Gemini Launch Vehicle

[andrew scott]

Layne I'd buy that so wend is it going to be release

 

[shrox]

I have made some 3D models of Gemini refits, from a lander to a fighter. The Gemini was the Volkswagon bug of the space program.

 

[skippy-2]

I have made some 3D models of Gemini refits, from a lander to a fighter. The Gemini was the Volkswagon bug of the space program.

Can we make a dune buggy?

 

[Grif]

The Saturn VII was that one that Peter Alway designed, wasn't it? I could see your model, Layne, and the Saturn VII, sharing a background story! This is the sort of ship that Jeff Hawke would have flown in the 1960s version of the "Daily Express" comic strip of the same name...as long as it had Royal Space Force roundels of course (oops, forgot you don't likr roundels!) The movie "The Pilgrim Project" had a Gemini lander, it was a Mercury in the book, by Hank Searls - hey, couldn't we cross a card model of a Mercury or Gemini with a Mars Lander? There are several free Mercury models on the Net...or perhaps the nose from the free "Saturn Komarov" model!
Grif

 

[conleyt]

The Saturn VII was that one that Peter Alway designed, wasn't it? I could see your model, Layne, and the Saturn VII, sharing a background story! This is the sort of ship that Jeff Hawke would have flown in the 1960s version of the "Daily Express" comic strip of the same name...as long as it had Royal Space Force roundels of course (oops, forgot you don't likr roundels!) The movie "The Pilgrim Project" had a Gemini lander, it was a Mercury in the book, by Hank Searls - hey, couldn't we cross a card model of a Mercury or Gemini with a Mars Lander? There are several free Mercury models on the Net...or perhaps the nose from the free "Saturn Komarov" model!
Grif

Maybe you're thinking of Peter Alway's Saturn IV?

https://members.aol.com/petealway/models.html (scroll down the page)

 

[Grif]

Yep, that's it! I got muddled on faux-Saturns...serves me right for trying to be clever! Incidentally, I just remembered: Jonathan Goff, on his "Selenian Boondocks" blog, says that clustered tank rockets may make a comeback, so that the individual segments can be road and rail transported...funny how old ideas come back!
Grif

 

[shrox]

Can we make a dune buggy?

 

[Pem Tech]

McShweet!

All it needs now is a grotesque, bug eyed, salivating monster driving and I would be flashing back to my childhood.
:rotflol:
Anybody else remember those trading cards?

 

[Pem Tech]

Very tasty. I'd buy that.

It doesn't come with a goat.....

 

[shrox]

It kind of reminds me of the Big-G Designs. NASA had an idea about adapting the Gemini Capsule with the Apollo Booster. It required an extended Gemini Capsule. Hang on I'll try to post the link.

https://www.astronautix.com/craft/bigemini.htm

This sort of looks like your proposal.

By The Way, there's been a report that NASA looked into both the Apollo and Gemini Programs to provide a platform or template for the new Constellation Program. Your rocket might not be far off the mark.

Geez, all the cool ideas, none realized.

 

[skippy-2]

Shrox, that buggy is several layers of cool!

 

[rosko_racer]

You know... A "what if" retro NASA/Air Force design contest would be a pretty cool thing for EMRR to host wouldn't it???

That's a great idea, Scott. Who else thinks this is cool? Time to dive into the achives and see what the creative juices come up with...

 

[Pem Tech]

Sorta Saturn VII Gemini Update!

In the face of burtal heat and stifling humidity I ventured out to fly the the SS VII. (Apologies in advance for the low quality pics)

Lift off on a D12-5:

Go baybay!

Surprisingly no nose ballast was needed with the Gemini NC, she flew like a champ.

To answer some of your questions,

andrew scott:
The SS VII Gemini build was never meant as a kit but if there is enough interest we may consider pursuing the idea.

Grif:
It isn't that I don't like roundels, it is just that they make such good AA targets. "The Pilgrim Project" was a good movie and I like the idea of the Gemini/Mars Lander hybrid.
Hmmmmmmmmm
So many rockets...
So little time...


rosko_racer:
Yes, that is a super groovy idea. I have already PM'ed Nick about the idea, but haven't heard back from him yet. There are SO many cool rockets from that era that were never built.

Like....

The Dyna-Soar, which also flew today.

This is a BT60 based version built around a RoachWerks Dyna-soar NC.

Liftoff on a D12-5.

Somebody hit up Nick and see if we can get this What-If contest rolling.

 

[Pem Tech]

Ooppss..
Forgot to post the last flight pic of the Dyna-Soar.

She was doing fine till about 300 feet, then hooked over and went cruise missile. There were 5 X 1.5" fender washers in the nose for ballast (~55 grams), and the flight was stable. Anyone have any ideas why this would happen?

Anyway, I lost sight of her before ejection and she is somewhere in a tree or laying unprotected in a hayfield.
:cry:

 

[shrox]

..."The Pilgrim Project" was a good movie and I like the idea of the Gemini/Mars Lander hybrid...

I think you mean the movie "Countdown", I was think of that lander too. That mission went to the moon, where the astronaut discovers a crashed Soviet Apollo-like command and service module.

 

[Pem Tech]

I think you mean the movie "Countdown", I was think of that lander too. That mission went to the moon, where the astronaut discovers a crashed Soviet Apollo-like command and service module.

So that is the name of it.....
The copy I have was pirated irate: off of TV a long time ago and it never mentions the title of the movie.

 

[falconpilot]

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062827/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countdown_(film)

 

[skippy-2]

Sorta Saturn VII Gemini Update!
[snip]

To answer some of your questions,

andrew scott:
The SS VII Gemini build was never meant as a kit but if there is enough interest we may consider pursuing the idea.
[snip]

Now where is that 'interest' button... :surprised:

 

[shrox]

...She was doing fine till about 300 feet, then hooked over and went cruise missile. There were 5 X 1.5" fender washers in the nose for ballast (~55 grams), and the flight was stable. Anyone have any ideas why this would happen?

