Direct ascent: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description| | {{Short description|Proposed method of Moon landing}} | ||
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{{About|directly landing on the Moon or other body|direct injection|Parking orbit}} | {{About|directly landing on the Moon or other body|direct injection|Parking orbit}} | ||
'''Direct ascent''' is a method of landing a [[spacecraft]] on the [[Moon]] or another [[planetary surface]] directly, without first assembling the vehicle in [[geocentric orbit|Earth orbit]], or carrying a separate landing vehicle into orbit around the target body. It was | '''Direct ascent''' is a method of landing a [[spacecraft]] on the [[Moon]] or another [[planetary surface]] directly, without first assembling the vehicle in [[geocentric orbit|Earth orbit]], or carrying a separate landing vehicle into orbit around the target body. It was the first method proposed to achieve a crewed lunar landing in the United States [[Apollo program]], but was rejected because it would have required developing a prohibitively large [[launch vehicle]]. | ||
==Apollo program== | ==Apollo program== | ||
[[Image:Apollo Direct Ascent Concept.jpg|thumb|right|190px|Artist's conception of an early Apollo spacecraft that would have used direct ascent]] | [[Image:Apollo Direct Ascent Concept.jpg|thumb|right|190px|Artist's conception of an early Apollo spacecraft that would have used direct ascent]] | ||
The [[Apollo program]] was initially planned based on the assumption that direct ascent would be used.<ref name=apollo>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/news/factsheets/Rendezvous.html|title=NASA - Lunar Orbit Rendezvous and the Apollo Program|publisher=NASA|date=April 22, 2008|access-date=March 27, 2011|archive-date=April 6, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130406180052/http://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/news/factsheets/Rendezvous.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> This would have required developing an enormous [[launch vehicle]], either the [[Saturn C-8]] or [[Nova rocket]], to launch the three-man [[Apollo Command/Service Module|Apollo spacecraft]], with an attached landing module, directly to the Moon, where it would land tail-first and then launch off the Moon for the return to Earth. The other two options that [[NASA]] considered required a somewhat smaller launch vehicle, either the [[Saturn C-4]] or [[Saturn V|C-5]]. These were [[Earth Orbit Rendezvous#Apollo|Earth Orbit Rendezvous]], which would have involved at least two launches to assemble the direct-landing and return vehicle in orbit; and [[Lunar Orbit Rendezvous]] (LOR), which carried a smaller two-man [[Apollo Lunar Module|lunar lander]] spacecraft for flight between lunar orbit and the surface. LOR was the strategy used successfully in Apollo.<ref name=apollo/> | The [[Apollo program]] was initially planned based on the assumption that direct ascent would be used.<ref name=apollo>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/news/factsheets/Rendezvous.html|title=NASA - Lunar Orbit Rendezvous and the Apollo Program|publisher=NASA|date=April 22, 2008|access-date=March 27, 2011|archive-date=April 6, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130406180052/http://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/news/factsheets/Rendezvous.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> This would have required developing an enormous [[launch vehicle]], either the [[Saturn C-8]] or [[Nova (NASA rocket)|Nova]] rocket, to launch the three-man [[Apollo Command/Service Module|Apollo spacecraft]], with an attached landing module, directly to the Moon, where it would land tail-first and then launch off the Moon for the return to Earth. The other two options that [[NASA]] considered required a somewhat smaller launch vehicle, either the [[Saturn C-4]] or [[Saturn V|C-5]]. These were [[Earth Orbit Rendezvous#Apollo|Earth Orbit Rendezvous]], which would have involved at least two launches to assemble the direct-landing and return vehicle in orbit; and [[Lunar Orbit Rendezvous]] (LOR), which carried a smaller two-man [[Apollo Lunar Module|lunar lander]] spacecraft for flight between lunar orbit and the surface. LOR was the strategy used successfully in Apollo.<ref name=apollo/> | ||
==Soviet Union== | |||
