Socks
Description: Since landing on Mars in August 2012, NASA's Curiosity rover has been exploring 3-mile-high Mt. Sharp in Gale Crater. The rover has climbed more than 2,000 feet (612 meters), reaching progressively younger rocks that serve as a record on how Mars has evolved from a wet, habitable planet to a cold desert environment.
Description: With the Shuttle orbiter Enterprise riding piggyback, Boeing 747 takes off from Edwards Air Force Base. The modified 747 not only will carry Enterprise aloft for a series of approach-and-landing flights but later will transport Shuttle orbiters from Rockwell International's assembly facility in California to launch sites at Kennedy Space Center and Vandenberg Air Force Base. Rockwell International, Space Division, 1977.
Description: What looks much like craggy mountains on a moonlit evening is actually the edge of a nearby, young, star-forming region NGC 3324 in the Carina Nebula. Captured in infrared light by the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) on the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, this image reveals previously obscured areas of star birth.
Description: Forward to the Moon and on to Mars, NASA is exploring deep space like never before. Preparing to launch soon, Artemis I will be the first uncrewed flight test of the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion spacecraft around the Moon. We will use what we learn on and around the Moon to take the next giant leap: sending the first astronauts to Mars.
Description: Astronaut James van Hoften rides the space shuttle’s remote manipulator arm in this artist’s rendering as he captures a lifeless communications satellite. The crew of Mission 51-I will attempt the dramatic salvage toward the end of the flight. Once the satellite, Leasat 3, is under his control, van Hoften will lower it to fellow spacewalker William Fisher, shown standing on the sill of the shuttle’s cargo bay. Fisher will attach electronic devices to Leasat 3 that will allow spacecraft controllers on the ground to command the satellite to start. Artwork by Chris Kallas.
Description: As part of its Phase-B shuttle design McDAC settled for a metallic thermal protection system on the shuttle orbiter. Titanium, nickel and columbium materials would have been used. In most other respects, the McDAC and NAR Phase B orbiters were quite similar. Both featured a large delta wing plus single vertical stabilizer fin, an 18.3 x 4.57-meter cargo bay, two Space Shuttle Main Engines for propulsion and RL-10s for maneuvering in space.” Artwork by McDonnell Douglas Corp. 1970.
Description: OFF TO VISIT JUPITER – The Space Shuttle launches its first planetary exploration payload, Jupiter Orbiter Probe, in this artist’s concept of the beginning of the candidate mission. The automatic planetary explorer would ride to Earth orbit in the cargo bay of the shuttle, then be sent hurtling toward its rendezvous with Jupiter by the shuttle’s Interim Upper Stage. After 2.9 years, the orbiter would release the probe toward Jupiter’s atmosphere, and 56 days later would begin orbiting the giant planet. Artwork by Ken Hodges, 1975.
Description: SHUTTLE PAYLOAD — A North American Rockwell Space Division artist’s concept of Space Shuttle orbiter having its satellite payload pulled away by a Space Tug, following the delivery of the satellite to Earth orbit. The orbiter, shown with cargo-handling manipulator arms extended, will be able to deliver up to 65,000 pounds of varied payload to orbit. NR is bidding for the NASA contract to build the shuttle craft. Artwork by North American Rockwell, 1978.
Description: An artist’s concept depicting the Space Shuttle Orbiter shortly after separating from the Boeing 747 carrier aircraft at the start of an approach and landing test (ALT). The Orbiter will make an approach maneuver, then it will go for a landing on the runway in tests to check aerodynamic flight characteristics. Artwor by M. Alvarez.
Description: An astronaut enters the cargo bay of the Space Shuttle in this artist’s concept. The large white ball is an emergency rescue unit with another astronaut inside. The man carrying the rescue unit is also wearing a backpack maneuvering unit, currently being designed and built by Martin Marietta Aerospace at its space center near Denver, Colorado. The versatile backpack has many uses, including rescue operations. Artwork by Martin Marietta artist/illustrator, Mr. Charles O. Bennett, 1978.
Description: Description on the verso of the artwork: "ORBITER SOLID FUEL BOOSTERS STAGING — Some 27 miles or 43.4 kilometers above the Earth two solid propellant boosters are jettisoned after burnout. The solid rockets will descend on parachutes to a preselected recovery point in the ocean. They will be refurbished for use on a later Shuttle mission. The powerful boosters each carry 454,000 kilograms (1,000,000 lbs) of PBAN (polybutadiene acrylic acid acrylonitrille) and develop 11,210,000 newtons (2,500,000 pounds) of thrust at launch. The large liquid propellant tank, carrying liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, will be discarded prior to orbit insertion. It will follow a ballistic trajectory and impact in remote ocean area. Date unknow.
Description: Their 18-hours on the moon completed, two astronauts blast off from the lunar surface aboard their lunar module. They will rendezvous with a third astronaut in a mother ship orbiting the moon, and the three will make the return trip to Earth. - 1966 World Book Encyclopedia Science Services caption for the photo. Credit: Carl Zoschke, Bell Aerosystems Company.
Description: An artist’s conception of the 1993 Hubble Space Telescope (HST) servicing mission shows an astronaut positioned to the left of the telescope preparing to install the Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement (COSTAR). The optics were designed and built at Ball Aerospace and Communications Group, in Boulder, Colo., to significantly correct the spherical aberration in Hubble’s primary mirror.
Description: The first Commercial Titan is shown on the pad, being prepared for launch, in this Martin Marietta artist’s concept. Visible on the upper portion of the rocket are logos representing the two satellites that will be launched on the first Commercial Titan—the Skynet 4A for the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence and the JCSAT 2 for the Japan Communications Satellite Co. Commercial Titans, produced my Martin Marietta and an international team of subcontractors, are launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. Artwork by R. S. Murray. Another small “WIN”.
Description: Servicing the Hubble Space Telescope: The first HST servicing mission will prove the value of designing the observatory from the beginning for orbital maintenance. The painting shows two astronauts inserting an upgraded Wide Field/Planetary Camera into the aft shroud of the telescope.” Work by Patrick A. Lundquist, April 24, 1992.
