A – I’ll spare you the excessive adjectives that this deserves – depiction of an expedition(?), colonization(?) party disembarking on the moon.

Although the look of the spacecraft strongly suggests Baron Sándor Leidenfrost, aka Alexander Leydenfrost, the top sliver of a signature…unless Sanyi used all caps/block letters…would be a serious & weak stretch, So, who knows.

The only other version of the image that I was able to find, possibly taken from a book. With no useful information:

www.pinterest.ru/pin/157696424436026476/

pbs.twimg.com/media/DNdRlB2U8AEjFRf.jpg

Credit: Olga Coin/Pinterest

On a separate note:

I CANNOT believe it, I’d never even heard of Mr. Leydenfrost! Mind-blowing works by him. Although I’m not surprised, as a Hungarian, he was predisposed to being a genius.

Whoever this is by, it’s really impressive.

Finally, interestingly, maybe even intriguingly - only to me - the erased caption on the back is written in a mix of German & English. If I translated it correctly, it’s pretty generic, basically stating the obvious, ‘man on the moon’. Also, the fact that the text was erased, not just crossed out, would seem to suggest that this photograph merited some level of care, hence I suppose it still being around, in really great condition. The date range is a total guess of course.

“An unmanned probe fires sampling rockets at the Moon's surface to test its structure and composition. Note the antennae for sending data back to Earth. In the background another probe takes off after having made a soft landing on the Moon's surface. (Martin Information Services)”

Thanks to Leo Boudreau, I assume the above to be a quote/extract from “Rocket to the Moon”, 1958, by Erik Bergaust & Seabrook Hull.

Along with Mr. Boudreau’s excellent synopsis:

“The book presents the best information, ideas and assumptions on the conquest of the moon as of 1958. The authors, who were experts on missiles and space flight, tell how the moon would be approached, first with instrumented probes and then with man himself as a payload. Fascinating conjectures, based on the latest scientific findings, show what life on the moon might be like, how men would build a base there, how they would explore the moon, and how they would push on from there to further explorations of outer space.”

All of the above is at Mr. Boudreau’s linked image below!

Lastly, the artist is the truly enigmatic Nick Stanilla…there’s literally NOTHING of/on his life. What little I came across was indirectly in searching on “Stoiko – Cross”, which seems to have been a publishing(?)/writing(?) collaborative comprised of Michael Stoiko and a Mr. Cross. There’s also nil on Mr. Cross and/or the collaboration.

Again, at least Mr. Stanilla came up (indirectly), as having provided his talent to a 1959 Stoiko-written work, co-authored with Donald Cox, entitled “Man . . . in the Universe”.

What appears to be a delightful review of the book, in the “Journal of the Franklin Institute”, 1959, Vol. 268, Issue 2 reads as follows:

“There are many who would like to learn a good bit more concerning the solar system and the universe beyond. In most cases when we look for something like this, it is found wrapped up in such a forbidding array of mathematical symbolism and abstruse figures that discouragement is instantaneous. There should be other books—primers—which forego the formalism of the textbook and try only to be descriptive. Only occasionally will such a book appear. “Man . . . in the Universe” is an excellent example of such a primer.

This is one of the most attractive little books dealing with the solar system with a space travel flavor. The authors are prominent men in their field who have combined skills to produce a most readable and informative book. Each page of text is accompanied by a brilliant picture superbly rendered by an accepted master of the space age art, Nick Stanilla. The combination of text and art is precisely the right mixture for the busy life we lead today. For a true capsule treatment of the solar system and other celestial objects, this book is recommended.”

Above at/from:

af.booksc.eu/book/2112642/a60e3f

Credit: Z-library website

Another excellent collaborative of the three is “SPACEPOWER: What It Means To You”, also from 1958, in which Mr. Stanilla’s wonderfully rich “retro-futuristic” style is fully on display.

A bittersweet partial “WIN” I suppose.

“EXPO 67—U.S. STYLE

MONTREAL: Fisheye lens view of the United States Pavilion at EXPO 67 captures the circular structure of the building with its lunar exploration vehicle exhibit.”

Plentiful imagery & documentation is available online. One of my favorites, which includes the following:

“Space Exhibits at Expo 67

The 1950's and 60's saw a general enthusiasm for space exploration, and by 1967 the U.S. and the USSR were engaged in a fierce race to put a man on the moon.

At Expo 67, both these countries attempted to convince visitors of their superiority in the field of space technology by featuring special space exhibits in their pavilions. These exhibits proved very popular and lineups were long...

The U.S. pavilion used its highest platform (9 stories high) for its space exhibit entitled “Destination Moon”. The platform was reached by escalator, the longest one in existence in 1967 at 125 feet. Suspended from the ceiling of the pavilion were several actual Apollo and Gemini capsules (including the Freedom Seven Mercury capsule). A 3-man command module, and a model of the Surveyor space craft were also on display. The entire exhibit was enhanced by photographs, films of blast-offs and sounds of recorded conversations between astronauts, as well as models of space suits and examples of food used by astronauts.”

At:

expolounge.blogspot.com/2006/09/space-exhibits-at-expo-67...

Credit: “expo lounge” blogspot

And of course:

www.collectspace.com/ubb/Forum41/HTML/000905.html

Credit: collectSPACE website

Possibly a future rabbit hole: The Lunar Module appears to be the same one on display at the MSC – two years later – behind the Apollo 11 crew in the linked photo below.

Was it a test article of some sort. Or, was it built exclusively for the purpose of being displayed at EXPO 67? In both the photo referenced & the other linked photo, there looks to be, to me, a vertical ‘paned’ window on the LMP’s side of the vehicle. If so, that would seem to support it’s ‘exhibition/display’ purpose. However, that would require access to the interior. Obviously not from the front, as there’s no ladder on the landing gear strut, which of course would’ve been a hazard for the general populace anyhow. Yet I’ve never seen any photo of this particular LM that supports that. Who knows.

.... The Space Race ended on July 20, 1969 when the United States successfully landed humans on the moon. But without a vital Canadian contribution, the Apollo 11 mission wouldn't have had a leg to stand on — literally.

The Apollo lunar module that carried Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to the moon's surface featured landing gear designed by a Quebec company, Héroux-Devtek. The company was tasked with developing eight telescopic legs that would absorb the impact of landing and provide a stable launch platform for the astronauts' return to lunar orbit.

Héroux-Devtek delivered, and their landing gear was used in five subsequent space missions. A little piece of Canada, in the form of Héroux-Devtek equipment, still resides on the moon. ....

On July 20, 1969, my family gathered around our 60's model TV to watch man's first landing on the moon. Taken with my current camera from an old slide, this shot shows the our TV screen as the words flashed "Lunar Module Has Landed On Moon." It also happened to catch my father and mother reflected on the screen watching the events unfold. My reflection was hidden by the module as I took the picture with my Minolta SRT 101.

Not quite as old as the shot of my grandmother, but an interesting little slice of history. See Grandma's picture in the comments below.

“By igniting the descent engine (contained in the LEM’s lower, descent stage), the separated LEM is inserted into an elliptical transfer orbit. Following cutoff of the descent engine, the LEM coasts to the low point of its descent orbit which brings the craft to within about 50,000 feet of the lunar surface, and uprange of the proposed landing site. At that time, the descent engine is refired to reduce velocity during the LEM’s descent to landing.

The LEM’s descent is automatically controlled to an altitude of a few hundred feet by a Guidance/Navigation Control System. During the final landing phase, the two-man crew selects a favorable landing site and, by manual control of the reaction control system jets (clustered at the four corners of the LEM upper, ascent stage) and the variable thrust descent engine, the craft is manipulated into the correct attitude over the landing site, and landed gently on the moon.”

The above are affixed to the verso of the photograph. Although informative, they don't describe what's depicted, which appears to be lunar orbit insertion.

“Retro fire into a lunar orbit.”

The caption from the black & white version of the photo:

“On arrival at the vicinity of the moon, they will use orientation controls to turn around and ignite the service module again, to hover for about 6 minutes, and slow the spacecraft enough to place it in an orbit about 100 miles above the moon’s surface.”

