte de Dom Luís I remains Porto’s most recognizable landmark — a double-deck iron bridge designed by engineer Téophile Seyrig, a disciple of Gustave Eiffel. Completed in 1886, it connects Porto’s Ribeira district with Vila Nova de Gaia, where the famous port wine cellars line the opposite bank. The elegant parabolic arch spans 172 meters, once the longest of its kind, and is still celebrated as a feat of 19th-century engineering. From this vantage, the upper deck carries trams and pedestrians high above the river, offering panoramic views over Ribeira’s colorful waterfront and the tiled rooftops cascading down the hillside. The lower deck brings everyday traffic closer to the water. Together, bridge and city form a living postcard of northern Portugal — equal parts historic charm and enduring innovation.
“This Voyager 2 image shows the region of Jupiter extending from the equator to the southern polar latitudes in the neighborhood of the Great Red Spot. A white oval, different from the one observed in a similar position at the time of the Voyager 1 encounter, is situated south of the Great Red Spot. The region of white clouds now extends from east of the red spot and around its northern boundary, preventing small cloud vortices from circling the feature. The disturbed region west of the red spot has also changed since the equivalent Voyager 1 image. It shows more small scale structure and cloud vortices being formed out of the wave structures. The picture was taken on July 3 from 6 million kilometers (3.72 million miles).”
The above & cropped image at/from:
photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/pia01527
Being from the estate of Eric Burgess, the uncropped image is featured in his book, “BY JUPITER: Odysseys to a Giant”, on page 88:
archive.org/details/byjupiterodyssey0000burg/page/88/mode...
Credit: Internet Archive website
Accompanied by the following caption:
“Figure 5-7: At a distance of 3.72 million miles from Jupiter, Voyager 2 obtained this remarkably clear picture of the Great Red Spot. A region of white clouds now extends from east of the Red Spot and around its northern boundary, preventing small cloud vortices from encircling the feature. The disturbed region west of the Red Spot has also changed since the time when Voyager 1 flew past Jupiter. It now displays more small-scale structure and cloud vortices that are being formed out of the wave structures. A white oval has moved beneath the spot; it is not the same oval that was beneath the spot when Voyager 1 flew by.”
Also:
“Image showing the Great Red Spot and a white oval, taken by Voyager 2 from a distance of 6 million km on 3 July 1979, six days before its closest approach to Jupiter. The white oval is not the same structure seen on the Voyager 1 images taken a few months earlier, and other aspects of the atmosphere have changed slightly since Voyager 1's flyby. The Great Red Spot is about 12,000 km from top to bottom and north is at 11:00.”
At:
nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/imgcat/html/object_page/vg2_p21742.html
Credit: NSSDCA website
Also:
“Range: 6 million kilometers (3.72 million miles)
This Voyager 2 image shows the region of Jupiter extending from the equator to the southern polar latitudes in the neighborhood of the Great Red Spot. A white oval, different from the one observed in a similiar position at the time of the Voyager 1 encounter, is situated south of the Great Red Spot. The region of white clouds now extends from east of the red spot and around its northern boundary, preventing small cloud vortices from circling the feature. The disturbed region west of the red spot has also changed since the equivalent Voyager 1 image. It shows more small-scale structure and cloud vortices being formed out of the wave structures.”
At:
archive.org/details/AILS-AC79-7077
Credit: Internet Archive website
Finally:
“Complex activity in the southern hemisphere of Jupiter continued during the Voyager 2 encounter, although changes had occurred in the region of the Great Red Spot. A white oval, different from the one observed in a similar position at the time of the Voyager 1 encounter, was situated south of the Red Spot. The region of white clouds extended from east of the Red Spot and around its northern boundary, preventing small cloud vortices from circling the feature. The disturbed region west of the Red Spot had also changed since the equivalent Voyager 1 image. The picture was taken on July 3 from a distance of 6 million kilometers.”
The above is the caption associated with the color image on page 98, of NASA SP-439: “Voyage To Jupiter”, 1980, written by David Morrison & Jane Samz, at:
www.gutenberg.org/files/58915/58915-h/58915-h.htm
Credit: the wonderful "Project Gutenberg" website
“Here’s a scale mock-up of America’s most powerful rocket engine which is scheduled for operation in about four years. Under development since December 1958, the single-chambered engine is designed to produce 1,500,000 pounds of thrust. Used in clusters, these engines could provide from six to nine million pounds of thrust for a space vehicle.”
