Boeing Manned Interplanetary Spacecraft Boeing's 582-foot nuclear-thermal spacecraft is probably the best-known conceptual Mars vehicle of the 1960s. At Earth-orbit departure, it would include a 108-foot-long, 140.5-ton piloted spacecraft and a 474-foot-long propulsion section made up of five Primary Propulsion Modules (PPMs). The six-person piloted spacecraft would comprise a MEM, a four-deck Mission Module, and an Apollo Command Module-derived EEM. Each 33-foot-diameter, 158-foot-long PPM would hold 192.5 tons of liquid hydrogen. A 195,000-pound-thrust NERVA engine with an engine bell 13.5 feet in diameter would form the aft 40 feet of each PPM. The entire spacecraft would have a mass just prior to Earth-orbit departure of between 1000 and 2000 tons, the exact figure being dependent upon the energy demands of the Earth-Mars-Earth transfer opportunity used. Three PPMs would make up Propulsion Module-1 (PM-1), and PM-2 and PM-3 would comprise one PPM each. PM-1 would push the ship out of Earth orbit toward Mars, then detach, PM-2 would slow the ship so Mars's gravity could capture it into orbit, then detach, and PM-3 would push the ship out of Mars orbit toward Earth. At Earth, the crew would separate in the EEM, reenter the atmosphere, and splash down at sea. Six uprated Saturn V rockets would launch parts and propellants for Boeing's ship into Earth orbit. The 470-foot-tall Saturn V variant, with four solid-propellant strap-on rockets, would be capable of launching up to 274 tons into a 262-mile-high orbit. Boeing envisioned that NASA would modify pads 39A and 39B for the uprated Saturn V and would build a new Pad 39C north of the existing pads. Assembly crews and the mission crew would reach the spacecraft in Apollo Command and Service Module (CSM) spacecraft launched on Saturn IB rockets. Boeing's report listed 15 opportunities for Mars missions between November 1978 and January 1998. These would include one conjunction-class mission comprising two relatively short interplanetary transfers separated by a long stay at Mars and five opposition-class missions comprising a relatively short transfer and a relatively long transfer separated by a short stay at Mars. Nine other opportunities would include Venus swing-bys; these would use the planet's gravity to slow the spacecraft's approach to Earth, trimming EEM reentry speed. The conjunction-class mission would last a total of 900 days, while the opposition-class and Venus swing-by missions would last from 460 to 680 days. North American Rockwell (NAR), makers of the Apollo CSM, designed the MEM for Boeing's mission on contract to the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston between October 1966 and August 1967. NAR's was the first detailed MEM design to incorporate the Mariner IV results. Boeing scheduled its first Mars mission for 1985-1986, with spacecraft contract awards in 1976, and tests in low-Earth orbit beginning in 1978. NAR placed development cost of its MEM at $4.1 billion, while Boeing's study placed total Mars program cost at $29 billion. Soon after Boeing completed its report, plans for piloted Mars missions, already frowned upon in Congress following the Apollo 1 fire and the skyrocketing cost of the war in Vietnam, were dealt a bitter blow. The Tet Offensive, the North Vietnamese invasion of South Vietnam on January 30, 1968, made clear that costly U.S. commitments in Indochina would not soon end. Despite this, and despite opposition from the Nixon White House, NASA continued to plan advanced missions that included nuclear propulsion. The resignation in September 1970 of NASA Administrator Thomas Paine, an enthusiastic proponent of the Integrated Program Plan, meant an abrupt end for NASA Mars planning. The agency's last Apollo-era Mars study report, completed in February 1971, reflected new realities; it examined how NASA might accomplish an "austere" Mars mission in the absence of both nuclear propulsion and the Saturn V rocket. NASA would not resume Mars planning until 1984.

boy, I hadn't thought of NERVA engines for many a moon! some fine research and images here, bud!

Great work on the propulsion modules! Excellent overall design... even if you're just modeling and presenting Boeing's design.

Fantastic modeling and image! Corrie

An awesome model, nicely put into scene!

Hello geirla, I think of it as bringing life to designs, which technically brilliant as they are, exist (in many cases) only in highly abstract form --as engineering concepts and parameters, as three-view line diagrams, and mathematical formula, with very little fully realized art to represent them. The 3D models I create are a result of inquiry into mountains of technical data – they do not exist anywhere else, and what I learn in their construction are techniques to better my own unique representations of the science fictionally advanced technologies in my Orion’s Arm series. Then there is a deeper level of meaning, at least for me, and this involves more of an answer than you probably bargained for, but it gets to the core of why I do what I do. My quest for accuracy is a search for truth. I believe mankind’s civilization is a journey with purpose – to know the universe, to know truth, but also to be transformed along the way, to be forged in the fires of experience, to face adversity and over come, and to accomplish great things. My efforts to bring these visions to life, in a larger context, are in effort to nourish a particular vision of mankind’s purpose.

Great design, compelling scene. Perhaps a bit larger image next time to view in all its splendor? Terrific work!

Hi gmvgmvgmv, Thanks for your comment, although I'm slightly puzzled ... larger? The image is 4000 pixels wide, that's the max for the Bryce gallery. As always, a detailed diagram image will follow.

Again, another very impressive representation of what might have been. If only we had the money and the foresight to see any of these project come to life. Your work alway inspires as I hope to have some new images posted soon myself. Unfortunately I had a crash of one of my drives that I had quite a few of my new projects on including my Shenandoah 2 project. I am in the process of recovering as much of my files as possible. I did back most of the modeling work up but I had not backed up all of the renders of what I have done on about 5 different projects for about 5 months. I have learn't a very hard lesson and this will never happen again. keep them coming as you are always a inspiration to me and quite a few others here. All the best, David

fabulous modeland series!

I agree with Bambam, your work is super impressive and a real inspiration. I love these kinds of highly realistic "near-future" (or in this case maybe alternate history?) and such. It's fascinating to see what might have been if humanity didn't keep spending so much money on killing each other. The plans you're drawing on are also a glimpse into a heady time when NASA dared to dream big! While I will concede that the robotic probes we've got on Mars right now are probably getting alot more scientific "bang" for the bucks spent, it's hard to replace the sheer excitement of seeing human beings setting boots on the ground. I really hope the day comes when we see that actually happen, and seeing this kind of model, it also makes me understand just how huge of a project it really would be! Great work, and I'm looking forward to seeing what you do next!

EXCELLENT!