Amusing nomenclature…”orientation controls”. And I assume “hover” was intended to be “fire”. QC anyone?

10 Mississippi, 9 Mississippi, 8 Mississippi...

The image is oriented to not only match my previously posted black & white version of it, but also because it's sort of correct, north being to the upper left. In fact, I'm pretty sure the two prominent rayed craters to be Copernicus on the left & Tycho to the lower right.

Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation (GAEC) print/artwork, ca. 1967, depicting Lunar Module powered descent just prior to touchdown on the lunar surface.

GAEC + LEM/LM + artist's concept pretty much = Craig Kavafes. However, his signature is not to be found, unlike the vast majority of his other works, even early on. Somehow though, it doesn't quite look to be by his hand. Idk. Whoever it is, it’s awesome.

11” x 14”.

“GRUMMAN AIRCRAFT ENGINEERING CORP., BETHPAGE, NEW YORK

LM MANUFACTURING----Apollo Lunar Module-5 in Final Assembly Area during demate procedures.”

I believe those are Chinese characters stamped on the verso. Makes me wonder where this has been, along with resisting the urge to defecate on it.

Ca. 1964 photograph of mobility testing, using Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) Training Model-1 (TM-1) at Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation’s (GAEC) Bethpage, NY facility. Some very interesting – to me – things to note in this photograph:

- The astronaut visible standing up, through the overhead docking hatch. Possibly practicing conducting a Stand-up Extravehicular Activity (SEVA)? I have no idea if such was a consideration in 1964; however, at the time I could see it being considered prudent. In fact, his right-hand is on what looks like an alternating rung/step observation mast, maybe. If so, that’s too cool! Although maybe not so prudent. Or is it an antenna? If that, mounted at the lip of the docking hatch/tunnel? Strictly some sort of training aid?

- I’ve never seen this before in this ‘family’ of photographs…a free-standing external LEM cockpit interior mockup, visible immediately next to the ascent stage RCS quadrant on the right. ‘Instrumentation’ can even be discerned on the central display panel. Although, upon a relook, this structure is visible in my previous posting of the TM-1 descent stage. However, it was unrecognizable to me, as the central display panel had yet to be added.

- On the far left, another first seen…what appears to be a sub-scale engineering/test model of the LEM/LM. Possibly used for drop tests? I don’t think I’ve ever seen any LEM model with such a ring-shaped mass simulator? Fascinating. Behind it appear to be other smaller unidentifiable components on display as well.

- To the right of those, also in the background, is Space Technology Laboratories’ (STL) Lunar Excursion Module Descent Engine (LMDE)/Descent Propulsion System (DPS) mockup. Further to the right & nearer the camera is North American Aviation (NAA), Rocketdyne division’s mockup of the same.

- Finally, between the two engines are displayed…IDK…photographs of engine/exhaust plumes of said engines???

- Other cool stuff that are more regularly seen. Although I still don’t know what all the oxygen? bottles are. Maybe for the suited astronaut? Was it a closed loop ECS system?

Good stuff.

I really don't know...looks like some sort of lunar version of the space tug concept...conducting mining operations? Or maybe fueling operations? Since it looks like there are two hoses running from the two tugs/modules in the foreground to the two manned(?) landing craft in the background. However, on one lander, the hose interface is aft, and on the other, forward. Or is that one leading to the communications(?) antenna just beyond the vehicle? Boeing? Grumman? Lockheed? NASA-design?

Note also the astronaut taking off/landing via a Lunar Flyer/Lunar Flying Vehicle, in addition to the MOLAB-looking vehicle in the foreground.

I'm not completely sure if this is/was a color photo. It seems to have more vestigial tones to it than if it were just sepia toned (either due to aging or originally), along with the yellowing of the white border, which is commensurate with many color photos of this period. That, along with being on "A KODAK PAPER", almost exclusively used with color photographs, leads me to think color...maybe.

Unfortunately, no signature. Although, stylistically, clues abound: the sinuous cracks/rilles, manor of the brushstrokes, crater depiction, the perspective of the receding background to the lunar horizon, the verticality & semi-jagged nature of some of the peaks, etc., etc. But alas, I'm outta Schlitz with all of this & just don't know.

“Astronauts Charles Conrad and Alan Bean inspect the Surveyor III spacecraft. The Lunar Module planned landing point is 1,118 ft away in the Sea of Storms area, near side of the Moon. The two astronauts during the second extravehicular activity will cut a cable on surveyor releasing its TV camera to return to Earth. The bacterial load which was on this cable at launch of Surveyor III was well known. It's return will bring interesting data on the effect of lunar environment after 2 ½ years. This is the second U.S. lunar landing mission.”

Obviously no grammatical QC of the above, along with the out-of-context & cryptic “bacterial load” reference, But hey, it’s a NASA caption, so it’s passable.

Conrad actually dropped Intrepid down ~600 ft from Surveyor…I guess that’s some of that Top Gun Naval Aviator “pilot shit”.

Regarding the “bacterial load”. Good/informative reading:

www.space.com/11536-moon-microbe-mystery-solved-apollo-12...

Credit: Space.com

In my world, Craig Kavafes can do/did NO wrong, but those LM footpads look noticeably/disproportionately small…to me. I’ll overlook it.

As mission commander, Conrad of course had the honor of cutting the parts off Surveyor, and appears to be preparing to remove the TV camera. Bean also appears to be photographing the task, which I don't think occurred. The photo documentation, that is.

"APOLLO 17 TV PICTURE----Astronauts Eugene A. Cernan (on left) and Harrison H. Schmitt pay their respects and send their best wishes to the members of the International Youth Science Tour, who were visiting the Manned Spacecraft Center, in brief ceremonies near the close of the third Apollo 17 Extravehicular Activity (EVA-3) at the Taurus-Littrow landing site. This picture is a reproduction taken from a color television transmission made by the color RCA TV camera mounted on the Lunar Roving Vehicle. Noting that they had collected a very significant rock composed of many fragments, Schmitt said: "A portion of a rock will be sent to a representative agency or museum in each of the countries represented by the young people in Houston today..." The more than 70 foreign students were in the U.S. visiting space research and science centers. In his closing remarks to the students Cernan remarked: "We salute you, promise of the future." chamber and the CSM for Apollo 12, which recently arrived at Kennedy Space Center, was getting its initial checkouts in the aisle. Apollo 11 is scheduled for the first manned lunar landing mission this summer.”

December 1972. What year is it now? Yep…yikes.

“LUNAR MODULE -- Full scale mock up of the lunar module used at the Manned Spacecraft Center for equipment tests. Jack D. Mays, test subject from Crew Systems Division, MSC, stands on top of the LM with hand-held prototype of television camera. He wears thermal over garment, a protective suit, over the International Latex Corp., space suit.”

Mr. Mays was basically the non-Astronaut 'face' of the Apollo program's outdoor terrestrial/Terran Extravehicular Activity, testing, assessing/evaluating, etc. lunar space suit designs/configurations & associated lunar surface tasks, during their development.

www.collectspace.com/ubb/Forum38/HTML/002223.html

Credit: collectSPACE website

historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov/JSCHistoryPortal/history/o...

Note the developmental/precursor “Snoopy Cap” worn by Mr. Mays.

Note also the rendezvous radar antenna. Both it’s interesting rotational/gimbaling capacity, and the fact that it’s pointing off to the side. To my knowledge, the final configuration only slewed up & down.

Maybe it was installed incorrectly? 😉

See also:

archive.org/details/S65-11363

archive.org/details/S66-45461

Credit: Internet Archive website

“The deployment of the Early Apollo Scientific Experiments Package (EASEP) is photographed by astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, Apollo 11 commander, during the crew extravehicular activity (EVA). Here, astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot, is deploying the Passive Seismic Experiments Package (PSEP). Already deployed is the Laser Ranging Retro-Reflector (LR-3), which can be seen to the left and further in the background. In the center background is the Lunar Module. A flag of the United States is deployed near the LM. In the far left background is the deployed black and white lunar surface television camera. Armstrong took this picture with the 70mm lunar surface camera, also.”

