Childhood Memories of Lunar Exploration (pre-Apollo)

[ThoughtCriminal]

I remember this book from about age 4 or 5. It was published earlier - in 1959.

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/apelad/sets/72157601774049129/

Also:
Remembering Gulf Oil's cardboard Lunar Module model (plus free printable download link!)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=8940460&mesg_id=8940460

[Ikonoklast]

1. I remember the Ranger Lunar mapping missions

But I was in awe of the X-15, my buddies Dad was on the engine design team.

I always thought that they should have continues with the X-15 program as I believe it would have led to a shuttle-like project years earlier; a spacecraft that could land like a conventional aircraft after completing a mission.

[ThoughtCriminal]

2. You probably would have liked this

http://dreamsofspace.nfshost.com/spacebookdraft07July-webpage.htm#1954

An orbital version of the X-15 was studied:
http://www.astronautix.com/craft/x15b.htm

[Ikonoklast]

3. I forgot all about that.

It was my understanding that Apollo was so expensive that NASA let the X-15 project lapse and all that funding went into the Moon missions.


I actually have a piece of space-suit material from the Gemini-era missions given to me by my friend's Dad, and a piece of ablation shielding from a recovered satellite film capsule, one of the early reconnaissance missions that they used to recover in-flight.

[darkstar]

4. How about this one?