The evolution of spacecraft static models as seen in astronaut photos.

I was watching episode 5 of "Rocket Science", and there was a shot of (I
think) the "next nine". On the table in front were amll, white (probably
wooden) models of Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo. Mercury and Apollo both had
escape towers, Gemini was almost unrecognizable because it was just the
capsule (no service or retro module.) It got me to thinking about the
various configurations we saw in static models in various photos. Oddly
enough, the Mercury didn't seem to have the retro-pack.

Almost every Mercury static model was the classic capsule+retro pack+escape
tower configuration. When you think about it, this is an odd configuration,
since the only time, in flight, that such a configuration would exist is in
an abort.

I've seen early Apollo configurations which consisted of the (Block I) CM
plus the escape tower, probably built based on the "standard" Mercury model
configuration, and again, it makes no sense. I suppose that the early Gemini
static models would, once again, be just the capsules.

At some point the Gemini model "standard" became the flight configuration.
When did the Apollo model become the CSM? At least by the time they were
taking crew photos for AS 204, they had gotten rid of the LES on the models.
http://space.about.com/library/graph...pollo1/ap3.jpg

Anyway, just a random observation.

"Ami Silberman" wrote:

I was watching episode 5 of "Rocket Science", and there was a shot of (I
think) the "next nine". On the table in front were amll, white (probably
wooden) models of Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo. Mercury and Apollo both had
escape towers, Gemini was almost unrecognizable because it was just the
capsule (no service or retro module.)

Indeed. I found a paperweight at Goodwill that was in the shape of a
capsule, but I was dammed if I could ID which one at first glance. It
wasn't until I picked it up that I could see the two windows, and even
then it took a couple of minutes to figure out that it was a Gemini
sans the aft modules.

Almost every Mercury static model was the classic capsule+retro pack+escape
tower configuration. When you think about it, this is an odd configuration,
since the only time, in flight, that such a configuration would exist is in
an abort.

It's an odd configuration, but it is the complete spacecraft.

D.
--
Touch-twice life. Eat. Drink. Laugh.

-Resolved: To be more temperate in my postings.
Oct 5th, 2004 JDL