I suppose the above is (one of?) the original caption(s). Not great, not horrible. The following is different, in some ways better…although Aldrin is not leveling the PSEP in the image:

“Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin, Lunar Module (LM) pilot, levels the Passive Seismic Experiments Package (PSEP). The Laser Ranging Retroreflector (LRRR), U.S. Flag, television camera and the Apollo Lunar Surface Closeup Camera (ALSCC) and LM are visible also. Image taken at Tranquility Base during the Apollo 11 Mission. Original film magazine was labeled S. Film Type: Ektachrome EF SO168 color film on a 2.7-mil Estar polyester base taken with a 60mm lens. Sun angle is Medium. Tilt direction is North (N).”

Finally, per the ALSJ. Sort of out of context as a stand-alone description, it being part of a running ‘commentary’ of the sequence of photographs taken by Armstrong of Aldrin deploying the PSEP:

“…This picture gives us a good view of the split boulder that is between the two experiments. In the background, we can see the LM, the U.S. flag, and the TV camera. Note the footprints at the lower right. The astronaut who made them seems to have been moving from right to left. The rightmost footprint made with his left boot has a very deep toe imprint while the rightmost imprint made by his right boot is relatively flat and uniform. While bringing his left foot forward for the next step, he seems to have been dragging his heel, a clear indication that he was walking flat-foot, rather than hopping or running. The next left-boot toe print is deep while above it, we see that he was also scuffing his right heel along the surface. Note that the next prints made by both boots indicate that he turned to his right.”

At:

www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a11/images11.html

Possibly/probably the original (2/64) depiction of this landing scene by Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation (GAEC) artist Craig Kavafes. Note the circular hatch/possible forward docking port & lack of any means down to the surface, which may have still been a rope at this time…not really sure. Regardless, I think there still should’ve been a porch. So, maybe on oversight…on somebody’s part. We’ll never know.

An iconic image...in my world that is.

A stunning depiction of LEM ascent stage liftoff, from a 1965 Marquardt Corporation ad, by David Hawbecker. Marquardt was the manufacturer of the Reaction Control System (RCS) engines for both the LEM & Command/Service Module.

Only through the gracious assistance & skills/talent of Garrett O’Donoghue/”Numbers Station” am I able to post this image that’s otherwise GONE.

Nice to see Mr. Hawbecker’s RCS exhaust plumes evolved from the previous ’sputtery’ look, to be continuous, with shock diamonds no less.

The original source, featured on page 74 of the March 29, 1965 issue of “Missiles and Rockets” magazine, at:

archive.org/details/missilesrockets1619unse/page/74/mode/1up

Credit: Internet Archive website

Garrett is pulling some gems - from the near, distant and everything in-between - past, and making them available. Treat yourself to a veritable visual cornucopia:

www.flickr.com/photos/numbersstation/albums

And:

e05.code.blog/

Thank you Brother.

“Astronaut Edwin Buzz Aldrin Lunar Module Pilot at the (LLRF) Lunar Landing Research Facility. Aldrin was one of the third group of astronauts named by NASA in October 1963. On November 11, 1966, he and command pilot James Lovell were launched into space in the Gemini 12 spacecraft on a 4-day flight, which brought the Gemini program to a successful close. Aldrin established a new record for extravehicular activity (EVA), spending 5-1/2 hours outside the spacecraft. He served as lunar module pilot for Apollo 11, July 16-24, 1969, the first manned lunar landing mission. Aldrin followed Neil Armstrong onto the lunar surface on July 20, 1969, completing a 2-hour and 15-minute lunar EVA. In July 1971, Aldrin resigned from NASA. Aldrin has logged 289 hours and 53 minutes in space, of which, 7 hours and 52 minutes were spent in EVA.”

Above & image from/at:

images.nasa.gov/details-LRC-1969-B701_P-04540

Also:

“Nearly 25 years ago, on July 20,1969, Edwin Buzz Aldrin, shown here with NASA Langley Research Centers Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) Simulator, became one of the first humans to walk on the moon after practicing with the simulator in May of 1969. Training with the simulator, part of Langley’s Lunar Research Facility, allowed the Apollo astronauts to study and safely overcome problems that could have occurred during the final 150-foot descent to the surface of the moon. NASA needed such a facility in order to explore and develop techniques for landing the LEM on the moon’s surface, where the gravity is only one-sixth as strong as on Earth, as well as to determine the limits of human piloting capabilities in the new surroundings. This unique facility, completed in 1965 and now a National Historic Landmark, effectively canceled all but one-sixth of Earths gravitational force by using an overhead cable system.”

At/from:

archive.org/details/NIX-EL-1996-00217

Credit: Internet Archive website

And:

m.facebook.com/nasalarc/photos/a.2219152361464403/2219153...

Credit: NASA Langley Research Center/Facebook

From 1967. Note the different - and apparently earlier - design of the Lunar Excursion Module Simulator.

So then, were there two separate/different simulators, or one that was modified as time went on? And there would've been a back-up, right? Will we ever know? Does anyone even care? Rhetorical question.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1FGkj_73R0

Credit: Retro Space HD/YouTube

An excellent read regarding the LLRF:

launiusr.wordpress.com/2016/12/19/how-might-we-preserve-t...

Credit: Roger Launius’s Blog

“SPACE FLIGHT”

Delightfully simple & elegant. The humble title belies the obvious fact that this craft is returning from the moon - with people! At least some (two maybe/at least) of those circular features are portholes/windows. I’m assuming it’s part of a Direct Ascent configuration. And check out the cosmic rays/fireflies, meteoroids, fireworks, chaff…whatever they are…’heralding’ the achievement!

Sequentially and in format, the photo/plate number is commensurate with contemporaries of the time period. See linked photos below.

As usual, I know I’ve seen this image before, multiple times, probably within early NASA documents…somewhere, to include online…all of which currently elude me.

“The take-off from the moon is shown here. The preparations for such a take-off will require major advancements over today’s operational procedures. All the equipment for the take-off must be prepared, erected and checked out by the three men in the spacecraft.

The propulsion system used for this lunar take-off must be the most reliable component of the entire Apollo system. The time of take-off must be precisely planned and the guidance equipment must work perfectly to place the spacecraft on the proper trajectory for its return flight to earth.”

Other than the preponderance of ‘take-off’, a wonderful, nebulous (since the details probably still needed to be worked out), yet still informative read…really gratifying. Despite what looks to be a production/print-induced crease, an excellent rarity - in multiple ways.

“LEM MOCK-UP—A full scale mockup of the Apollo Lunar Excursion Module is shown at the Lunar Topographical Simulation Area. Astronauts and engineers will use the vehicle and area for simulations and training exercises.”

Above per the verso of one of the NM Museum of Space History photos linked to below.

I think the LEM was emplaced on the Lunar Topographical Simulation Area some time during 1965, and this certainly looks like early/initial photographic documentation after such.

Doesn’t that look like low-end plywood in the LEM window?

Apollo 11: “THE ORIGINAL” movie

At:

twitter.com/HumanoidHistory/status/1074777020314324992/ph...

Credit: Humanoid History/Twitter/Columbia Pictures

“General geography of the Descartes region. The ruggedness of the lunar highlands is shown very well in this sketch of the region by artist Jerry Elmore. Note the flat bottoms of the large craters. We are looking due east. The trajectory of the descending LM is shown as the heavy location of area of Figure 6 is indicated by the light dashed line.”

Yet another pathetic & minimal ‘effort’, incompetently copied from “ON THE MOON WITH APOLLO 16: A Guidebook to the Descartes Region”, NASA EP-95. Read/re-read the last sentence. Even the simple act of copying…correctly, apparently a bridge too far.

The caption from it, as originally written:

“FIGURE 7.-General geography of the Descartes region. The ruggedness of the lunar highlands is shown very well in this sketch of the region by artist Jerry Elmore. Note the flat bottoms of the large craters. We are looking due east. The trajectory of the descending LM is shown as the heavy dashed line. Location of area of Figure 6 is indicated by the light dashed line.”

