Now that America has apparently ended its days as a spacefaring nation, here’s a look at the other end of history… when America was looking forward to being a spacefaring nation. This is the afore-mentioned Juno V (predecessor to the Saturn I), fitted out as an Orbital Return Carrier to launch a capsule with a crew of a whopping sixteen. The capsule is certainly… optimistic. I’m especially entertained by the windows on what is essentially the re-entry heat shield. Located within the conical aerodynamic fairing in front of the capsule are the abort motors, as well as a full airlock.
There once was a time when the United States Government dared to envision a future of progress. Now all they seem able to see is a future of stagnation.
5 Responses to “Juno V: Part 2”
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Everything about the design suggests a maneuverable semi-ballistic reentry capsule, until you get to the interior view with the passenger’s oriented without regard to a lift vector.
The 16-man carrier looks a lot like the Adam capsule, as Adam appears at astronautix.com.
I can see how you can fit them in there, but how the hell are they supposed to enter and leave the capsule? Even move and you’ll bump your head.
Was it “Government” that was looking forward to space exploration, or was it a half-formed politician’s drive that was the impetus?
> Was it “Government” that was looking forward to space exploration
At this pont in time, it was the US Army.