See also. Always fantastic:
heroicrelics.org/info/f-1/f-1-thrust-chamber.html
heroicrelics.org/info/f-1/f-1-with-callouts.html
Both credit: Mike Jetzer/heroicrelics.org
Viking 1 spacecraft 1975: The mating of the Obiter and Lander elements of the Viking spacecraft is shown at Nasa’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Two Vikings will be launched on August 11 and August 21 from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and are scheduled to arrive at Mars in July 1976. The lander elements of each spacecraft will be soft-landed on the planet’s surface and test for signs of life.
The above is from some non-NASA site, associated with a similar photo (linked to below). If indeed Viking 1, this mating occurred March 8, 1975, in Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Building/Facility? No. 2 (SAEB No. 2/SAEB 2 and/or SAEF No. 2/SAEF 2/SAEF II), located in the KSC/CCAFS? Industrial Area.
So…neither here nor there; but either the SAEBs were redesignated as SAEFs between Viking and Voyager, or it’s just another case of undisciplined, interchangeable & “whatever, it’s close enough” naming ‘convention’ by NASA whoevers.
"building":
history.nasa.gov/SP-480/ch12.htm
"Building", "Facility", either, both, mix 'n' match, take your pick. Page 2, third/last paragraph, under "2.0 LDEF MISSION PROFILE"...good grief:
www.researchgate.net/publication/24298829_Composite_mater...
Credit: ResearchGate website
"Facility":
www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/history/50thgallery/19...
Immediately to the right and just above the two camera-facing thermal control louvers (beneath the square red protective covers), the dual cylindrical housings of the two high-resolution television cameras can be seen, responsible for the countless amazing images of Mars & its moons.
The U.S. flag and mostly obscured U.S. Bicentennial emblem are visible on the white insulative/protective cover of the main propulsion unit.
“The Saturn V third stage for the Apollo 17 launch vehicle was erected and mated with the second stage today in preparation for the final manned lunar exploration mission in December. The launch of Apollo 17 is scheduled for 9:38 p.m. December 6.”
Note the Launcher Umbilical Tower (LUT) visible in the upper right ‘quadrant’ of the image, and notably, its clearly identified/labeled swing/access arm…no. 6, aka “S-IVB Aft (inflight)”.
Per the fantastic breakout of the LUT & its swing/access arms, at the wonderful “Apollo Maniacs” website, per J.L. Pickering (with photos AND diagrams!!!):
“Arm No.6 : S-IVB Aft (inflight)
Level 220 : vehicle station 2760.000
Provides 1 LH₂ injection, 1 LOX injection, 6 electricals, 11 pneumatics and equipment cooling, 1 air conditioning interface. Retraction of the umbilical connector is the same system as the arm 7 (S-IVB Forward). It also has a line handling device that protects the cables during the pull-in operation. It takes up to 7.7 seconds to disconnect the arm.”
www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/alsj/a17/ap17-KSC-72P-...
Credit: J.L. Pickering/Apollo Image Gallery/ALSJ
The Golden Gate Bridge's north tower rises majestically through the twilight, its International Orange paint glowing warmly under artificial lighting while the deep blue hour sky provides dramatic backdrop. Photographed from the rocky shoreline near Fort Point on the San Francisco side, this perspective captures the bridge at its most atmospheric—that fleeting moment when day surrenders to night and the iconic structure transforms into a beacon of light.
The bridge's distinctive Art Deco tower stands tall against Marin Headlands silhouetted in the distance, its steel lattice framework illuminated by powerful lights mounted at the base and along the span. The red aviation warning light at the tower's peak blinks as a safety measure for aircraft, while the decorative lighting traces the suspension cables and vertical supports. This lighting design, implemented in the 1980s, ensures the bridge remains visible and photogenic after dark while honoring its status as one of the world's most recognizable structures.
Fort Point area facilities cluster at the tower's base—the historic fortification, visitor amenities, and access roads all bathed in warm artificial light that creates a glowing pool against the darkening landscape. The juxtaposition of military history and engineering marvel is evident here, where a Civil War-era brick fort sits in the shadow of the 1937 suspension bridge that chief engineer Joseph Strauss designed to span directly over it rather than requiring its demolition.
