View allAll Photos Tagged engineeringmarvel
The Golden Gate Bridge glows orange against the predawn darkness, its iconic towers and suspension cables illuminated while fog wraps around the Marin Headlands beyond.
Photographed from Twin Peaks looking west, this panoramic view captures San Francisco in that liminal moment between night and day when the city's lights still sparkle but natural light begins painting the sky in subtle gradients of blue and pink.The bridge itself commands the middle distance, its distinctive International Orange color standing out even in low light thanks to the decorative lighting that traces its towers and cables. Those twin towers rising 746 feet above the water have become synonymous with San Francisco itself, perhaps the most photographed and recognizable bridge in the world.
Opened in 1937 after four years of construction, the Golden Gate Bridge was an engineering marvel that many said couldn't be built—spanning 4,200 feet across the strait connecting San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean, withstanding powerful currents, deep water, and frequent fog.
The foreground reveals San Francisco's residential fabric spreading across the city's western neighborhoods. This elevated vantage from Twin Peaks—roughly 900 feet above sea level—allows you to see the gridded street pattern, the mix of housing types, and the tree canopy that softens the urban density. The Richmond and Sunset districts dominate this western side of the city, their orderly blocks of single-family homes, small apartment buildings, and neighborhood commercial corridors representing post-earthquake development and the city's mid-century suburban expansion within city limits.
Look at how the city lights create different patterns. Bright commercial zones—likely the Richmond District's Geary Boulevard and the Sunset's Irving Street—cut horizontal paths through residential areas where warmer, more diffuse lighting suggests homes and local businesses. The Presidio's darker areas on the left preserve the former military base's forest and open space, while Golden Gate Park's dark band running through the middle of the frame shows how that three-mile-long urban forest creates a natural break in the city's development pattern.
The atmospheric conditions are quintessentially San Francisco. That thick bank of fog sitting over the Marin Headlands and threatening to spill through the Golden Gate represents the marine layer that gives the Bay Area its temperate climate and famously unpredictable weather.
The bridge's towers emerge from the fog like sentinels, while the low cloud deck above creates a muted sky that will likely give way to sunshine or remain overcast depending on how that marine layer behaves over the next few hours.The bay waters beyond the bridge show as a dark band separating San Francisco from Marin County.
This strait has always been treacherous—strong tidal currents, cold water temperatures, and frequent fog made navigation challenging long before the bridge existed. Ships entering San Francisco Bay had to time their passage carefully, and countless vessels met disaster on the rocks.
The bridge transformed regional transportation, connecting San Francisco to the North Bay and beyond, enabling suburban development in Marin and Sonoma counties that fundamentally reshaped the region's geography.
From this elevated perspective, you can appreciate San Francisco's unique urban form. This is a city that refused to be limited by its hilly topography. Those neighborhoods spreading across the western slopes represent generations of San Franciscans who carved streets into steep hillsides, built homes on challenging lots, and created communities in every available space. The density is impressive—this is one of America's most densely populated cities—yet the scale remains human. Few high-rises interrupt the horizon, preserving view corridors and maintaining neighborhood character.
The lighting in this photograph creates layers of depth and atmosphere. The cool predawn sky gradates from darker blue overhead to lighter tones near the horizon, while the warm city lights provide contrast and detail in the foreground. The bridge's orange glow becomes the visual anchor, drawing the eye across the frame while the scattered lights of Marin communities beyond suggest the broader metropolitan region connected by this single span.
San Francisco's relationship with the Golden Gate Bridge is complicated. It's simultaneously the city's most beloved symbol and a barrier some never cross. The bridge connects but also divides—creating a psychological boundary between city and suburbs, between urban San Francisco and the less dense communities to the north.
For tourists, it's a must-see attraction. For locals, it's infrastructure—a commute route, a running path, a beloved but familiar landmark that becomes invisible through daily exposure until you see it like this, at dawn, and remember why people photograph it obsessively.
