I've had a post about the Space Transportation System/Integrated Program Plan and the Apollo future we were denied saved in my drafts for a long time. Every time I would do research or start writing, I'd get sidetracked and start writing about another thing I wanted to talk about. At this rate I'll never finish it so I'm just going to dump a bunch of links about my favorite lost space futures instead with a small blurb. Paul Drye's
False Steps and David Portree's
No Shortage of Dreams blogs (and later semi-paywalled Wired column) are the most accessible sources for a lot of cancelled projects and proposals.
IPP/STS
A complete infrastructure for manned and unmanned spaceflight from low Earth orbit to Mars. Brainchild of NASA administrator Thomas Paine. Reusability at every leg of the trip from Earth to the Moon: Nuclear spacecraft, modular space tugs, manned stations, orbital propellant depots, fully reusable shuttles. Tantalizingly close to being real - most of the core components were real or created for the program (Saturn V and its derivatives, NERVA, Space Shuttle) before being shut down for budgetary reasons. Only the Shuttle remained, devoid of the purpose it was created for, and the mission name of STS.
False Steps' 4-part series:
[1] [2] [3] [4]
Think Big: A 1970 Flight Schedule for NASA's 1969 Integrated Program Plan
[Image:
https://i.imgur.com/ZTYkXeN.jpg]
Space Shuttle evolution
The Shuttle program is rightfully criticized for its slow development, higher-than-estimated launch cost, and poor safety record. However, engineers were devising
a number of modifications or special projects that, had they come to fruition, may have created a far better vehicle.
Other things I want to mention later:
- Lenticular Apollo: NASA's Flying Saucer
- Grumman's Ambitious Spider: Apollo LM variations
- SEI: FLO, ILREC
- Lunar Oasis
- Project Constellation
- How the VentureStar can still win
- Visions of #BigelowWorld
- DIRECT rejects: Shuttle-C, NLS, Jupiter