Anyway, I lost sight of her before ejection and she is somewhere in a tree or laying unprotected in a hayfield.
:cry:

Maybe it went through a wind stream that caught the wings of the Dyna-Soar.

 

[Grif]

It's a funny thing, Layne, but roundels were chosen as the RAF insignia for precisely the opposite reason - WWI Anti-aircraft gunners kept mistaking Union jacks on aircraft wings for German crosses! It was decided to use red/white/blue for British aircraft and blue/white/red for the French, to avoid this.
I think "Countdown" was based on "The Pilgrim Project".
Grif

 

[andrew scott]

andrew scott:
The SS VII Gemini build was never meant as a kit but if there is enough interest we may consider pursuing the idea.

Go on you know you want to search your feeling......... that's it tell us your going to make this a kit.... you are going to make this kit trust in the force layne it's a good idea.


:heeeelllllooooo:

 

[Pem Tech]

"It is by no means a scale model, so you Type-A guys just drop your micrometers and enjoy the show."

Beautiful.

Post a pic of your girl while you're at it.

Here you go.....

Oh, wait a sec, wrong picture. That was her first thing in the morning.


Here she is immediately following administration of a diet Dr Pepper and a granola bar.

 

[Pem Tech]

Maybe it went through a wind stream that caught the wings of the Dyna-Soar.

You lift off in the morning to the smell of new mowed hay
To lift and fly
To soar and glide
In the brightness of the day

Fly away, Dynasoar fly
Towards the dreams you left so very far behind......

*To the tune of Skyline Pigeon by Elton John*

 

[Pem Tech]

It's a funny thing, Layne, but roundels were chosen as the RAF insignia for precisely the opposite reason - WWI Anti-aircraft gunners kept mistaking Union jacks on aircraft wings for German crosses! It was decided to use red/white/blue for British aircraft and blue/white/red for the French, to avoid this.
Grif

Really?
:surprised:
I did not know that....

Grif, you are a continual fountain of information.

In gratitude, guess I had better get back to work on the "HMS Ralph A Smith."

 

[Pem Tech]

Go on you know you want to search your feeling......... that's it tell us your going to make this a kit.... you are going to make this kit trust in the force layne it's a good idea.

Oh gosh, the voices are back again.
Does anybody else hear them?


Now where did I put that "Interest Button"?

 

[user 13]

Ooppss..
Forgot to post the last flight pic of the Dyna-Soar.

She was doing fine till about 300 feet, then hooked over and went cruise missile. There were 5 X 1.5" fender washers in the nose for ballast (~55 grams), and the flight was stable. Anyone have any ideas why this would happen?

Anyway, I lost sight of her before ejection and she is somewhere in a tree or laying unprotected in a hayfield.
:cry:

I built a similar rocket a few years ago. It dose some very interesting things during coast out. I always thought it was because the C/G was moving forward as the engine burnt out, and the X-20 wings were generating a small amount of lift. I canted 2 of the fins about 2 degrees for a slow spin to counter the residual lift from the X-20 wings. No cruise missile but it does have a very funny tail waggle just prior to separation.

I don't know if this helps.

By the way Layne, I would love a chance to buy the SS/Gusmobile!

Mark

 

[Grif]

"Grif, you are a continual fountain of information.

In gratitude, guess I had better get back to work on the "HMS Ralph A Smith.""

YAY!!! (Grif punches the aether in joy!)

By the way, Layne, that's one heck of a lady you have there!

As to the "fountain of information" bit, my late (and deeply missed!) mother said one Sunday morning, on looking at the "Sunday Express" crossword: "Some of these clues...'Curved metal implement used by the ancient Romans to scrape the skin after bathing, seven letters!" - When I said "Strigils", she exclaimed: "How the b****y h**l did you know that?!"
Grif

 

[Pem Tech]

I built a similar rocket a few years ago. It dose some very interesting things during coast out. I always thought it was because the C/G was moving forward as the engine burnt out, and the X-20 wings were generating a small amount of lift. I canted 2 of the fins about 2 degrees for a slow spin to counter the residual lift from the X-20 wings. No cruise missile but it does have a very funny tail waggle just prior to separation.

I don't know if this helps.

By the way Layne, I would love a chance to buy the SS/Gusmobile!

Mark

Hey!
RTF finally came back online!
Has anyone else had trouble getting TRF to load today?

Anyway...

Mark, you may have a good point there.
I was considering larger fins, even though they already looked rather comic and out of proportion but canting the fins might be a better idea.

SS/Gus Mobile?
:rotflol:

Had to look that one up on astronautix.com....

Speaking of which, while poking around there I came across information on Gemini and discovered that the sorta-Gemini NC's offered by BMS and SEMROC are only the RM (reentry module) and don't account for the length and diameter of the adapter and equipment modules.
After a bit of pencil scratching it looks like the NC's will need a 1.8" long paper transition out to a BT-70 to be anywhere close to scale, let alone just correct. Admittedly, it does look much more appealing with the transition.
So, a show of hands from anyone that knows what that means.

A Sorta-Saturn Gemini Gus Mobile upscale!

Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Something new to build.

And even better, the Gemini NC and transition sit perfectly atop the 4" diameter semi-scale Sorta-Saturn IB/V I have been playing with. It will use the SEMROC BT-70 Apollo NC. (Will post pics later)
The (semi) scale is pretty close :

Gemini 10' in diameter
Apollo 12.7" in diameter

The Apollo and Gemini capsules could be used interchangeably.

Happy Happy
Joy Joy