Based on the date stamped on the verso, the day after the flight/mission, the vehicle is likely Apollo 4, depicted during ascent, propelled by the single J-2 engine of the S-IVB stage.
Stylistically, and with the often-recurring numbering in the corner of the photo, this is likely another lost/forgotten? gem by Russell Arasmith. Although a slightly less polished, less detailed effort when compared to latter renderings. Possibly due to being early/earlier during Mr. Arasmith’s incredible career? And combined with maybe less available imagery to work with, this being the first launch of the Saturn V rocket.
Obviously one of a series, although a little odd that this phase of the flight would be labeled no. 1. I just need to ‘shut up’ & not look a gift-horse in the mouth…this is a win.
A full life:
www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/westminster-ca/russell...
Credit: Dignity Memorial website
I'm sure only a fraction:
www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/history/arasmith-gallery.html
A wonderful peak, confirming my above statement:
d3eguztg5751m.cloudfront.net/as/assets-mem-com/cmi/7/7/9/...
&cropxunits=619&cropyunits=464&maxwidth=650){kind=link}
Credit: The Arasmith Family/Dignity Memorial website
“NUCLEUS OF COMET HALLEY
HALLEY MULTICOLOUR CAMERA COMPOSITE OF 60 IMAGES”
Also, at/from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) website, which btw has a whole lot more good stuff:
“A composite image of the nucleus of comet P/Halley
This image is composed of 68 images of varying resolution. The data at the brightest point on the nucleus is at the highest resolution (50 m). The Sun comes from 30 deg above the horizontal to the left and is 17 deg behind the image plane (observation phase angle of 107 deg). The night side of the nucleus can be seen silhouetted against a background of bright dust in the far-field. Jets can be seen originating from two regions on the nucleus. Structure can be seen within the jets. A bright area is seen within the night side of the nucleus. We believe this to be a hill or mountain approximately 500 m high. Other surface details can be seen in the illuminated region.”
www2.mps.mpg.de/en/projekte/giotto/hmc/index_print.html
Additionally:
“In 1978, ESA was invited by NASA to plan a joint mission consisting of a comet Halley fly-by in November 1985 and a rendezvous with comet Tempel 2 in 1988. The mission comprised an American main spacecraft which would carry a European probe. The main spacecraft, with its array of sophisticated cameras and experiments, would complete a fly-by of comet Halley at a safe distance. Shortly before fly-by, the probe would be released towards the nucleus to make detailed in-situ observations in the innermost coma. In January 1980, however, it became clear that financial support for the Halley Fly-by/Tempel 2 Rendezvous mission could not be secured in the USA. By that time the interest of European scientists had built up such momentum that ESA considered the possibility of a purely European mission. The support for a fly-by mission was strong in Europe and went far beyond the small section of scientists specialized in cometary research. A fly-by of comet Halley was suggested to ESA by the scientific community in February 1980. Rather than having the American spacecraft deliver the probe to the comet as in the earlier concept, the Europeans proposed that the capabilities of the small probe be increased by building an independent, self-sufficient spacecraft to be launched using the European Ariane rocket. The limited time available for development and the small financial resources made it advisable to use a spin-stabilized spacecraft derived from the European Earth orbiting spacecraft Geos. This proposal was studied by ESA in the first half of 1980.
The European mission to comet Halley was named Giotto after the Italian painter Giotto di Bondone who depicted comet Halley as the `Star of Bethlehem' in one of his frescoes in the Scrovegni chapel in Padua in 1304. The Giotto mission was finally approved as ESA's first interplanetary mission on 7 July 1980. An Announcement of Opportunity was issued shortly thereafter requesting proposals for scientific payload instrumentation. NASA was still interested at this stage but could not decide whether to participate or not, partly because the American scientific community did not whole-heartedly support a cometary fly-by mission. Some scientists believed that the scientific return would not be worth the effort. Finally, NASA declined to participate and refused to provide direct financial support for any American hardware involvement. By the end of January 1981, 11 European experiments were selected to perform the diagnostic measurements during a close fly-by of comet Halley in March 1986.
