Air and Space Photos from Alternate Worlds.
- Thread starter Wingman1
- Start date
HOPE-X2, manned space shuttle launched on the H-IIA (222 configuration with two liquid boosters, two solid)
(screenshots from a movie called "北京原人 [Peking Man] Who are you?".)
(screenshots from a movie called "北京原人 [Peking Man] Who are you?".)
Thank you! Just to let you know, I didn't make the H-IIB, Donamy (from Orbiter-Forum) did. I only made a slight modification to the texture.Pipcard, I can't applaud you high enough for the excellent work you've done so far.
Expect a PM from me in the coming days.
Some day I will return to being a regular poster here, maybe even revive my old story with new art and writing updates. But for now, I will just occasionally deposit some aviation artwork here and there for those who might still have lingering interest in what I draw.
A display replica of the Zarya-A space capsule that launched Yuri Gagarin into space atop an R-6A rocket on 30th October, 1962.
Taken from Part-II Post#2 of Kolyma's Shadow.
Taken from Part-II Post#2 of Kolyma's Shadow.
That's cool and all, but isn't it too much parallelism that Gagarin is still the first (Soviet) man in space, despite the early POD of your timeline and very different rocket developments ?
A fair point, and something I thought about for a while, but in the end I came back to Yuri. The Soviet rocket programme was pretty heavily compartmentalised in the 1950s to early ‘60s, so I couldn’t see any strong reason why the (significant) changes introduced to ICBM development would stop young Yuri from joining the Air Force and serving pretty much as per OTL. ITTL the Soviet space programme starts looking for cosmonaut candidates at about the same time from basically the same pool (the Air Force) with the same criteria (excellent physical shape plus suitably humble background for political reasons), so turns up mostly the same people. IOTL, Gagarin was considered far and away the best choice by just about everyone, including the other cosmonauts, so I assumed he’d similarly excel ITTL. So, In Spite of a Nail, I gave Gagarin his chance.
Other opinions are of course available
Another update from Kolyma's Shadow, this time from Part II Post#3's discussion of the development of Dynasoar.
First, a look at the Atmospheric Test Vehicle "Diana" as she's carried to altitude under the wing of a B-52 for drop tests.
Next an early concept for the Dynasoar Experimental Laboratory, using an expanded Mission Module to extend the spaceplane's on-orbit duration.
First, a look at the Atmospheric Test Vehicle "Diana" as she's carried to altitude under the wing of a B-52 for drop tests.
Next an early concept for the Dynasoar Experimental Laboratory, using an expanded Mission Module to extend the spaceplane's on-orbit duration.
Next an early concept for the Dynasoar Experimental Laboratory, using an expanded Mission Module to extend the spaceplane's on-orbit duration.
Reminds me of Lockheed-Martin's initial Crew Exploration Vehicle design.
Gemini III
June 1965: Gemini 3 begins the second series of NASA crewed space launches, launching atop an SLS A-18 booster. The Gemini program, originally "Mercury Mark II," will test various orbital capabilities and train astronauts for Apollo.
Later the SLS A core will use the finally-ready J-2 rather than the LR-87-7 (a hydrolox adaptation of the AJ23 design), and the A core will move up from its 8 Minuteman boosters to two 120in segmented solids (-42 configuration).
June 1965: Gemini 3 begins the second series of NASA crewed space launches, launching atop an SLS A-18 booster. The Gemini program, originally "Mercury Mark II," will test various orbital capabilities and train astronauts for Apollo.
Later the SLS A core will use the finally-ready J-2 rather than the LR-87-7 (a hydrolox adaptation of the AJ23 design), and the A core will move up from its 8 Minuteman boosters to two 120in segmented solids (-42 configuration).
That hadn't occurred to me, but you're absolutely right!
As the football season has re-started, I'm getting more time in front of my computer listening to radio commentary of streamed matches, which means my eyes and hands are kept busy with Blender. So I've finally gotten around to updating the 'rogue's gallery' of spacecraft for Eyes Turned Skywards, bringing it up to the end of the 1990s.