Above at/from:

www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a16/A16OTM01-14.pdf

Credit: ALSJ website

Also:

history.nasa.gov/EP-95/p9.htm

Despite obviously being a ‘working’ copy of the image, the photograph has retained its high gloss. The taped area to the upper left, which may have been to affix something, as there’s no damage, will remain. It’s removal would also take with it the minor crater visible.

When presented ICW with Mr. Elmore’s other landing site depictions, as in the above cited publication, the image provides excellent context WRT the Descartes landing site. Oddly/Pleasantly surprisingly, to even include attribution to Mr. Elmore!

1964. Apollo Program. Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation (GAEC). Lunar Excursion Module (LEM). Powered Descent. Craig Kavafes.

Obviously, kept in a three-ring binder for an extending period of time.

STRIKING.

Unfortunately, the NASA photo processing geniuses cropped the orbiting CSM out of the print.

“BALTIMORE, April 19 [1962] -- MAN ON THE MOON -- This is an artist’s concept of the Surveyor spacecraft, a nuclear-powered automatic laboratory designed by the National Aeronautic[s] and Space Administration. The moon craft is scheduled for launching by the United States and landing on the moon to gather data for later manned landings. Hughes Aircraft Company will build the spacecraft, with the Martin Co. of Baltimore building the atomic power-pack (near center). The power-pack was designed by the Atomic Energy Commission.”

Huh…say what?

Who knew?

Did YOU??

I DIDN’T!!!

As if the above atomic 😉 bombshell (to me) wasn’t enough, the obscure concept is by the hand of yet another Martin Co. ‘mystery’ artist/illustrator…”OLIVARI”.

What a “Dream Team” of superior, yet nearly anonymous, talent: DiPietro/Gorsuch/Fahdt/Olivari!

Nothing on Mr./Ms. Olivari.

Although a little out of context without copy/pasting page upon page upon page, some excellent & informative background:

“Many of the original RTG team thought of the early years after Seaborg (Glenn Seaborg: AEC Chairman) came to the AEC as the “golden days” of the AEC— before the big and costly space systems and missions of NASA involved increasingly large numbers of people and organizations in the RTG program. From 1962 to 1965, the antinuclear movement was not yet vociferous, the future of nuclear power and its widespread uses looked promising, and the chairman of the AEC was a scientist who believed strongly in nuclear power and its wedding to space ventures. Moreover, Seaborg inspired loyalties and a sense of common purpose in the people of the AEC. Carpenter (Robert T. Carpenter: head of the isotope office of the SNAP Program) recalled that it was common to meet the top man in the halls at AEC’S Germantown building and to be greeted by name and asked questions about the program: “We had a personal relationship with Seaborg, and we also had a close arrangement with the Commissioners.” He added that problems on the Hill were few and that the program received support from both the AEC and the Congress, whose members pressed for a flight schedule on space nuclear propulsion, eager to see the SNAP-isotope technology get its chances to fly. In those years, according to Carpenter, the AEC allowed engineers to do everything from start to finish on their programs-at least on the small isotopic power program. The RTG group chose to have just a few hands holding all the reins. Carpenter recalled: “I prepared budget documents, defended them before Congress, ran my program and participated in the launches.”

Carpenter explained that few contractors were involved in the early days because the program was small and there wasn’t a great deal of money available for space-isotopic power development. He indicated that SNAP-3 was built on a purchase order from the Martin Company to the 3M Company for a very small amount Martin got involved in isotopic power, while others held back, because “they were into space in a big way and their programs were long range. A lot of other firms that got involved later came in when there was more money in the budgets. Like when we got going on Apollo.”

In the initial development period, the circle was limited, encompassing the small group at the AEC and small groups in other institutions the isotope power experimenters and developers at Martin-Baltimore and their subcontractors at 3M the fuel packagers at Monsanto’s Mound Laboratory and users

such as the Applied Physics Laboratory of Johns Hopkins University which developed the Transit navigational satellite system for the Navy. This team proceeded to develop the SNAP-9A with its increased power requirements for the operational Transit scheduled for flight in late 1962. At the same time, a series of SNAP-7 devices were under development at Martin for use by the Navy, Coast Guard, and Weather Bureau for navigation lights and weather stations on earth.

NASA began to enter into contracts with the AEC to study possible applications of isotopic SNAPS to future space missions. Even before Apollo, NASA recognized that there would be unusually severe power system requirements for lunar missions “due to the weight and space limitations of payload, the

14-day lunar nights, and the variety of the intended experiments.’” By the fall of 1961, NASA reconfirmed its requirements for an isotopic power unit for the Surveyor soft lunar landing mission and the AEC prepared to provide two SNAP devices—designated SNAP-11s—to NASA for missions scheduled to take place two years later. In mid-1962 NASA began preliminary discussions with the AEC on the possibility that an RTG could provide primary power requirements for one of a series of satellites called Interplanetary Monitoring Probes. Along with foreseen technical advantages, NASA hoped to use the

RTG to enhance its own “capability and experience in the use and application of nuclear devices.”

Reporting to the JCAE in September 1962 on space nuclear power applications, Commissioner Hayworth of the AEC stated “Nuclear power not only will enhance space exploration; its use, both for propulsion and for auxiliary power, is the key to extensive outer space exploration.” He reviewed the developments

and tests in the Rover program to develop nuclear rocket propulsion and admitted that there had been disappointments causing delays. Turning to the isotopic power side of the SNAP program, Hayworth reported with “considerable satisfaction” on program successes launchings in June and November of

the previous year of isotope power devices on Navy Transit navigational satellites. Looking to the future, he said, “We are continuing to work closely with DOD and NASA to satisfy their requirements for space SNAP devices, and... we have developed a plutonium 238 fueled 25-watt unit, SNAP-9-A, for

use in the Navy’s operational prototype Transit satellites.” Hayworth also spoke of the work with NASA on the development of the SNAP-11, a 25-watt curium-242 fueled thermoelectric generator planned for powering the Surveyor soft landing lander.

Thus, NASA readied itself for the time when it would become the major user of the isotope units and the small RTG group would open its membership to growing numbers of people and organizations.”

Above from/at:

fas.org/nuke/space/history.pdf

Credit: Federation of American Scientists website

Also:

“Because of the Centaur design changes, Surveyor also had to shed some mass. The new design called for a somewhat lighter 950-kilogram lander carrying only 52 kilograms of instruments. Advanced design work continued and several new options were added to the lander’s design, including the use of a Martin-Marietta SNAP-11 nuclear generator to supply Surveyor A with 18.6 watts of power for ninety days. While this was only a fraction of what was needed to operate Surveyor, this generator would supply minimal power during the long lunar night when the solar panels would be useless. By the end of 1962, plans called for seven Surveyor A landing missions starting in late 1964 and five Surveyor B orbiters with the first launch expected in 1965. Options for five or more additional landers were also being considered.”

Above from/at:

www.drewexmachina.com/2016/05/30/surveyor-1-americas-firs...

Credit: Andrew LePage/Drew ExMachina website

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systems_for_Nuclear_Auxiliary_Power

Credit: Wikipedia

The command module was the living quarters for the three-person Apollo 11 crew during most of the first manned lunar landing mission in July 1969.

#apollo11 #space #lunarlanding #nasa #kennedyspacecenter #astronaut #saturnV #rocket #thefinalfrontier #commandmodule

“Artist’s concept of lunar landing research vehicle under study for NASA.”

Above per the NASA-appropriated issuance of the photo. Not a whole lot of calories burned on that caption, eh?

A little ironic as well. What’s easily one of the more vivid, creative, almost surrealistic early artist’s concepts pertaining to the Apollo program - and that’s the best that the crack NASA photo braintrust professionals could muster??? Pertaining to one of the most exotic & complex training vehicles of the Apollo Program. WTF, over?

Counterintuitively, the artist's name appears to have been intentionally omitted/cropped,...from this original & official Bell Aerosystems photo, yet retained in the NASA version. WTF deux!

Maybe Carl was a little eccentric, a loose cannon, irreverent, possibly an asshole, and/or pissed off someone in management…and thus png’d.

