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mackinspace.bsky.social
Artist, aerospace nerd, software engineer
41 posts 303 followers 38 following
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Sadly, Dyna-Soar and MOL could have never met in orbit: X-20 was canceled the same day the MOL program began. I still think of them as siblings though

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

For an early crewed lunar flyby, a follow-on to Gemini-Agena was proposed where a modified Gemini would dock to a pair of Transtages, which would boost it to TLI

submitted 6 days ago • 0 comments

triangle

submitted 8 days ago • 0 comments

An operational derivative of the X-20 docked to a wet workshop built around an S-IV stage Not much published on the station, but likely served a similar role to MOL

submitted 10 days ago • 0 comments

By request, Orion docked directly to Blue Moon. This would be a possible scenario either if Gateway is canceled, or in event of a failure on the lander requiring Orion to retrieve the crew Any other missions/vehicles people want to see?

submitted 21 days ago • 0 comments

Size comparison of the FLO piloted lander vs Altair, Blue Moon, and (outdated model) Starship HLS. Its not outrageously huge overall, but it is a much taller ladder than I'd want to climb down

submitted 26 days ago • 0 comments

Following separation from the J-2S-powered second stage, Comet's nuclear-thermal third stage jettisons its aerodynamic insulation panels (similar to early Centaurs prior to Atlas II) and begins a coast phase prior to translunar injection

submitted 31 days ago • 2 comments

"The former USSR has a cheap booster for heavy-lift rockets" "We'll take your whole stock" One of the launch vehicle options for First Lunar Outpost was the Saturn V-derived base option but with up to 8 Energia strapon boosters

submitted 33 days ago • 1 comment

The First Lunar Outpost HLLV second stage compared to SLS's core stage. 2/3 as much propellant mass (its shorter, but wider and has a common bulkhead)

submitted 34 days ago • 0 comments

Beginning on the launch vehicle for First Lunar Outpost, starting with the NTR version of the Earth departure stage There's a *lot* of variants of the FLO HLV, with NLS/ALS/Shuttle/Saturn/Energia-derived options. Any in particular you want to see?

submitted 36 days ago • 1 comment

Busy with commissions this week, so reposting the fat Apollo just to remind people of its existence This is from a 1966 study on a crewed flyby of Eros using Apollo, Saturn, and MORL hardware. Possibly the worst human spaceflight proposal in history

submitted 38 days ago • 3 comments

Another shot of the First Lunar Outpost piloted lander, on course for the moon

submitted 50 days ago • 3 comments

The First Lunar Outpost piloted lander on descent. The surface habitat and other assets are visible, a few hundred meters away from this mission's landing zone

submitted 51 days ago • 0 comments

Having had its layer of foam insulation stripped, and certain structures and systems scavenged in LEO for other purposes, what's left of a Shuttle External Tank is boosted to GEO by a TRW laser-thermal orbital transfer vehicle, to be melted down into material for a solar platform

submitted 69 days ago • 0 comments

The Titan Liquid Boost Module continues to fire for a minute and a half after SRB separation. After burning to depletion, it will separate from the External Tank and be disposed of into the Pacific

submitted 137 days ago • 4 comments

Saturn-Shuttle I used the as-flown Orbiter, and a tank similar to what was flown, instead of the actual concepts from when Saturn-Shuttle was proposed, I figure the design of those parts would've trended in that direction anyway

submitted 155 days ago • 1 comment

[intro post] I'm Mack Crawford, a 3d artist bringing the past, present, and future of spaceflight to life. I hope my work inspires someone out there

submitted 156 days ago • 2 comments