I would say get space as a focus during WW2. Maybe the Germans seriously try for orbital satellites for communication, photography, if not orbital bombardment. Which is a total ripoff of "The Tranquility Alternative".
What about the Russians?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_crewed_lunar_programs
They could have landed before Apollo.
A whopping big meteor impact at any time after we realize what they are could get things going. I actually started one based on a meteor striking Lincoln, NH on June 6, 1876 and blasting a hole a few miles across in the White Mountains. My plan had been for an increased interest in New Hampshire, and the USA in general, in defending against threats from the sky. My ultra rough outline had the first artificial satellite somewhere in the 1940's, perhaps earlier
-Korolev died throwing the project into management hell.What about the Russians?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_crewed_lunar_programs
They could have landed before Apollo.
I've had the idea of what if the Germans tried serious to get into space during the Nazi regime.
I’m not sure if it could have happened much earlier than it did unless computer technology was also much further along than OTL.
I’m not sure if it could have happened much earlier than it did unless computer technology was also much further along than OTL.
Yes, i tend to agree what workable space suit was the bottleneck of moon landing.As also noted the real “POD” is the why as much as the wherefore as it will take a huge amount of effort, resources and money to push forward getting to the Moon let alone space. Keep in mind little things like a ‘workable’ (let alone practical) space suit is ghastly difficult with Victorian technology and barely workable with 1920-ish technology.
You really don't need a lot of computing power for landing on the moon
Apollo Guidance Computer had 2k of 16 bit wide RAM of core memory, 39k in ROM, and operated at 2MHz. Plus it was getting out of stack space errors, from too much radar data.
That's why Buzz was reading out the data to Neil, after the computer put them 4 miles off their planned LZ. Neil was flying it down.
Apollo 13 did a burn 'by guess and by God' after getting burn time and on what vector from Houston
Howard Hughes and Werner Von Braun meet in a bar.
1956.
Angle information to Earth and Sun can actually be semi-automatically read with photomultiplier tube sensor (with 1935 tech, you would realistically need to turn two dials until the pair of balance galvanometers reads zero, and then read angle from dials). And stars angle could be taken with sextant.That's not much computing power NOW. But it was a heck of alot of power to fit inside a tiny capsule back THEN.
To get men on the moon before such computers are available, they'd be completely dependent on radioing back to Earth for the mainframe back home or the computers (those ladies) in the basement to do the calculations or on following a radio beacon that a robotic expedition had already placed.
No ability for the capsule to navigate on its own, the radio would HAVE to work.
fasquardon
That's not much computing power NOW. But it was a heck of alot of power to fit inside a tiny capsule back THEN.
To get men on the moon before such computers are available, they'd be completely dependent on radioing back to Earth for the mainframe back home or the computers (those ladies) in the basement to do the calculations or on following a radio beacon that a robotic expedition had already placed.
No ability for the capsule to navigate on its own, the radio would HAVE to work.
Wasnt the guidance computer more of a luxury item? They were doing the calculations on the ground as well to compare what the computer on board of the capsule was doing because no one trusted that thing. Communications delay was 2 seconds or so, they could have done everything on the ground except the landing, which the pilots could and did do by hand.You really don't need a lot of computing power for landing on the moon
Apollo Guidance Computer had 2k of 16 bit wide RAM of core memory, 39k in ROM, and operated at 2MHz. Plus it was getting out of stack space errors, from too much radar data.
That's why Buzz was reading out the data to Neil, after the computer put them 4 miles off their planned LZ. Neil was flying it down.
Apollo 13 did a burn 'by guess and by God' after getting burn time and on what vector from Houston
At work.
Well OP did say "Earliest to Moon"
If they used a more 'Stepped' approach you put a station in orbit of Earth. A 'Cycler' between Earth and Moon. A station in orbit of Moon. Then a lander etc from that.
Cheers.