Even it’s conspicuous omission from the following authoritative document. Befuddling:

www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/LLRV_Monograph.pdf

Credit: ALSJ website

See also:

e05.code.blog/2021/06/15/s-64-18126/

e05.code.blog/tag/llrv/

Both above credit: “numbers station” blog (Lots & lot & lots of wonderful images here…I highly advise you to look around further within.)

The source for the color version above:

www.afmc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1898049/hist...

Credit: Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) website

Also seen here, along with some other remarkable works:

www.popsci.com/story/space/nasa-art-illustrations/

Credit: Popular Science website

Last, but NOT LEAST:

Mr. Zoschke participated in the BATTLE OF THE BULGE!!!

I KNEW there was something more that I liked about him:

buffaloah.com/a/zos/hp.html

Credit: Buffalo Architecture and History website (which thankfully will remain online in perpetuity)!!!

If any of the above even mildly piqued your interest in either artist's concepts, space flight, Carl Zoschke, or any combination thereof, purchase the following book. Seriously:

"The Art of NASA: The Illustrations That Sold the Missions"

Written by Piers Bizony, with additional exhaustive, conscientious, thorough, earnest & impeccable research by Mike Acs.

Wait, if you've got $35 to spare, you really need to put it towards supporting a local NON-KILL shelter or some other organization that's committed to helping, saving/rescuing animals. SERIOUSLY.

Finally, the "T. L. Branigan" referenced on the verso was, during this time, the editor of the "TRW Space Log", a monthly publication put out by the company to highlight their accomplishments, efforts, etc. In his capacity, Thomas L. Branigan worked out of the Kennedy Space Center.

Finally, additional good LLRV reading:

thehighfrontier.blog/2016/11/13/less-than-gravity-the-lun...

Credit: Chris B. Petty/"The High Frontier" blog website

NASA artist's concept of a lunar lander (fourth stage) rotating into landing orientation as it approaches the moon. The jettisoned third stage is visible near the bottom. The image was part of a presentation entitled “A Rocket for Manned Lunar Exploration”, given by Milton W. Rosen and Francis C. Schwenk at the Tenth Congress of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), London, 31 August 1959.

The abstract:

"One of the significant human accomplishments of the next decade will be the manned exploration of the moon. Previously, the uncharted regions of the earth, the Arctic and Antarctic, the Amazon and Himalayas challenged the skill and fortitude of explorers. But these regions cannot long retain their status—the new frontier lies beyond the confines of our planet—on the nearest sizeable aggregation of matter in space—the moon.

Significantly, man’s exploration has been paced by his technical progress. The discovery of America was made possible by ships and sails of sufficient size and by advances, however crude, in the art of navigation. Oxygen masks made possible the conquest of Everest, and rockets—the exploration of the upper atmosphere.

The exploration of the moon is within view today. If it may be assumed that Project Mercury in the U.S.A. and similar efforts by the U.S.S.R. will establish that man can exist for limited periods of time in space, then a trip to the moon requires mainly the design, construction and proving of a large rocket vehicle.

In one concept of a manned lunar vehicle the entire mission, the trip to the moon and the return, is staged on the earth’s surface. A highly competitive technique, one favored by many engineers, is to stage the lunar mission by refueling in a low earth orbit. This would permit the use of a smaller launching vehicle but would require development of orbital rendezvous techniques. In any case, a vehicle of the larger type will be needed for lunar as well as other exploratory missions.

This paper presents a parametric study of vehicle scale for the direct flight manned lunar mission. The main parameter is the take-off thrust which is influenced by many factors; principally the propellants in the several stages and the flight trajectory. A close choice exists in the second stage where conventional and high energy propellants are compared. The size of the final stage and hence the entire vehicle is governed mainly by the method of approach to the earth’s surface, whether it is elliptic, parabolic or hyperbolic. The various methods are applied to an illustrative vehicle configuration.

Reliability will be a major factor in the success of any manned lunar flight. While no formula is proposed for improving component reliability, certain operational procedures can be used to advantage in enhancing the probability of a successful round trip to the moon."

The M. W. Rosen is none other than Milton “Milt” Rosen, of Viking sounding rocket ‘fame’, the real deal. Confirmation:

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_Rosen

Credit: Wikipedia website

Francis C. Schwenk, possibly/probably originally of the Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory/Lewis Research Center (btw, Cleveland Rocks) appears to have been a prolific researcher & valued asset to NACA/NASA. He even worked on the Satellite Power System concept, as late as 1980! Super smart, motivated, with longevity; traits you want in a rocket scientist. Also the real deal.

So, as part of a NASA presentation, I assume this to be an in-house NASA work, which of course substantially reduces the chance of artist identification, especially for something from 1959. Damn.

See:

www.alternatewars.com/SpaceRace/SP-4205/Chapter_01.htm

www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4205/ch1-2.html

Yet again, as is all too often the case, a superior & far more informative read - at a non-NASA site:

www.wired.com/2014/01/rosen-schwenks-moon-rocket-1959/amp

Credit: WIRED website

An unexpected & welcomed surprise. Although not an artist’s identification, a small win nonetheless, filling in at least a few additional pieces of a historical puzzle that no one gives a rat’s ass about...anymore. Despite such, I’m still pleased:

link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-662-39914-9

Specifically:

link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-662-39914-9_27

Credit: Springer Nature Switzerland AG/Springer Link website

Last, but NOT least, the following obscure website appears to have the entire presentation available to view, which includes the artist's concepts. Bravo!:

dokumen.tips/reader/f/a-rocket-for-manned-lunar

Credit: Indonesia DOKUMEN website

BUT, this presentation should ALSO reside & be readily available at some NASA or otherwise ‘official’ site, for free, with no log-in, no 'mother-may-I' access BS required. Sort of what the NTRS once was - but ISN’T anymore.

So, to make sure I’ve got this straight: something about going to the moon, humans that is, so, a pretty ballsy proposal, put out to the scientific world in 1959, WITH illustrations = pretty historic, at least in the “space world”, AND it seems to ONLY be available on an Indonesian document sharing site.

Although I’m grateful, you’re f**king kidding me, REALLY???

1965. Apollo Program. Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation (GAEC). Lunar Excursion Module (LEM). Powered Descent. Craig Kavafes.

Striking, and to me, iconic.

Fortunately, in this instance, the NASA photo processing person, section, department…whatever he/they were called, ‘framed’ the image so as to retain the CSM in the upper left corner. Yay!

This being the 1965 update/revision, the background has understandably remained the same, albeit with the “2/64” date of the original(?) rendition (linked below) painted over by Mr. Kavafes.

Note also the ‘doubled’ ladder, it being hinged at the bottom & folded up. It’s seen deployed in photo no. 651091, despite it appearing to have been totally unnecessary.

I love it, but I don’t get it.

A striking & surrealistic visual feast by Carl Zoschke, Bell Aerosystems’ amazing resident artist. Circa possibly 1961/62. Note the two smaller, canted, descent engines (firing), adjacent to the primary? engine of the Lunar Excursion Module. I’ve never seen that before.

I’m a little surprised this isn’t already somewhere on this image hosting 'service'. If it is, I haven’t found it, even using what I think are logical key word searches. If not, it’s about time then.

From/at:

www.afmc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1898049/hist...

Credit: Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) website

Also seen here, along with some other remarkable works:

www.popsci.com/story/space/nasa-art-illustrations/

Credit: Popular Science website

A fantastic book, btw. Written by a superior, acknowledged & respected author. I can also vouch for the guy that provided additional research.

“APOLLO 16 CAMERA/SPECTROGRAPH ON MOON-----An artist’s concept showing Astronaut John W. Young (on right), commander adjusting the Lunar Surface Ultraviolet Camera/Spectrograph during extravehicular activity at the Moon’s Descartes landing site. The figure in the left background represents Astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot. The camera/spectrograph (S-201 Experiment) is deployed in the shadow of the Lunar Module. The camera/spectrograph will be pointed several times during each Apollo 16 lunar surface EVA. The experiment is built by the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D. C. The three-inch electronographic camera is designed to photograph invisible ultraviolet light form the Earth and its geocorona, from stars, nebulae and remote galaxies. Film from the camera/spectrograph will be removed after the final EVA and carried back to Earth for processing and measurement at the Manned Spacecraft Center. The scientific investigators, Dr.George Carruthers and Dr. Thornton Page, hope to find new clouds of hydrogen and other gases, some of them in remote regions of the universe. (This art work is be Craig Kavafes of the Grumman Aerospace Corporation.)”