The rocky foreground typical of San Francisco's rugged coastline frames the composition, while the calm bay waters reflect the bridge's illumination. Marin County's hills rise across the strait, their dark forms punctuated by scattered lights from Sausalito and other North Bay communities. The atmospheric conditions—likely some fog or marine layer evident in the soft focus of distant hills—create that quintessential Golden Gate Bridge aesthetic where the structure emerges from and disappears into California's coastal weather.
The deep blue twilight sky shows perfect timing for this type of photography. Too early and the artificial lights wouldn't register dramatically; too late and the sky would be completely black, losing the color gradation that provides context and mood. This blue hour window—perhaps fifteen minutes when the light balance is just right—requires planning and patience but yields images that capture the bridge's romantic, almost ethereal quality that has made it a global icon.
“Hanging F-1 engine on S-IC Thrust Structure (fuel) in bldg. 4705.”
Fluffier, yet still absolutely useless description:
“Engineers and technicians at the Marshall Space Flight Center were installing an F-I engine on the Saturn V S-IC (first) stage thrust structure in building 4705. The S-IC (first) stage used five F-1 engines that produced a total thrust of 7,500,000 pounds as each engine produced 1,500,000 pounds of thrust. The S-IC stage lifted the Saturn V vehicle and Apollo spacecraft from the launch pad.”
At least they have the image:
images.nasa.gov/details-6518750
history.nasa.gov/MHR-5/part-6.htm
So, ‘consensus’ would seem to support this being S-IC-T, supposedly photographed on 29 January 1965…showing an F-1 engine being installed. If so, then why would it be seen/photographed being transported the very next month, without a single engine. And I’m pretty sure it was photographed while being transported to the S-IC static test stand, in preparation for its 9 April 1965 single-engine firing. If my aforementioned quandary can be resolved, it then begs the question of whether the S-IC-T was outfitted with a single engine, OR were all engines installed, but only one fired.
“The “business end” of the Saturn V launch vehicle’s first stage (S-IC), showing the nozzles of the five F-1 engines, is seen at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center’s main assembly building. This is the first flight stage (S-IC-1) which is in final assembly at MSFC. It will be launched from the NASA-Kennedy Space Center in 1967. Only the center engine in this picture has the uncooled extension of the nozzle in place; the others will be added later. The five engines, made by Rocketdyne, will consume 15 tons of propellant a second, generating some 160,000,000 horsepower at maximum velocity.”
Nineteen Hundred and Sixty-Five (1965). Take another glance at the image. Skim those numbers above again, and realize that ALL twelve (12) times these engines were called upon, under pretty much ‘no-fail’ circumstances, they were up to the task - that of ensuring humans reach the moon safely. And for good measure, once more & lastly, lofting the Skylab OWS into orbit in 1973.
An unparalleled accomplishment.
I'm sorry, there is no photograph of the SLS, Falcon Heavy, Ariane 5 or whatever else is out there, or yet to be, that will ever elicit the feelings that this - and so many other - Apollo/Saturn V images have. I’m admittedly biased, as I was most fortunate to witness these marvels of engineering, thanks to the unparalleled commitment & supreme efforts of so many to deliver on President Kennedy's declaration, under relentless pressure.
I seriously doubt anything will match Apollo, on many different levels. At least not during the remainder of my years.
See also this/my photo here:
www.facebook.com/groups/568330780035419/permalink/2469614...
“SATURN V TAIL - - The size of the 350-feet-tall Saturn V moon rocket is illustrated by this “soft” mockup of the thrust structure, or “business end,” of the S-IC stage nearing completion at the NASA-Marshall Space Flight Center at Huntsville, Ala. The booster, 33 feet in diameter and 138 feet long, will be powered by five F-1 engines developing 7.5 million pounds thrust to start the monstrous vehicle on its journey into space. Two mock engines are shown mounted beneath the thrust structure. The first booster is scheduled for ground test firing at the Marshall Center late in 1964. MSFC will build several ground test models plus the first flight model and the Boeing Company will produce future flight vehicles at MSFC’s Michoud Operations plant at New Orleans.”
