The Flickr Bellaerosystems Image Generatr

“Artist’s conception of the rendezvous and docking maneuver in space when the two-man National Aeronautics and Space Administration Gemini spacecraft mates with the Agena Target Vehicle. Textron’s Bell Aerosystems Company builds the 16,000-pound thrust Agena liquid rocket engine for the target vehicle (at right) as well as a twin-module secondary propulsion system which fits snugly astride the Agena’s aft rack. The secondary propulsion system orients the propellant in the tanks of the Agena vehicle and adjusts its orbit.”

Secondary propulsion system? Who knew? Did you?? I didn’t!!!

“Mated”? Was the caption writer not familiar with “docked”? Ugh.

Interesting:

www.nasa.gov/history/SP-4002/p2b.htm

Specifically:

www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/static/history/SP-4002/im...

I’ve never seen this at such an amazing resolution.

digitalsc.lib.vt.edu/Ms1989-029/Ms1989-029_B06_F1b_Photo_...
Credit: Virginia Tech Special Collections and University Archives website

“This artist’s concept depicts one configuration currently being studied by Textron’s Bell Aerosystems Company in conjunction with its one-man Lunar Flying Vehicle preliminary design work for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston, Texas. Powered by twin rocket engines, it would be capable of 10-15 mile minimum flight ranges. It also could perform at least 30 sorties and be able to use the residual propellants from the descent stage of the Lunar Module. Mounted to the back of this design is a payload pallet. Motorcycle-like handle grips would be used for thrust and attitude control.”

To my knowledge, the Descent Propulsion System fuel of the Lunar Module was hypergolic. Wouldn’t that’ve been a risky proposition to use?

Note the deployed EASEP/ALSEP components.

Beautiful & iconic (in my world) ca. 1968/69 artwork by Bell Aerosystems’ immensely talented artist, John J. Carr.

See also...always informative & entertaining:

www.aerospaceprojectsreview.com/blog/?s=Bell+Aerosystems&...

Specifically:

www.aerospaceprojectsreview.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2...
Both above credit: Aerospace Projects Review website/blog

Additional interesting designs:

www.astronautix.com/l/lunarflyers.html
Credit: Astronautix website

Beautiful and never before seen (at least by me) Bell Aerospace artist’s concept revealing the fuel tanks, manifolds?, pumps?, valves?, feed lines & locations of the pitch, yaw and roll reaction control system thrusters of the X-20 Dyna-Soar…appropriately enough, during reentry. VERY cool indeed.

As if the rarity of the image wasn’t enough, it’s by the immensely talented Carl Zoschke, responsible for some of the most striking & iconic works from the early days of the Apollo Program.

While the Bell Aircraft Company was a player during the precursor/nascent stages of the Dyna-Soar program, I believe based on its boost-glide bomber-missile (Bomi) concept, I don’t know if they had (would have) had a hand in the eventual/final Boeing Dyna-Soar concept. In lieu of finding really anything regarding this, I’m assuming they were to have supplied the reaction control system for the vehicle, as they did for the Mercury capsule. Mr. Zoschke’s similar depiction for the aforementioned is linked to below.

An exceedingly rare gem, and a most delightful find!

Good reading:

ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19720063747/downloads/1972006...

Great reading:

documents.theblackvault.com/documents/dynasoar/AFD-080408...
Credit: John Greenewald, Jr./"The Black Vault" website

Also:

vintagespace.wordpress.com/2011/10/05/a-history-of-the-dy...
Credit: "Vintage Space" website

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_--JI_aolOU
Credit: "Classic Airliners & Vintage Pop Culture"/YouTube

“LIKE THE GEMINI 11 mission last September, Gemini 12 also will experiment with tethered vehicle flight. Aldrin will attach line between spacecraft and Agena target during space walk while vehicles are docked. After separation the two vehicles will remain linked by line for further study of tethered flight as a means of holding formation in space and conserving maneuvering fuel.”

Formerly from the personal collection of Richard Bossler, a gentleman and a scholar…who was THERE.

No such thing as too much Russ Arasmith. Am I right or what?!?

Below is the Bab al-Mandab Strait, bridging the Red Sea & Gulf of Aden. The area of heavier cloud cover is over Djibouti. Striking.

“This revised illustration of the newly configured LLRV was largely faithful to the final planform. It shows the cockpit in front of the vehicle, the avionics at the aft end, and the true location of the maneuvering rockets. In the background is the Flight Research Center and Rogers Dry Lake. (Bell artist’s conception)”

Above at/from "NASA Monographs in Aerospace History no. 35" (NASA SP-2004-4535/Unconventional, Contrary, and Ugly: The Lunar Landing Research Vehicle), page 28:

www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/LLRV_Monograph.pdf
Credit: ALSJ website

This photograph is a wonderful, battered unicorn. Not only is it one of the rarer concept images of the LLRV, it’s also the FIRST/ONLY time I’ve come across it (or any other original LLRV concept art ‘photo’) in color. It seems to have been part of a binder(s), displayed and obviously handled…a lot, I’m sure all by Bell Aerosystems/NASA personnel. I didn’t dare attempt any “clean up” for fear of doing more harm than good.