And/or the Grumman Aerospace Corporation caption/description:

“APOLLO 16 AT DESCARTES: Apollo 16 mission commander, astronaut John Young, adjusts the Far Ultraviolet Camera/Spectrometer that he and astronaut Charles Duke have deployed in the shadow of the lunar module at the Descartes lunar landing site. The two, having set up the telescope-camera on a tripod, will point it several times during each lunar surface exploration period. They will remove its film and return it to Earth after the last Extra-vehicular Activity (EVA). Artist rendering by Craig Kavafes, Grumman Aerospace Corporation. Color transparency available upon request.”

“LEM LUNAR LIFT-OFF”

A wonderful ca. 1966/67 artist’s concept I’ve never seen, by an artist – R. Ward (I think) – I’ve never heard of.

It looks like a LEM M-3/M-5 transitional/“hybrid” to me, with the distinctive curved/rounded (with some faceted) exterior panels, but with a squared forward egress/ingress hatch. Note also the jagged lunar surface features, common in earlier artist’s concepts. So, it’s possible, as was the case with other LEM/LM artist’s concepts, that this is a subsequent variation in which only the forward hatch was updated. The RCS engines are firing as well, I think also indicative of an earlier ‘base’ rendering.

Finally...oddly…the ascent stage appears to be left-to-right reversed, confirmed by the S-Band Steerable Antenna being on the wrong side. However, the signature is readable, so the image itself is correctly oriented. Hmm. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Maybe THE Mr. Ward? If so, another WIN:

www.hydepark.thomasfuneralhomes.com/obituary/Robert-Ward

Credit: Carroll-Thomas Funeral Home website

“MOON TRAINER MISSION -- This diagram shows how a simulated moon landing could be conducted above the earth’s atmosphere. The concept was described today (June 16) in Los Angeles at the summer meeting of the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences by Norman V. Petersen, astronautical scientist in the Norair Division of Northrop Corporation. Manned trainer capsule is boosted aloft by a rocket, turns over to face backward, then releases a braking blast to slow itself into an earthward turn. The rocket brakes the capsule to a full stop in simulation of a moon landing. The capsule then re-enters the earth’s atmosphere and completes the descent by parachute. A ground-based station beams a motion picture of moon terrain, coupled with the capsule’s guidance system to give the pilot an actual impression of steering his vehicle to a moon landing.”

Incorporated into, and featured ‘story’ of a Norair/Northrop ad in the 2 October 1959 issue of SCIENCE magazine, at:

science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/130/3379/local/front-m...

Credit: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)/Science Magazine online website

Who knew?

Did you?!

I didn't!!!

“Apollo 11 Astronauts, left-to-right, Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., Neil A. Armstrong and Michael Collins, pose in front of full-scale lunar module mock-up similar to the spacecraft that will be carried on their flight to the Moon later this year. While Astronaut Collins pilots the command module in lunar orbit, Aldrin and Armstrong are to descend in the lunar module, perform their lunar surface mission and return to the orbiting command module. The trio will be launched by an Apollo/Saturn V space vehicle from the Kennedy Space Center.”

The caption associated with a similar photograph (linked to below), and obviously from the same ‘photo op’:

“This portrait of the prime crew of the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission was taken the day after NASA announced the crew assignment. Left to right are Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot; Neil A. Armstrong, commander; and Michael Collins, command module pilot. They were photographed in front of a lunar module mockup beside Building 1 at what is now Johnson Space Center following a press conference at the Center to introduce the crew.

Image Number: S69-16681

Date: January 10, 1969”

Consensus in all photos of this event is that it/they was/were taken the day after the announcement of the Apollo 11 crew. Yet not a mention of such in the caption of the posted photograph, just the usual generic pablum…along with a release date of February 28, 1969. Huh & WTF?

See/read also:

www.nasa.gov/feature/50-years-ago-nasa-names-apollo-11-crew

Per Mike Collins: “Amiable Strangers”

His subtle wit, humor & brilliance embodied in the simple, elegant & accurate observation:

www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/amiable-strange...

Credit: Smithsonian Air & Space Magazine website

Finally, the building the LM is in front of; Building 1, the Auditorium and External Relations Office Building. It even has pictures of the LM being prepared for erection AND against the odds, confirms/correctly identifies its history:

roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/roundup/1959

“First stage transposition docking”

Hmm…’first stage’ & ‘transposition docking’. Obviously, yet another bumbling, clueless & erroneous NASA caption.

The caption from a black & white version of this photo, likely written by an NAA employee. While better, even it only addresses what’s transpiring at the moment, not the process/maneuver. It makes it sound like “buh-bye LEM”. And there’s the ‘services’ thing. Dang:

“After the third stage engine burns for the second time the Apollo vehicle is on its lunar trajectory. The adapter surrounding the LEM (Lunar Excursion Module) is separated. Next the command and services modules separate leaving the LEM attached to the third stage.”

More precisely, this depicts commencement of transposition and docking maneuvers.

Looking at the close tolerances, how is the LEM going to be extracted without possibly shearing off the RCS thrusters? The fit looks REALLY tight. In all seriousness, this must've been a rendering error, no?

No matter, the bottom line is that it's by the supremely talented Gary Meyer.

At first glance this looks to be an excellent perspective view of transposition & docking, complete with jettisoned SLA panels drifting off, by North American Aviation (NAA), responsible for many Apollo artist’s concepts during this (1963) time frame. The depiction very possibly by the phenomenally talented Gary Meyer.

Although dated 1963, the photo depicts an early LEM design of NASA origin, which predates even the initial GAEC concept. Note the cylindrical descent stage, wide stance landing gear, and although not visible, a probable conical ascent stage.

Since when is this CSM/LEM configuration/positioning normal? Especially AFTER the S-IVB stage has been jettisoned. And what is that conduit-like thing coming out from the Service Module, running along its length, apparently to/into the LEM?

Well I’ll be damned, commencing at the 1:52 mark:

youtu.be/Qx2eXSCWJgE

Credit: The Space Archive/YouTube

youtu.be/GbNwBmRfTAw

Credit: Retro Space HD/YouTube

Who knew?! Did you!? I didn’t!

In color:

archive.org/details/S63-00048

Credit: Internet Archive website

“ASTRONAUTS EMBARK ON LUNAR EXPLORATION”

The fifth of five gorgeous renderings of Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) deployment by Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation (GAEC)/Grumman Aerospace Corporation (GAC) master artist Craig Kavafes.

Also:

www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/alsj-LRVDeployGrumman.html

Specifically:

www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/S71-38190HR.jpg

Both above credit: ALSJ website

I love the ALSJ; however, although it's not my place, I take issue with the poor choice (IMHO) of the term…”cartoons” and the “sigh” remark. “Sigh”, “UGH” and a host of other vulgar & disparaging sounds befit most NASA attempts at any ‘attempt/effort’ regarding image preservation, description, presentation, cataloging, etc., etc., etc. Not the fact that this doesn't represent actual candidate landing site topography.

I’m okay with a little dramatic terrain. I’m also thankful they have it & shared it!

“One of the scientific experiments aboard Apollo 12 is a lunar surface magnetometer, built for NASA by Philco-Ford Corporation, and designed to send magnetic measurements back to Earth for a year. Artist’s rendering shows astronaut setting up the instrument on lunar surface. Magnetometer will help determine deep electrical properties of the moon and calculate how the solar wind or plasma stream above the moon reacts with the moon’s surface.”

Huh, Philco-Ford Corporation built the LSM? Who knew? I didn’t! Did you?

Although I've seen this multiple times over the years, I had no idea that it was a contractor-produced depiction.

