launch of Von Braun - Credit: © Mark Wade. 11,208 bytes. 157 x 347 pixels.

Typical of studies done in 1940's/early 1950's by Von Braun's team for a space shuttle to launch crews and payloads to earth orbit for space station assembly, lunar and Mars expedition spacecraft assembly. The lower two stages became less tubby in each succeeding iteration.

Liftoff Thrust: 12,786,710 kgf. Total Mass: 6,351,000 kg. Core Diameter: 20.0 m. Total Length: 97.0 m.

• Stage Number: 1. 1 x Von Braun-1 Gross Mass: 5,500,000 kg. Empty Mass: 700,000 kg. Thrust (vac): 15,900,000 kgf. Isp: 286 sec. Burn time: 84 sec. Isp(sl): 230 sec. Diameter: 20.0 m. Span: 60.0 m. Length: 36.5 m. Propellants: Nitric acid/UDMH No Engines: 51. Von Braun-1

• Stage Number: 2. 1 x Von Braun-2 Gross Mass: 770,000 kg. Empty Mass: 70,000 kg. Thrust (vac): 1,600,000 kgf. Isp: 286 sec. Burn time: 124 sec. Isp(sl): 230 sec. Diameter: 13.5 m. Span: 13.5 m. Length: 20.7 m. Propellants: Nitric acid/UDMH No Engines: 34. Von Braun-2

• Stage Number: 3. 1 x Von Braun-3 Gross Mass: 81,000 kg. Empty Mass: 22,000 kg. Thrust (vac): 200,000 kgf. Isp: 286 sec. Burn time: 84 sec. Isp(sl): 230 sec. Diameter: 5.8 m. Span: 25.0 m. Length: 23.4 m. Propellants: Nitric acid/UDMH No Engines: 5. Von Braun-3

• Von Braun documents plans for future uses of rocket power. Spacecraft: Von Braun Station.

  As part of a summary of his work on rockets during World War II, Wernher von Braun speculated on future uses of rocket power. These included an observatory in space, the construction of space stations in earth orbit, a space mirror, and interplanetary travel, beginning with trips to the moon.

• The Conquest of Space by Willy Ley, illustrations by Chesley Bonestell

  The awakening public interest in the scientific exploration of space was shown by the publication in September 1949 of The Conquest of Space. Featured in this book was a detailed description of a manned lunar landing and return, using the direct ascent technique.

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  Von Braun 1953 - Von Braun Launch Vehicle 1953 Design Credit: © Mark Wade. 4,115 bytes. 309 x 433 pixels.

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• First Symposium on Space Flight

  The First Symposium on Space Flight was held at the Hayden Planetarium in New York City. Participants included Wernher von Braun, Joseph Kaplan, Heinz Haber, Willy Ley, Oscar Schachter, and Fred L. Whipple. Among the topics discussed were an orbiting astronomical observatory, problems of survival in space, circumlunar flight, a manned orbiting space station, and the question of sovereignty in outer space.

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  A-12 - 1946 - Von Braun orbital launcher as first sketched out for the US Army, 1946. 12,535 bytes. 192 x 480 pixels.

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• Collier's Man Will Conquer Space Soon

  Collier's magazine published papers from First Symposium on Space Flight, under the title "Man Will Conquer Space Soon.". This was an important step in the popularization of the idea of manned space flight.

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Von Braun 1949 - Von Braun Mars launcher, 1949 version (Marsprojekt) 16,788 bytes. 468 x 300 pixels.

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• 218 - Von Braun, Wernher, and Ley, Willy, La Conquista del Espacio, Espasa-calpe, SA, Madrid, 1966.

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Von Braun 1949 - Von Braun Launch Vehicle 1949 Design Credit: © Mark Wade. 3,371 bytes. 334 x 383 pixels.

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A12 Launch Vehicle Credit: © Mark Wade. 2,265 bytes. 286 x 429 pixels.

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