What is a 4th of July on Xadara without some good old American rocketry? A boring one, that’s what. Today I think I’ll share a video I may have shared before, but if I have oh well – I’m sharing it again. This is a compilation from the late 90’s of launches from Vandenberg Air […]
It’s the 4th of July tomorrow and, being quite honest, I had nothing quite planned to write today or tomorrow. However, to keep up with the spirit of Xadara, my love of space, and in a classic “Happy Birthday America” bit of patriotism, I’ve decided to just flood you with some random rocket launches in […]
As mentioned in the previous article, the Gemini Project, NASA’s 2nd manned space program, ended on November 15th, 1966. The 10 manned missions over 2 years proved that humans could do everything needed in space to make a successful flight to the Moon. All that would be left would be to prove out the Apollo […]
Going along with the last articles theme of hypergolic fuels, with a focus on the Gemini spacecraft, we have this 1964 film, from the very early days of Gemini, explaining the propulsion systems and operation of the maneuviring capabilities of the Gemini. Gemini was the first manned spacecraft capable of making major orbital trajectory changes, […]
It’s well known that I am a massive fan of the Titan missile, and its derived space boosters – the Titan II GLV, the Titan-III and Titan-IV booster families. These launch systems, based upon the Titan II Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, used a very special type of fuel and oxidizer type that was storeable at room […]
As most know, the accomplishments of the United States and Soviet space programs were really an extension of and, in most ways, a practical application of the missile technology of the era. Machines built to send nuclear warheads across the oceans were equally suited to send payloads into orbit around the Earth. Of course, accomplishing […]