The [[Soviet Union]] also considered several direct ascent strategies, though in the end they settled on an approach similar to NASA's: two men in a [[Soyuz spacecraft]] with a one-man [[LK (spacecraft)|LK]] lander. The Soviets attempted to launch the [[N1 (rocket)|N1 rocket]] on 21 February and 3 July 1969, both of which failed, before NASA's [[Apollo 11]] lifted off and made the first crewed [[lunar landing]] on 20 July 1969. The Soviets would make two more attempts to launch the N1, in 1972 and 1974, but neither was successful. The Soviet engineering firm [[OKB-52]] continued to develop the [[UR-700]] modular booster for the direct ascent [[LK-700]] ship. | The [[Soviet Union]] also considered several direct ascent strategies, though in the end they settled on an approach similar to NASA's: two men in a [[Soyuz spacecraft]] with a one-man [[LK (spacecraft)|LK]] lander. The Soviets attempted to launch the [[N1 (rocket)|N1 rocket]] on 21 February and 3 July 1969, both of which failed, before NASA's [[Apollo 11]] lifted off and made the first crewed [[lunar landing]] on 20 July 1969. The Soviets would make two more attempts to launch the N1, in 1972 and 1974, but neither was successful. The Soviet engineering firm [[OKB-52]] continued to develop the [[UR-700]] modular booster for the direct ascent [[LK-700]] ship. | ||
==In popular culture== | |||
[[Science fiction]] movies such as ''[[Rocketship X-M]]'' and ''[[Destination Moon (film)|Destination Moon]]'' have frequently depicted direct ascent missions, although the first was a two-stage vehicle which accidentally, and successfully landed on Mars, but failed to successfully return to Earth (crashed in Nova Scotia), and the second was a single-stage vehicle which successfully landed on the Moon, and speculatively returned to Earth (return not shown). | [[Science fiction]] movies such as ''[[Rocketship X-M]]'' and ''[[Destination Moon (film)|Destination Moon]]'' have frequently depicted direct ascent missions, although the first was a two-stage vehicle which accidentally, and successfully landed on Mars, but failed to successfully return to Earth (crashed in Nova Scotia), and the second was a single-stage vehicle which successfully landed on the Moon, and speculatively returned to Earth (return not shown). | ||
Latest revision as of 10:11, 1 January 2026
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Direct ascent is a method of landing a spacecraft on the Moon or another planetary surface directly, without first assembling the vehicle in Earth orbit, or carrying a separate landing vehicle into orbit around the target body. It was the first method proposed to achieve a crewed lunar landing in the United States Apollo program, but was rejected because it would have required developing a prohibitively large launch vehicle.
Apollo program
The Apollo program was initially planned based on the assumption that direct ascent would be used.[1] This would have required developing an enormous launch vehicle, either the Saturn C-8 or Nova rocket, to launch the three-man Apollo spacecraft, with an attached landing module, directly to the Moon, where it would land tail-first and then launch off the Moon for the return to Earth. The other two options that NASA considered required a somewhat smaller launch vehicle, either the Saturn C-4 or C-5. These were Earth Orbit Rendezvous, which would have involved at least two launches to assemble the direct-landing and return vehicle in orbit; and Lunar Orbit Rendezvous (LOR), which carried a smaller two-man lunar lander spacecraft for flight between lunar orbit and the surface. LOR was the strategy used successfully in Apollo.[1]
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union also considered several direct ascent strategies, though in the end they settled on an approach similar to NASA's: two men in a Soyuz spacecraft with a one-man LK lander. The Soviets attempted to launch the N1 rocket on 21 February and 3 July 1969, both of which failed, before NASA's Apollo 11 lifted off and made the first crewed lunar landing on 20 July 1969. The Soviets would make two more attempts to launch the N1, in 1972 and 1974, but neither was successful. The Soviet engineering firm OKB-52 continued to develop the UR-700 modular booster for the direct ascent LK-700 ship.
In popular culture
Science fiction movies such as Rocketship X-M and Destination Moon have frequently depicted direct ascent missions, although the first was a two-stage vehicle which accidentally, and successfully landed on Mars, but failed to successfully return to Earth (crashed in Nova Scotia), and the second was a single-stage vehicle which successfully landed on the Moon, and speculatively returned to Earth (return not shown).
See also
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References
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