The mission was a fast flyby in March 1986 after the comet's perihelion, when it is most active. The scientific payload consists of 10 experiments with a total mass of about 60 KG: a camera for imaging the comet nucleus, three mass spectrometers for analysis of the elemental and isotopic composition of the cometary gas and dust environment, various dust impact detectors, a photopolarimeter for measurements of the coma brightness, and a set of plasma instruments for studies of the solar wind/comet interaction. In view of the high flyby velocity of 68.4 km/sec, the experiment active time is only 4 h and all data are transmitted back to Earth in real time at a rate of 40 kbits/s. The Giotto spacecraft is spin-stabilized with a despun, high-gain parabolic antenna inclined at 44.3 degrees to point at the Earth during the encounter. A specially designed dual-sheet bumper shield protects the forward end of the spacecraft from being destroyed by hypervelocity dust impacts. The spacecraft passed the nucleus at a distance of 596+/-2 km on the sunward side. The time of closest approach occurred at 00:03:01.84 UT on March 14 (spacecraft event time). However, at 7.6 s before closest approach, Giotto was hit by a large dust particle, whose impact caused the spacecraft angular momentum vector to shift by 1 degree. The effect of the impact was that the next 32 minutes of scientific data were received only intermittently. It is concluded that the spacecraft traversed a region of high dust concentration (dust jet). A few hours after closest approach, a number of the instruments were determined to be inoperable, probably from the passage through the dust jet. About half of the experiments worked flawlessly during the encounter, while the other half suffered damage due to dust impacts. The spacecraft also suffered some damage, but it was possible to redirect it to the Earth before it was put into hibernation.
Spacecraft ID : GIO
Target name : Halley
Spacecraft Operations Type : FLYBY
MISSION PHASES
Launch:
The Giotto spacecraft was launched on July 2, 1985 onboard an Ariane-1 rocket from Kourou, French Guyana.
Mission phase start time: 1985-07-02
Mission phase stop time: 1985-07-02
Cruise:
The Giotto spacecraft was initially injected into a Geostationary Transfer Orbit. After three revolutions in orbit, the onboard motor was fired near perigee to inject Giotto into a heliocentric orbit. The high gain antenna was despun three days later. The HMC was switched on in Format 3 on August 10, 1985 to monitog of its barrel, followed by the Magnetometer Experiment and Energetic Particles Experiment switch-on on August 22, 1985. After a cruise phase of 8 months, Giotto encountered Comet Halley on Mar 14, 1986. Along its trajectory, the Magnetometer and Energetic Particle experiments remained on. The other instruments followed a on/pyro firing test sequence from Sep through Oct 1985. The science instruments will take data at various times starting on March 9, but only the magnetometer and energetic particle experiments will be able to make use of this continuous coverage. Continuous data coverage was provided in a high-data-rate mode about 50 hours before and 26.5 hours after encounter, at which point the last experiment was switched-off.
Mission phase start time: 1985-07-02
Mission phase stop time: 1986-03-12
Encounter:
There were specific periods of science data availability after the last orbit correction maneuver that occurred on March 12 at 05:00. The time of closest approach on March 14 is 00:03:01.84 UT, given in SCET or spacecraft event time. (This time can be related to GSRT or ground station received time by the equation GSRT = SCET + 8 min 0.1 s.) Some instruments, such as EPA, MAG, and GRE, ran continuously during the encounter which lasted approximately 4 hours. Other instruments were switched-on for some intervals between March 12 and March 13, but by 20:18 on that day all instruments were functioning. Unfortunately, 7.6 s before closest approach, Giotto was hit by a large dust particle in a dust jet. Only intermittent data was received for the next 32 minutes of the encounter and damage to a number of instruments was substantial.
