Apollo Direct Ascent concept

[dwomby]

I have messed around painting this long enough.  The brushed acrylic metallics defeated me.  I can't get rid of the brushstrokes.  So this will have to do.   It is my interpretation of the Direct Ascent approach that was considered for Apollo but rejected as it would need a new rocket, the Nova, that would have dwarfed even the Saturn V.




Here is the descent config. with my Descent  Module still attached.  It is a "crasher". It fires to decelerate the spacecraft and initiate descent from lunar orbit. 



After reducing altitude and velocity considerably,  the Landing Module engine fires and the Descent  Module falls away to crash on the surface.   The Landing Module, using its own plus Service Module attitude  thrusters, adjusts the angle of descent until the whole craft soft lands vertically on the moon.  

After the manned exploration of the landing site, the  Service Module engine  fires to return the Command/Service Module  to Earth leaving the Landing Module behind.

As to how the Astronauts would get down from the Command Module to the surface, I didn't try to model the complexity of the planned Lunar Astronaut Downward Descend Explore Return (LADDER) system.  :-D   

Here's a photo taken from a satellite  in lunar orbit.



Looking at the completed thing, I realized using the real Lunar Module's Descent Stage as my "Landing Module" doesn't look right.  What was designed to carry the LM Ascent Stage would not be robust enough to withstand a landing carrying the mass of the full Command/Service Module.

The photos reveal my poor brush painting and masking skills.  On the whole, I have to say I am  disappointed with my result workmanship but it does at least illustrate the short-lived  Apollo Direct Ascent concept.

I also can't  look at the thing without thinking it looks like the first  rocket Robert Goddard built!    Or even more like one of these



David

[Gondor]

Nice looking model. I agree that the whole design is not exactly workable with problems reaching the lunar surface and returning back to the command module. You also have the problem of needing either an air-lock or a means of depressurisation and repressureisation and womewhere to store the surface suits and then the space to put them on as well, includeing the back packs which kept the astronauts alive.
Looks good though 

Gondor

[NARSES2]

I've not heard of this before, fascinating.

[kerick]

Yeah, I've never heard of that concept either. Nice illustration of it.