By Eiffleman

American manned spaceplane used for hypersonic research. Conducted tests for ballistic flight, winged reentry, and gliding recovery. The X-15 was intended to evolve to a manned orbital spacecraft until the urgent need for the Mercury and Gemini programs surfaced. Research from the X-15 eventually led to the techniques...

by Kevin Huang

USAF expendable launch vehicle used from 1965 until 1982. First Titan family rocket to use large solid rocket motors. Intended for launch of the Dyna-Soar (cancelled) but primarily launched DoD payloads.

By Kevin Huang

First American orbital human-rated launch vehicle. Used to launch the Mercury capsule to low Earth orbit.

By Eiffleman

NASA modified Army M113s used as armored rescue vehicles.

By Kevin Huang

American manned spaceplane used for hypersonic research. Conducted tests for ballistic flight, winged reentry, and gliding recovery. The X-15 was intended to evolve to a manned orbital spacecraft until the urgent need for the Mercury and Gemini programs surfaced. Research from the X-15 eventually led to the...

By Kaero, Mark Balderama, and Wolfram Broszies

The Aggregat 4 (A-4), later renamed the V-2 for Vengeance Weapon 2, was the world's first long range missile and the first to pass the Karman line reaching 'space'. Much of the development team went on to help develop rocket programs for both...

By Kevin Huang

First launch of the Mercury program. Launched a boilerplate Mercury capsule to test the ablative heat shield, afterbody heating, and reentry dynamics.

Successor to the Hubble Telescope, the JWST will enable a detailed astronomical and cosmological investigations. The 6.5 meter primary mirror will observe some of the most distant objects in the Universe.

By Eiffleman

Four stage rocket derived from the Jupiter missile and using MGM-29 Sergeant solid rocket motors for the upper stages. Launched Pioneer 3 (failure) and Pioneer 4 which became the first American lunar probe.

By Eiffleman

America's second manned launch vehicle and the first to reach orbit for the Mercury program. Manufactured by Convair and derived from the SM-65D Atlas missile making it a member of the Atlas family of rockets. Launched a total of four crewed Mercury spacecraft.

By Eiffleman

Standardized Atlas plus Agena D used for a variety of NASA and Air Force programs, including Ranger, Mariner, Midas, and Gambit.

By Eiffleman

First American manned space station launched 14 May, 1973. Originated as the Orbital Workshop then vastly upgraded to take advantage of remaining Saturn V rockets.

NASA launch vehicle used to test the Apollo program spacecraft and later to ferry astronauts to Skylab.

By Eiffleman

Mobile launcher for the Little Joe II rocket.

By Eiffleman

NASA vehicle used to quarantine astronauts returning from the first four Apollo lunar missions. An Airstream trailer was converted by Melpar, Inc. to house three crew, a physician, and an engineer.

By Kaero

During the Apollo 8, Apollo 10, and Apollo 11 missions, Helicopter Sikorsky Sea King SH-3D with number 66 was the primary recovery vehicle which hoisted returning astronauts from the spacecraft command modules.