Mission phase start time: 1986-03-12
Mission phase stop time: 1986-03-15
MISSION OBJECTIVES SUMMARY
Mission Objectives Overview:
The Giotto scientific objectives, as formulated by the Giotto Science Study Group are as follows:
1. to provide the elemental and isotopic composition of volatile components in the cometary coma, in particular to identify the parent molecules
2. to characterize the physical processes and chemical reactions that occur in the cometary atmosphere and ionosphere
3. to determine the elemental and isotopic composition of the cometary dust particles
4. to measure the total gas production rate and the dust flux and size/mass distribution and to derive the dust-to-gas ratio
5. to investigate the macroscopic system of plasma flows resulting from the interaction between the cometary and solar-wind plasma
6. to provide numerous images of the comet nucleus with a resolution down to 50 m. From these the nucleus size and rotation may be deduced and its mass may be estimated.
The damage to the spacecraft and the instrument payload was not systematically investigated in the days after encounter by additional operations and thorough analysis of spacecraft and experiment housekeeping data. However, to preserve the possibility of a later mission extension, Giotto's orbit was slightly modified to bring it back to Earth in July 1990 (a `free-return trajectory') before Giotto was put into a safe hibernation configuration on 2 April 1986. In 1987, the thorough analysis of spacecraft and experiment data was finally carried out (Curdt and Keller, 1987) when it became clear that the ESA advisory bodies might be in favor of a mission extension. By using an Earth swing-by maneuver in July 1990, Giotto could be redirected to encounter another comet. Of the available targets comet Grigg-Skjellerup appeared the best choice. The Giotto spacecraft was re-activated in February 1990, after almost five years in hibernation when it was once again within 1 AU of the Earth. The spacecraft and payload were fully checked out in May 1990.
A preliminary damage report based on encounter data indicated that the baffle of HMC had been lost. Except for this deficiency, the camera still seemed operational. This assessment was fully confirmed during the switch-on in May 1990. All subsystems including detectors and mechanisms worked well. HMC, however, could not detect any object in the sky, not even the Sun. It is now believed that the aperture of HMC is covered (possibly by remains of the baffle) and no light can enter the focal plane. The check-out showed that about half of the payload was still functional and the spacecraft was still operational. Based on these findings, the Giotto Extended Mission (GEM) to comet Grigg-Skjellerup was approved.
The Giotto Mission and specifically, the Halley Multicolor Camera project achieved its goals. The existence of the cometary nucleus was verified. Its shape was determined and surface features at a resolution of 50 m per pixel were identified. Dust jets originating from restricted areas were found. Due to the reset at 9.21 seconds before closest approach only limited information could be achieved on the nucleus volume and its rotation. On the other hand, additional information on the dust size distribution and the gas/dust interaction could be derived from the images."
Above at/from:
pdssbn.astro.umd.edu/holdings/gio-c-hmc-3-rdr-halley-v1.0...
Credit: Planetary Data System (PDS) website
A once in a lifetime opportunity & NASA says "Sure...PSYCHE…nah, we'll pass." WTF?!
My guess is that the Shuttle Program had sucked/was sucking/was going to suck all of the oxygen - and money - out of the room.
“SATURN SPACE VEHICLE LAUNCHING – This is an artist’s conception of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration advanced Saturn space vehicle at moment of launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The first stage is to be developed by The Boeing Company under the technical direction of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.
--Boeing Photo”
While I legitimately & rightfully tout the virtues of black & white photographs and illustrations, boy does this look damned good in color.
One of many stunning works by Boeing artist/illustrator Fred Takasumi.
Wouldn't you agree?
www.pinterest.es/pin/287948969910304990/
Credit: Pinterest/Chase Covello/Dan Beaumont Space Museum (Sadly, it seems Mr. Beaumont has removed the image from this photo hosting site.)
“STS-103 EVA VIEW --- Astronauts C. Michael Foale (left) and Claude Nicollier participate in the second of three STS-103 spacewalks to service the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). On this task they are replacing one of the telescope’s Fine Guidance Sensors (FGS). Nicollier, a European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut, is standing on the end of the remote manipulator system (RMS).”