And, as a bonus, the artist’s signature - J. R. Fisken - is visible! Although I’ve found nothing on him, I’ll take it.

Note the wonderful detail of the Dryden Flight Research Center, to include the parked cars & aircraft. Even the rail line & freight train...its dual locomotives & caboose being easily discernible. Finally, in the lower right corner, the large compass rose painted on the dry lake to aid inbound aircraft. Really gorgeous airbrush work...only now revealed.

Said compass rose:

www.reddit.com/r/InfrastructurePorn/comments/iwiaor/the_2...
Credit: reddit website

“Artist concept--Astronaut on lunar surface beside LEM.”

This is AWESOME, in many ways.

Based on the appearance of the LEM and the lunar peaks…I’m willing to wager your life’s savings that this is by the brilliant Carl Zoschke. If so, this may have originally been rendered for Bell Aerosystems. Compare to the linked ascent stage liftoff photo below as supporting “evidence”.

But then again, there’s also an early Robert McCall-like look to it. Which might explain the PLSS similarity between this and the iconic ’2001: A Space Odyssey’ image. Unfortunately, bottom line is ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

Note also the whimsical depiction of an uncomfortably close Uranus. 😉

The lovely color version was featured on the cover of the Volume 1, Number 10 issue/edition of "The Astronaut Trail Magazine":

www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1208828553942322&am...
Credit: J. L. Pickering/Retro Space Images/Facebook

“MOON BASED MOBILITY

Looking ahead to the day astronaut-scientists explore the surface of the moon, American aerospace industries are devising vehicles that will make spacemen more mobile. This flying chair idea has been suggested by Bell Aero Systems. Other firms have come up with concepts for wheeled vehicles with wide treads that will support a heavy load on a weak surface.”

7” x 9”.

This is the first dual-occupant Lunar Flying Vehicle (LFV) design I’ve seen in which the passenger/scientist-astronaut maybe, faces aft…with some sort of instrument/display panel at his disposal, which the pilot does NOT have. Interesting and a little odd. Possibly considered to have been a potential distraction?
Or…maybe that guy’s the Radar Intercept Officer (RIO), with the instrument laden foreground LFV scanning for & transmitting the locations of fragmentation mines (banned by UN charter), previously released by intentionally radioactive Soviet impactors. So, we may be looking at a DoD requested configuration for a hostile lunar environment, hence its rarity.
Sophomoric, maybe even juvenile? Shit yeah! Tongue-in-cheek? Maybe/maybe not. Future possibility? Probably at least a 50/50 chance.
Whatever is actually depicted, military or scientific, the two vehicles do appear to be conducting complimentary/coordinated operations.
Or…maybe it’s just Bell’s promotional depiction of the sedan & roadster (shown with XLE scientific package) versions of their 1966 model year LFV.
Whatever is going on, unless there’s an Astronaut, on standby, at a fixed location within a reasonable distance, this is quite risky. Which supports this merely featuring proposed configurations.

In the following linked document, the vehicle is referred to - by Bell Aerosystems I assume - as a/the Manned Flying System (MFS):

documents.theblackvault.com/documents/aviation/ADA175379.pdf
Credit: "THE BLACK VAULT" website

In all seriousness, this is really really nice artwork, beautifully detailed. By Bell Aerosystems artist F. J. Miller. I’d never heard of Mr. Miller…

and on that note, a bittersweet and sad “win”. A win only in that Mr. Miller has been ‘revealed’, to even include a photograph of him! Look at the man’s incredible range/diversity of works…I mean damn!!! However, I’m extremely saddened that some/most/all? of his creations seemed to have been liquidated – possibly by his son – over the course of several years, culminating in a final? offering of his paintings in 2017, prior to the sale of his home. Maybe, hopefully, I’m wrong, it’s not really clear to me what was going with his legacy. If it was just nonchalantly sold off, I sort of get it, but “AAAAARGH!” nonetheless:

www.facebook.com/pages/category/Arts---Humanities-Website...
Credit: Meta/Facebook

Also:

www.astronautix.com/l/lfvbell.html
Credit: Astronautix website

Figure 6 would appear to be a loosely similar depiction of vehicles, by Bell Aerosystems artist J. J. Carr:

ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19680023965/downloads/1968002...

“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.

Gotta love those mountains, the color, the texture, steep slopes and of course, the jagged peaks.

