NASA-MOL

Manned Orbital Laboratory was a USAF Manned Spysat program
The MOL program was cancelled in June 1969.
but WI wenn MOL was transfer to NASA ?

from beginn the program. McDonnell-Douglas
The contractor for the MOL had made proposal for NASA use.

but how gona use NASA the MOL spacecraft ?
there were working on Wet Orbital Workshop (fly as Skylab)

Chancel the Wet Orbital Workshop and take cheaper MOL
or Use MOL as Supply ship for Wet Orbital Workshop ?

source on NASA use of MOL
http://up-ship.com/blog/?p=1018
 

Archibald

Banned
I'm really fascinated by the huge number of options NASA had for space stations at the time! :)
- wet S-IVB
- wet S-II
- dry S-IVB (Skylab!)
- civilian MOL
- MORL
- LORL
and so on...

Btw I thought that MORL was a civilian, Saturn-IB-variant of MOL...
I was wrong!
 
little OTL history of Skylab

1966 born in Apollo Applications Program AAP
Original was Wet Workshop (thats Crew rebuild the empty fueltank into Spacestation.)
launch by Saturn IB in 28° low Orbit dock with Apollo and rebuild the S-IVB stage
Cost of the Workshop must not exceed $200 million
1968 January 9 - Budgetary restraints required additional cuts in AAP to three Saturn IB and three Saturn V launches.
1969 May 21 - Saturn V "dry" Workshop decision starts.
because possbly problems with rebuild of the S-IVB stage
Gilruth and Von Braun support decision to fly a complete integrated solution
on a single Saturn V launch.
1969 July 18 - NASA Administrator Paine approved the shift from a "wet" to a "dry" Orbital Workshop for AAP.
1969 August 8 - Definitized contract with McDonnell Douglas for two Orbital Workshops for the AAP.
1970 February 17 - Apollo Applications Program redesignated the Skylab Program.
1970 April 21 - NASA might scrap two of its six scheduled Moon flights.
the two Saturn V has to be used for Skylab launch

The MOL program was cancelled in June 1969.
so if Nixon sign the transfere to NASA, its in middel of "dry" Workshop decision
they get a Small "dry" Spacestation wat can be launch by Saturn IB and later with Titan-IIIC
(McDonnell Douglas build Skylab made also MOL :D )
with 1968 January Budgetary cuts in AAP, MOL is good Alternativ.
no need to scrap Apollo program 18 & 19 flight in 1973
with unmanned MOL 1 mission (hardware Test) begin 1974
 
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