Additionally, per the “HUBBLESITE” website:
“December 19-27, 1999
SPACE SHUTTLE: Discovery
Crew: Commander Curtis L. Brown, Pilot Scott J. Kelly, Payload Commander Steven L. Smith, Mission Specialists C. Michael Foale, John M. Grunsfield, Claude Nicollier and Jean-Francois Clervoy
NASA decided to split the Servicing Mission 3 (SM3) into two parts, SM3A and SM3B, after the third of Hubble’s six gyroscopes failed. (At that time, Hubble needed three gyroscopes to observe a celestial target.) The second part of the mission, SM3B, took place March 1–12, 2002.
On November 13, 1999, the Hubble Space Telescope was placed into safe mode after the failure of a fourth gyroscope. In safe mode Hubble could not observe targets, but its safety was preserved. This protective mode allows ground control of the telescope, but with only two gyros working, Hubble cannot be aimed with the precision necessary for scientific observations of the sky. Controllers closed the aperture door to protect the optics and aligned the spacecraft to ensure that Hubble’s solar panels would receive adequate power from the Sun.
In the first of the two-part mission, the most pressing task was the replacement of the gyroscopes. The crew, two of whom were Hubble repair veterans, replaced all six gyroscopes — as well as one of Hubble’s three Fine Guidance Sensors, which allow fine pointing and keep Hubble stable during observations, and a transmitter.
The astronauts also installed an advanced central computer, a digital data recorder, an electronics enhancement kit, battery improvement kits, and new outer layers of thermal protection. Hubble was as good as new.
Mission Highlights:
- Replacement of all three Rate Sensing Units (RSUs), each of which contains two gyroscopes
- Installation of new computer, 20 times faster with six times more memory than its predecessor
- Replacement of original reel-to-reel data recorder with digital Solid-State Recorder (SSR) which is faster, more reliable and can store 10 times as much data
- Replacement of no. 2 of 3 Fine Guidance Sensors (FGS) with refurbished unit
- Replacement of failed no. 2 of 2 S-Band Single Access Transmitter (SSAT) used to relay data to the ground
Installation six Voltage/Temperature Improvement Kits (VIKs) on wiring between Solar Arrays and each battery to control charging of Hubble's batteries
- Installation of Shell/Shield Replacement Fabric (SSRF) over the original Multi-Layer Insulation on Hubble’s forward shell and light shield to add thermal protection
- Installation of Handrail Covers around the handrails above the Fine Guidance Sensor bay to prevent possible contamination to the Aft Shroud area from flaking handrail paint
- Fit New Outer Blanket Layers (NOBLs) on equipment Bay 1”
At:
Space Shuttle Columbia (OV-102) is raised in preparation to be mated with Shuttle Carrier Aircraft 905 at White Sands Space Harbor (WSSH), New Mexico for return to the Kennedy Space Center. Upon successful conclusion of the STS-3 mission, Columbia was forced to land at WSSH due to unfavorable conditions at Edwards Air Force Base, the primary site. STS-3 was the first and only shuttle mission to land at WSSH.
What a view, blue sky galore and the San Andres Mountains in the distance...nice. Also an excellent view of the stiff-leg derrick/crane combination used as sort of a 'field expedient'/mobile Mate-Demate Device (MDD). Excellent information & photos pertaining to the combination:
www.quora.com/If-a-space-shuttle-had-to-make-an-emergency...
Credit: Quora website
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.
“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.
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.
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...
“PIONEER 11 COURSE TOWARD INTERSTELLAR SPACE”
Probably the most beautiful, creative & striking version 😉 out of hundreds, if not thousands, depicting Pioneer 11’s historic mission and path to infinity…and beyond.
It being an Ames Research Center image, from 1974, of a Pioneer-Jupiter spacecraft, with dynamic ‘space’, I gotta go with Rick Guidice.
Despite the rendering, I'm pretty sure the spacecraft didn't fly between Saturn and its rings. Note also the outline of an unpainted deflection arrow at/behind "SPACE".
“INTERSTELLER”, UGH.
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.
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.
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.
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