May 17

Space Rocket History #439 – Salyut 3 – Soyuz 14 Part 1

Posted on May 17, 2024 by Mike Annis

Salyut 3 featured a “self-defense” gun purportedly designed by Alexander Nudelman for station use. Some reports suggest it was outfitted with a Nudelman-Rikhter “Vulkan” gun, a modified version of the 23mm Nudelman aircraft cannon, or conceivably a Nudelman NR-30 30mm gun. Subsequent Russian accounts propose the gun was the relatively obscure Rikhter R-23, not widely recognized in Western sources. Allegedly, Pavel Popovich has corroborated these assertions.

Almaz Military Salyut Station Configuration

Pavel Popovich

Yuri Artyukhin

May 03

Space Rocket History #438 – Explorer 50, Westar 1, & NOAA 4

Posted on May 3, 2024 by Mike Annis

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NASA’s Explorer 50, also known as Interplanetary Monitoring Platform-8 or IMP-8, stands as a testament to humanity’s relentless pursuit of knowledge and exploration beyond the confines of Earth.

Explorer 50

Westar 1

NOAA 4

Apr 19

Space Rocket History #437 – Mariner 10 – Venus & Mercury

Posted on April 19, 2024 by Mike Annis

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Scientists had long been intrigued by Mercury, the innermost planet of our solar system. Despite its proximity to the Sun, Mercury remained largely unexplored, with many questions remaining about its surface features, geological composition, and magnetic field. The scientific community recognized the need for a dedicated mission to study Mercury up close and unlock its secrets.

Mariner 10 with Instruments Labeled

Mariner 10’s view of Venus

Mariner 10’s Second Flyby of Mercury Showing Equator to South Pole

Apr 05

Space Rocket History #436 – Pioneer 11

Posted on April 5, 2024 by Mike Annis

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Pioneer 11 detected Saturn’s bow shock on Aug. 31, 1979, about 932,000 miles (1.5 million kilometers) out from the planet, thus providing the first conclusive evidence of the existence of Saturn’s magnetic field.