Credit: Bell Aerosystems Company”

The above is per a 1966 World Book Encyclopedia Science Services caption for the photo.

By supremely talented Bell Aerosystems artist/technical illustrator Carl Zoschke. Sadly, despite his long tenure with the company - to include during their heyday - I know of only a handful of works by the man, all stunning. Incredibly disappointing.

Air Progress

Spring Edition 1961

----------

e05.code.blog/

Air Progress

Spring Edition 1961

----------

e05.code.blog/

“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.

Credit: Bell Aerosystems Company”

Although the press release is dated 1966, I believe the photo itself to be from 1964/65.

By supremely talented Bell Aerosystems artist/technical illustrator Carl Zoschke. Sadly, despite his long tenure with the company - to include during there heyday - I know of only a handful of works by the man, all stunning. Incredibly disappointing.

(Bell Aerosystems photo) Remora space maintenance capsule.

Space World

November 1964, VOL. A-13

----------

e05.code.blog/

A striking & surrealistic visual feast by Carl Zoschke, Bell Aerosystems’ amazing resident artist. Circa possibly 1961/62. Note the two smaller, canted, descent engines (firing), adjacent to the primary? engine of the Lunar Excursion Module. I’ve never seen that before.

Sadly, unless there's someone out there with some insight, stash, access or whatever, this is about as good as it gets...without possibly paying through the nose for the "rights" to a higher resolution version.

The predecessor to Mr. Zoschke’s following work:

From/at:

www.afmc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1898049/hist...
Credit: Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) website

Also seen here, along with some other remarkable renderings:

www.popsci.com/story/space/nasa-art-illustrations/
Credit: Popular Science website

A superior book, written by a stellar, acknowledged & respected author. I can also vouch for the chap that provided the additional research.

Striking Carl Zoschke depiction of Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) ascent stage liftoff, circa 1964.
Mr. Zoschke was senior artist for Bell Aerosystems Company, manufacturer of the LEM Ascent Propulsion System (APS).

If not for Patrick Short/Popular Science online magazine (other than a WorthPoint listing, which doesn't lend itself to a ‘professional looking’ post), this basically would not exist online...at least not that I've come across thus far. WRONG answer.

From/at the following link. To the reporter's credit, the image is taken from an amazing book btw. I have firsthand knowledge that the dude that provided additional research for it, BUSTED HIS ASS doing so:

www.popsci.com/story/space/nasa-art-illustrations/

This is the image referenced in the last bullet of Chuck LaChiusa's “Buffalo Architecture and History” website, at, and posted below:

buffaloah.com/a/zos/hp.html

“Artist’s concept of lunar landing research vehicle under study for NASA.”

Above per the NASA-appropriated issuance of the photo. Not a whole lot of calories burned on that caption, eh?
A little ironic as well. What’s easily one of the more vivid, creative, almost surrealistic early artist’s concepts pertaining to the Apollo program - and that’s the best that the crack NASA photo braintrust professionals could muster??? Pertaining to one of the most exotic & complex training vehicles of the Apollo Program. WTF, over?
Counterintuitively, the artist's name appears to have been intentionally omitted/cropped,...from this original & official Bell Aerosystems photo, yet retained in the NASA version. WTF deux!
Maybe Carl was a little eccentric, a loose cannon, irreverent, possibly an asshole, and/or pissed off someone in management…and thus png’d.
Even it’s conspicuous omission from the following authoritative document. Befuddling:

www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/LLRV_Monograph.pdf
Credit: ALSJ website

See also:

e05.code.blog/2021/06/15/s-64-18126/

e05.code.blog/tag/llrv/
Both above credit: “numbers station” blog (Lots & lot & lots of wonderful images here…I highly advise you to look around further within.)

The source for the color version above:

www.afmc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1898049/hist...
Credit: Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) website

Also seen here, along with some other remarkable works:

www.popsci.com/story/space/nasa-art-illustrations/
Credit: Popular Science website

Last, but NOT LEAST:

Mr. Zoschke participated in the BATTLE OF THE BULGE!!!
I KNEW there was something more that I liked about him:

buffaloah.com/a/zos/hp.html
Credit: Buffalo Architecture and History website (which thankfully will remain online in perpetuity)!!!

If any of the above even mildly piqued your interest in either artist's concepts, space flight, Carl Zoschke, or any combination thereof, purchase the following book. Seriously:

"The Art of NASA: The Illustrations That Sold the Missions"
Written by Piers Bizony, with additional exhaustive, conscientious, thorough, earnest & impeccable research by Mike Acs.

Wait, if you've got $35 to spare, you really need to put it towards supporting a local NON-KILL shelter or some other organization that's committed to helping, saving/rescuing animals. SERIOUSLY.