A miracle, blind squirrel/found nut, play the lottery, transient phenomena, aberration:
“This photograph depicts Marshall Space Flight Center employees, James Reagin, machinist (top); Floyd McGinnis, machinist; and Ernest Davis, experimental test mechanic (foreground), working on a mock up of the S-IC thrust structure. The S-IC stage is the first stage, or booster, of the 364-foot long Saturn V rocket that ultimately took astronauts to the Moon. The S-IC stage, burned over 15 tons of propellant per second during its 2.5 minutes of operation to take the vehicle to a height of about 36 miles and to a speed of about 6,000 miles per hour. The stage was 138 feet long and 33 feet in diameter. Operating at maximum power, all five of the engines produced 7,500,000 pounds of thrust.”
Image and the above at:
images.nasa.gov/details-0102336
I am really digging the flair(ing) of the black paint job on the engine fairing. Although not necessary when producing 7.5 million pounds thrust - which btw is insane TO THIS DAY - it does provide a more stylishly dynamic look.
Also at:
history.nasa.gov/MHR-5/part-4.htm
Specifically, the image in color, at a surprisingly nice resolution:
history.nasa.gov/MHR-5/Images/fig149.jpg
With good discussion regarding this and other similar/the same(?) structures:
forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=15446.0
Credit: NASA SpaceFlight.com website
www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/park-visitors-walk-...
Credit: none merited
Finally…excellent, but sad. Unfortunately, not surprising:
www.worldsfairphotos.com/nywf64/space-park.htm
Credit: “The 1964-1965 New York World's Fair” website. A wonderful & comprehensive source for all things ‘NYWF64’!
“This picture of a crescent-shaped Earth and Moon -- the first of its kind ever taken by a spacecraft -- was recorded Sept. 18, 1977, by NASA's Voyager 1 when it was 7.25 million miles (11.66 million kilometers) from Earth. The Moon is at the top of the picture and beyond the Earth as viewed by Voyager. In the picture are eastern Asia, the western Pacific Ocean and part of the Arctic. Voyager 1 was directly above Mt. Everest (on the night side of the planet at 25 degrees north latitude) when the picture was taken. The photo was made from three images taken through color filters, then processed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Image Processing Lab. Because the Earth is many times brighter than the Moon, the Moon was artificially brightened by a factor of three relative to the Earth by computer enhancement so that both bodies would show clearly in the print. Voyager 2 was launched Aug. 20, 1977, followed by Voyager 1 on Sept. 5, 1977, en route to encounters at Jupiter in 1979 and Saturn in 1980 and 1981. JPL manages the Voyager mission for NASA.”
Above & image, at:
photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00013
And:
photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA01967
Both credit: JPL Photojournal website
Also:
www.nasa.gov/50th/favpic/earthMoon.html
Specifically:
www.nasa.gov/images/content/261087main_08_FirstPictureEar...
And. “Voyager 1 Takes the First Image of the Earth-Moon System in a Single Frame”:
www.nasa.gov/image-feature/voyager-1-takes-the-first-imag...
Finally, with the usual excellent read:
www.drewexmachina.com/2020/12/08/the-first-planetary-prob...
Credit: Andrew LePage/Drew ExMachina website
Note the rather impeccable provenance. A historic - at least from a space exploration perspective - photograph. Despite probably 'higher than normal' handling wear, as it may have served as the image used in one/some? of Mr. Burgess's many publications, a stunning image.
Surely another unicorn. An original ca. 1966/67 Lunar Orbiter I panoramic photograph measuring 3’ 5.5” x 9’ 9.75”.
Nearly 10 feet long, can you believe it? The earth itself is ~15” in diameter!
I was informed by the gentleman I obtained it from, who lives/lived in Seattle, Washington, that it came from the estate of a Boeing employee there, who stated that it was originally tacked to a wall, possibly of a hallway, at the Boeing Missile Production Center, also in Seattle, where the Lunar Orbiter spacecraft were assembled.
I have no doubts regarding the validity of the above assertion. There are in fact ‘vintage’ tack holes in the corners. Although the verso bears no watermark, it is definitely some sort of photographic paper, with a very slight, appealing actually, sepia tone. The jagged appearance of the top edge is an artifact of the imprecise panning of my infernal iPhone. The edge is clean, smooth & straight. The photograph is actually in remarkable condition. Lighting was oblique natural under somewhat overcast conditions.