Not a complaint, but somehow, the LSM & astronaut look like ‘paintified’ photographs to me.

As a November 1969 release, I find it a little odd to see a crude approximation of a circa 1964 Lunar Module. Furthermore, although too far in the weeds, the space suit looks more like that worn by Rusty Schweickart on Apollo 9 than that actually worn on the moon.

I suppose all of that’s secondary to the purpose of this artwork. As such, the most accurately portrayed item is the LSM.

Not a clue as to the artist.

Informative LSM reading:

nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/experiment/display.action?id=1969...

Credit: NSSDCA website

“APOLLO 11 LM ON MOON -- A Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation artist’s [Craig Kavafes] concept depicting mankind’s first walk on another celestial body. Here, Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, Apollo 11 commander, is making his first step onto the surface of the moon. Armstrong has just egressed Lunar Module 5. Still inside the LM is Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot. Astronaut Michael Collins, command module pilot, remains with the Command and Service Modules in lunar orbit. In the background is the Earth, some 240,000 miles away.”

Note that the RCS plume deflectors are included in this beautiful depiction. However, an RCS Quad 3 nozzle (specifically, A3R), seems to be missing. I probably should overlook it, seeing how it otherwise is fantastic, as was the norm for Mr. Kavafes!

As a child, this is the only thing I knew this image from:

www.discogs.com/No-Artist-We-Came-In-Peace-For-All-Mankin...

Credit: Discogs website

science.ksc.nasa.gov/mirrors/images/images/pao/AS11/10075...

I still have my album. If my contemporary, do you?

In addition to the LP, countless mass media/press publications, and who knows what else, it was also used in an Apollo 11 30th anniversary commemorative coin presentation:

www.coincommunity.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=97299

Credit: Coin Community Forum website

A well done 'diorama' of a 1962 Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) model on a simulated lunar surface, right around the time that Lunar Orbit Rendezvous (LOR) was formally announced by NASA as the method by which Astronauts would reach the moon. The design, which I believe was internal to NASA, pre-dated Grumman being awarded the LEM contract.

For whatever it's worth, per very knowledgeable user "Skybolt" at the Secret Projects website/forum:

"This [is] the final internal NASA LEM concept for the July 24th 1962 Lunar Excursion Module Statement of Work”, at:

www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/other-apollo-projects-wh...

Also...excellent, as always. In this case, the February 13 & 23 posts:

www.aerospaceprojectsreview.com/blog/?m=201302

Credit: Aerospace Projects Review website

What appears to be the model used (from that time):

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Francis_Shea#/media/File:Jos...

Credit: Wikipedia

thumbs-prod.si-cdn.com/kmnsRNJtrvNN5c96VXuVhdSiMEk=/fit-i...

Credit: Air & Space Magazine online website

i.pinimg.com/736x/86/a1/cc/86a1cc02da972a38dd406dc904a0db...

i.pinimg.com/originals/83/af/38/83af385225c98a84be5ca75e8...

i.pinimg.com/originals/0b/89/77/0b89779cff08a858a57c78b43...

i.pinimg.com/736x/9d/0a/98/9d0a98c89e4ca8ce59e1a8e0852028...

Credit: All above credit Pinterest/Haley P

Then there's this! With the following associated narrative:

"Illustrated diagram of the surface navigation operation performed by an Apollo astronaut on the lunar surface. By sighting a star through the Alignment Optical Telescope (AOT) and receiving radar signals from the Command Service Module (CSM) as reference points, orientation of the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) could be determined. Image courtesy: Draper"

Who knew?!?!?!

wehackthemoon.com/sites/default/files/styles/hero_extra_l...

Credit: HACK THE MOON/Draper (formerly of M.I.T.) website - (an absolute MUST to check out).

It pisses me off to no end coming across this in the possession of these greedy f**ksticks:

www.alamy.com/stock-photo-an-early-prototype-lunar-module...

"Credit": Alamy website

Happy 40th anniversary to the first human step on the Moon!

"That's one small step for a Stormtrooper, one giant leap for the Galactic Empire."

Listen, there's even a soundtrack for this shot !

Check out this other Apollo 11 Tribute shot featuring Star Wars toys from the Year of the Fett series by Gareth.

Stormtroopers 365 > Day 110/365

> Hi-quality, very limited series prints of this picture available via French art gallery ChipChop.

[Subscribe]

[Stormtroopers 365 prints]

NASA artist's concept of second stage separation/third stage ignition during the nighttime launch of a Nova launch vehicle on a “Lunar Return Mission”, aka “Lunar Landing”. This stunning work was part of a presentation/paper entitled “A Rocket for Manned Lunar Exploration”, given by Milton W. Rosen and Francis C. Schwenk at the Tenth International Astronautical (Federation?) Congress in London, 31 August 1959.

~6.75” x 8”. The photograph having been trimmed from its original 8” x 10”, thus removing the silhouetted image of the Nova rocket that was to the left, with the active stage highlighted. That, and the obvious ~2” tear at the top, which at least lays flat. Damn…it. But hey, it’s rare & it survived.

The depiction is so ‘contemporary’ looking it’s hard to believe it’s from 1959! Kudos to the talented & likely forever anonymous NASA artist.

“SPACESHIPS FOR 12 MAN EXPEDITION ON MOON. “Umbrella” on suit protects wearer from solar radiation.”

“After Apollo – Exploring the Moon

After the Apollo spacecraft lands its three-man crew on the moon and brings them back safely, what’s the next step in lunar exploration?

A 12-man expedition to make a 500-mile research trip across the surface of the moon is proposed by Allyn B. Hazard, an engineer at Aerojet’s subsidiary, Space-General Corporation.

It could be done in this decade, he says.

The spacemen would travel to the moon in four rockets – three round-trip passenger vehicles, the other a one-way cargo ship with 30,000 pounds of supplies to support the men and their scientific studies.

Each of the astronauts would be a highly trained scientist or technologist in some particular field; some would be experts in several areas. On the moon, only four of them would make the trans-lunar journey, while the others remained at the rockets’ landing site to conduct research.

The four explorers would wear special tub-like spacesuits in which they would have to live and work, eat and sleep, for the entire trip. They couldn’t get out of the suits because of the airlessness and super-cold of the moon.

That’s the reason for the suit’s peculiar shape – the wearer can slip his arms out of the sleeves to eat, adjust controls, make notes, or even to scratch his nose.

Umbilical connections would link each suit to a tractor-like “moon mobile” carrying the oxygen and life support system for two men. These would carry their passengers across the lunar landscape at five miles an hour. A 500 mile journey (for instance, from Crater Gruithuisen to Crater Aristarchus and back) would take 10 earth days. It would be made during the 330-hour lunar night, to avoid exposing the men to the sun’s radiation.”

~7.5" x 10". The right edge has been trimmed, neatly at least.

All of the above is from the 1962 edition of “AEROJET-GENERAL SPACELINES AND ROCKET REVIEW”. Conscientiously made possible/available by Mr. John Sisson, at his absolutely WONDERFUL “Dreams of Space - Books and Ephemera” blogspot:

dreamsofspace.blogspot.com/2013/06/after-apollo-exploring...

Specifically, the image (from the publication):

4.bp.blogspot.com/-KLRDvgofaB8/UcCnLPZbQPI/AAAAAAAAFUI/bQ...

With a fantastic breakout of crew assignments, equipment, vehicle specifics, etc:

2.bp.blogspot.com/-w7dS479A2no/UcCna3BiNMI/AAAAAAAAFU4/VY...

The amazingly detailed work is rich in details I’ve never seen before. Makes me wonder how big the original painting must have been. And if it still exists. Most importantly & most disappointingly, by whose hand…as I expect we’ll never know.

Nice touch of the foreground (non-return cargo carrier) vehicle’s oppositely canted left-side footpads, both partially resting on lunar boulders, demonstrating their brilliant hinged design. Speaking of boulders, one of the three round trip passenger carriers (in the the near background) narrowly missed, and is partially straddling one much larger. One of the hazards of landing tail-first.