Finally, the "T. L. Branigan" referenced on the verso was, during this time, the editor of the "TRW Space Log", a monthly publication put out by the company to highlight their accomplishments, efforts, etc. In his capacity, Thomas L. Branigan worked out of the Kennedy Space Center.

Finally, additional good LLRV reading:

thehighfrontier.blog/2016/11/13/less-than-gravity-the-lun...
Credit: Chris B. Petty/"The High Frontier" blog website

“Transforming the LLRV into the LLTV involved a long series of changes. This artist’s conception shows the LLTV with the addition of another window, positioned to replicate the LM’s layout and the pilot’s limited view. Although a roof was installed in the LLTV, the proposed window in front of the pilot was never added.
(Bell Aerosystems C25321)”

Above per "NASA Monographs in Aerospace History no. 35" (NASA SP-2004-4535/Unconventional, Contrary, and Ugly: The Lunar Landing Research Vehicle), page 135, at:

www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/LLRV_Monograph.pdf
Credit: ALSJ website

Submitted for your approval/my edification:
Note the striking similarity in the vast, flat expanse of pavement stretching out toward the horizon, with control tower/associated buildings in the distance, and the near identical attitude/orientation & exhaust plume of the LLRV/LLTV, in both this work and that of the more 'prevalent' and iconic (in my world) depiction by Carl Zoschke. Even the similarity of the printed block letter signatures; despite being all capitals in the Zoschke version (other than the "L" in “CARl”, oddly) and all lower case in “brown”.
Hmm...
'Paul Brown' <---> Carl Zoschke??? I’m serious.
I suppose “Mr. Brown” may have emulated the style of the senior?, master?, mentor? However, wouldn’t he want to establish or promote his style, within whatever/if any parameters established by Bell Aerosystems management/art department?

A striking & surrealistic visual feast by Carl Zoschke, Bell Aerosystems’ amazing resident artist. Circa possibly 1961/62. Note the two smaller, canted, descent engines (firing), adjacent to the primary? engine of the Lunar Excursion Module. I’ve never seen that before.

I’m a little surprised this isn’t already somewhere on this image hosting 'service'. If it is, I haven’t found it, even using what I think are logical key word searches. If not, it’s about time then.

From/at:

www.afmc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1898049/hist...
Credit: Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) website

Also seen here, along with some other remarkable works:

www.popsci.com/story/space/nasa-art-illustrations/
Credit: Popular Science website

A fantastic book, btw. Written by a superior, acknowledged & respected author. I can also vouch for the guy that provided additional research.

“APOLLO 16 TV PICTURE/LM LIFTOFF----The flame from the Apollo 16 Lunar Module "Orion" ascent stage engine creates a kaleidoscope effect during lunar liftoff, as seen in this reproduction taken from a color television transmission made by the RCA color TV camera mounted on the Lunar Roving Vehicle. The LRV-mounted TV camera, remotely controlled from the Mission Control Center, made it possible for people on Earth to watch the LM’s spectacular launch from the Moon. The liftoff was at 175:44 ground elapsed time, 7:26 p.m. (CST), April 23, 1972. The “Orion” ascent stage, with Astronauts John W. Young and Charles M. Duke Jr. aboard, returned from the lunar surface to rejoin the Command and Service Modules orbiting the Moon. Astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II remained with the CSM in lunar orbit while Young and Duke explored the Descartes landing site. The LM descent stage is used as a launching platform and remains behind on the Moon.”

Kaleidoscopic effect? Sure. Flame? NO.
Even as a 13-yr old at the time, I knew it wasn’t flame! The previous year’s footage from Apollo 15 determined it to be the ‘foil’ covering being blasted, ripping off & then propelled by the exhaust. For the umpteenth time - UGH.

Per the Apollo 16 Lunar Surface Journal website:

“Journal Contributor Harald Kucharek notes that the rear panels on the Ascent stage can be seen to buckle during the first few seconds of liftoff.”

Additionally, as only the ALSJ/ALJ can provide:

“In the TV image, the horizon is tilted down to the right. Fendell does not have the TV at mazimum zoom and has it positioned so that the plus-Y (north) footpad is at the bottom of the frame. Consequently, he has a lot of frame above the LM to help capture liftoff.]

Because of the time delay in getting commands to the camera, Fendell had to tell the camera to begin tracking upwards slightly before ignition. The camera begins to track about 2 seconds after ignition. The LM stays in the field-of-view for about 6 seconds but, in part because John parked only 80 meters from the LM, the camera can't be panned fast enough during these early stages to keep the LM in sight. As the LM gains altitude and, after pitchover, begins to move westward, the camera catches up.”

At:

www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a16/a16.launch.html

Finally, the photo was used as the cover image of EP-97, “Apollo 16 At Descartes”.