This is the only other reference to a large/larger version of this amazing photograph that I’ve seen:
www.spaceref.com/news/viewnews.html?id=1496
Credit: SPACEREF website
The above query was from 2011, so I’m pretty sure Mr. Cowing has found one by now. 😉
I'm surprised this didn't require a login, credit card number, subscription, blood, first-born, commitment, obligation, or other revenue generating scheme. Not that it's any sort of treasure trove of anything. Although it is where I found out where the Lunar Orbiters were manufactured. If correct that is:
www.boeing.com/history/products/lunar-orbiter-spacecraft....
Credit: Boeing website
“Artist’s concept shows the Lunar Orbiter spacecraft positioned to make detailed photographs of wide areas of the Moon’s surface. Camera lenses are not visible in this view. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, manages the Lunar Orbiter Project. The craft will provide extensive photographic exploration of the lunar surface to aid in selection of [possible landing areas for the Project Apollo manned landing mission. The Lunar Orbiter Project is necessary and valuable contributor to man’s knowledge of the Moon and its environment. An Atlas/Agena launch vehicle will place the Orbiter in translunar trajectory, where an internal rocket-engine propulsion system will provide midcourse trajectory correction and, later, inject the spacecraft into lunar orbit. The Boeing Company, Seattle, Washington, is developing the Lunar Orbiter for NASA.”
An amazing mobile camera/photo lab, operating while orbiting the moon, OVER 50 years ago!
Consider the following: FIVE attempts, FIVE successes, 1966-67, from launch vehicle to spacecraft. Remarkable.
In my opinion, one of Boeing’s most impressive accomplishments to this day.
YES, another one in the “W” column! A beautiful, rarely seen depiction by Boeing illustrator/artist James W. Potter.
"James Potter was born May 12, 1920 in Denver. He lived his early years there and graduated from East Denver High School, Class of 1939. After graduation, he joined the 120th Observation Squadron of the Colorado National Guard, serving with Major General Joe C. Moffitt, resigning to join the Army Air Corps. He then served on active duty and in the reserves until 1958 when he was honorably discharged as a first lieutenant. After the war, Jim returned to Denver and attended the University of Colorado Architectural School and the University of Denver Art School.
Jim worked as aviation artist/illustrator for the Boeing Airplane Company in Seattle for thirty-three years and produced cut-away and concept-type illustrations of future airplane designs that are currently in service or that may be developed. He considered that participation in the design of future aircraft through his art was his greatest contribution to aviation. A large mural he painted, depicting the early history of the Boeing Company, is displayed at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington. His work has appeared in Aviation Week, Air Force Magazine as well as other trade journals and aviation books.
After his retirement from Boeing in 1986, Jim did seventeen paintings for the Colorado Air National Guard for their commemorative history book, Colorado Pride: From Jennies to Jets. The original paintings depicting the aircraft flown by the Colorado Air National Guard throughout its history are on display at the Guard headquarters in Denver. Prints of the series are available at the Wings Over the Rockies Museum Gift Shop.
Jim was an active member of the Colorado Aviation Historical Society and with Ruby, his wife of many years, attended many of the meetings. Their smiling faces invited conversation, participation and the sharing of aviation history lore. After retirement Jim was also active in the American Society of Aviation Artists. A book, Airplanes that Never Flew, written and illustrated by Jim Potter, will soon be published.
Jim's last work for the Air Guard, a painting of their current fighter aircraft, the Lockheed-Martin F-16 remains unfinished, interrupted by his passing.
The Colorado Aviation Historical Society and the Museum will be benefactors of the generosity of Jim and Ruby.
Jim returned to Colorado from Washington in 1990 and lived in Evergreen until his death on March 19, 1996. He will be missed, but his works will be a continual reminder of James W. Potter, an aviation artist and gentleman."
Above at:
www.coloradoaviationhistoricalsociety.org/bio_popup.asp?i...
Credit: Colorado Aviation Historical Society website
And thanks to the tireless efforts of Garrett O'Donoghue/Numbers Station and the Internet Archive website:
archive.org/details/NIX-EL-2002-00438
e05.code.blog/2021/09/20/64-l-02494/
Thank you for your service Brother.
Rest In Peace.