Allyn Hazard. Like Clarence when seeing the image of George Bailey the first time, from “It’s a Wonderful Life”:

“It’s a good face. I like it.”:

siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_arc_393495

Credit: Smithsonian Institution Archives website

Continue to Rest In Peace Good Sir:

www.findagrave.com/memorial/87516589/allyn-b-hazard

Credit: “Find a Grave” website

“A method of providing lunar explorers with “survival shelters” has recently been published by the Douglas Aircraft Company. Robot vehicles remotely controlled from Earth would be used to emplace the shelters. Drawing shows hover and landing rockets lowering the lunar housing unit toward a horizontal touch-down on the Moon.”

Upon landing, the nosecone of the shelter would open, allowing a remotely-controlled robot tractor, towing a nuclear power source, to emerge. The tractor would then proceed to cover the shelter, in ‘snow-blower’ fashion, with “lunar soil” to provide protection against meteoroids, radiation and temperature extremes. Again, the operation is envisaged as being controlled from Earth and monitored through television and telemetry.

The above is primarily a copy/paste, with minor paraphrasing of the content of a 1963 Douglas Aircraft Company article/press release, at the outstanding Aerospace Projects Review Blog, along with additional images & commentary, at:

www.aerospaceprojectsreview.com/blog/?p=1782

Finally, a group ‘photo’, with a large unidentified lunar lander to the left. Possibly for the delivery of additional cargo/supplies? And to the right, a Lunar Excursion Module (LEM), with the tractor dutifully continuing to cover the shelter. Unfortunately, the resolution of the ad doesn’t permit reading of the text, although my simpleton observations would seem to be at least indirectly supported by the ad’s title:

file.vintageadbrowser.com/0e6fgu4mv25qle.jpg

Credit: “VINTAGE AD BROWSER” website, which btw is wonderfully entertaining to look through.

More wonderful artwork by Ron Simpson!

“LONG ISLAND LUNAR LANDING--An astronaut plants an American flag on the moon near his space landing capsule in this still photo taken from a simulation made by CBS-TV at the Grumman plant on Long Island. The space landing mock-up is to be used in connection with the television network’s coverage of the moon shot this Wednesday.”

Thanks to Drew Granston’s posting of a related image (linked below), possibly from the same “photo opportunity”, bearing the following caption…

“Thomas Sylvester, of ILC Industries, of Dover, Del., manufacturers of the suits which will be worn by Apollo astronauts, climbs down a full-scale model of the Lunar Module here 7/9 during a simulated lunar landing mission. The event was being filmed by CBS Television in a simulation of astronaut Neil Armstrong’s historic first step on the lunar surface scheduled for early 7/21.”

…I think this is also Thomas Sylvester, I believe confirmed by the fidelity/realism of the A7L suit in both images…it looks like it would’ve been manufactured by ILC. The suits worn in the televised simulations looked like something available at Kmart leading up to Halloween.

Wonderful. I’m sure it’s the same LM:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJv5_y2l5as

Credit: Jason Kottke/YouTube

Shorter, but of higher quality:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDAunP8T5C0

Credit: CBS News/YouTube

Further, a wonderful combination/transition from simulation (in preparation for/during initial egress) during the Apollo 11 mission. As a bonus, the gentleman inside the LM, on the left, speaking to Walter Cronkite, is American Hero Scott MacLeod:

www.collectspace.com/news/news-081621a-scott-macleod-test...

Credit: Robert Yowell/collectSPACE website

Excellent & informative reading as always, with additional reference to Mr. MacLeod:

www.collectspace.com/ubb/Forum29/HTML/001456.html

Damn. The "Greatest Generation" indeed:

www.gandt.com/blog/2021/7/10/the-high-flying-life-of-scot...

Credit: Robert Gandt

AND…dang…a lot of stuff I had no idea about, with reference to Thomas Sylvester:

www.collectspace.com/ubb/Forum14/HTML/001640.html

Both above credit: collectSPACE website

Speaking of Thomas Sylvester, another American Hero. THIRTY SIX years of service:

www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/newszapde/name/thomas-sylves...

Credit: “Legacy” website

Finally, per one of the above collectSPACE discussions, Mr. Sylvester is seen donning the A7L suit at the 3:19 mark. Makes me want to watch all of this/these:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BlVRLTuCfU

Credit: US National Archives

“Their 18-hours on the moon completed, two astronauts blast off from the lunar surface aboard their lunar module. They will rendezvous with a third astronaut in a mother ship orbiting the moon, and the three will make the return trip to Earth.

Credit: Bell Aerosystems Company”

Although the press release is dated 1966, I believe the photo itself to be from 1964/65.

By supremely talented Bell Aerosystems artist/technical illustrator Carl Zoschke. Sadly, despite his long tenure with the company - to include during there heyday - I know of only a handful of works by the man, all stunning. Incredibly disappointing.

“All of the instrumented Surveyor spacecraft which have landed on the Moon have been controlled in the final minutes before touch-down by Ryan landing radars. Ryan’s Doppler radar equipment provides the necessary velocity and altitude data to accomplish the “soft” landing.”

~8.5” x 11”. Printed on a lightweight, satin-like, lightly textured ‘presentation’ paper.

Plate number 5 of a Ryan Aeronautical / CMC (Continental Motors Corporation), Wisconsin Motor Corporation presentation portfolio. A really unique and dynamic pen/watercolor (I think) work by Robert C. Kinyon.

An unexpected “WIN” due to finding him at “THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE COLLECTION”. At:

www.afapo.hq.af.mil/Public/Presentation/Artists/artistsde...

I’ve actually pulled a few other folks from here. Kudos!

“…The component[s] of a complete sampling-and-return vehicle are numerous and complex. To begin, the lunar vehicle must be similar to the Surveyor which will touch down with a moderate speed. It will carry a collection sphere containing a drill to sample the lunar surface. It must possess a position-location communications system and provisions for lunar-launch support.

When the vehicle similar to the Surveyor lands on the moon, a ramp will extend from the Surveyor and the collection sphere will roll down the incline to get away from the parent vehicle onto the lunar surface without damage to its components. Once free of the mother vehicle, the sphere can be erected to a vertical attitude by means of a plumb-bob, after which legs will be extended to lift the sphere off the surface.

Then a high-speed, small-bore drill will collect material while a small, low-speed material conveyor will collect dust. The high-speed drill can reach a depth of one foot and can cope with material of considerable hardness…”

Who knew?! Did you? I didn't! And as if that wasn’t enough - it’s by John Gorsuch!

It seemed only fitting that I should create my very own Galactic Dreams galaxy cake. This cake is 4 layers of moist yummy cake; two layers of deep space chocolate and two layers of colorful nebula vanilla. I painted this cake with my fingers and the stars were painted on with a (new-clean) toothbrush.

The entire galaxy cake is edible, being covered in black fondant and painted with edible food coloring. The cake has a moon-scape scene piped on with rich dark chocolate buttercream frosting.

Photographs are © Copyright Galactic Dreams (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on blogs, websites, or in other media without advance written permission from Galactic Dreams.

“Full scale mock up of the lunar module used at the Manned Spacecraft Center for equipment test. Jack D. Mays, test subject from Crew Systems Division, MSC, stands on top of the LM with hand-held television camera during test with the camera. He wears thermal over garment, a protective suit, over the International Latex Corporation’s space suit.”

Mr. Mays was basically the non-Astronaut 'face' of the Apollo program's outdoor terrestrial/Terran Extravehicular Activity, testing, assessing/evaluating, etc. lunar space suit designs/configurations & associated lunar surface tasks, during their development.

www.collectspace.com/ubb/Forum38/HTML/002223.html

Credit: collectSPACE website

historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov/JSCHistoryPortal/history/o...

Note the developmental/precursor “Snoopy Cap” worn by Mr. Mays.

Note also the rendezvous radar antenna. Both it’s interesting rotational/gimbaling capacity, and the fact that it’s pointing off to the side. To my knowledge, the final configuration only slewed up & down.

Maybe it was installed incorrectly? 😉

See also:

archive.org/details/S65-11363

archive.org/details/S66-45461

Credit: Internet Archive website