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MOL
MOL
MOL
Manned Orbiting Laboratory, Final Design
Credit: © Mark Wade
American manned space station. Cancelled 1969. MOL (Manned Orbiting Laboratory) was the US Air Force's manned space project after Dynasoar was cancelled, until it in turn was cancelled in 1969. The earth orbit station used a helium-oxygen atmosphere.

AKA: AFP-632;Dorian;Dorian, AFP-632, KH-10;KH-10;Manned Orbiting Laboratory. Status: Operational 1966. First Launch: 1966-11-03. Last Launch: 1966-11-03. Number: 1 . Payload: 2,700 kg (5,900 lb). Gross mass: 14,476 kg (31,914 lb). Unfuelled mass: 14,376 kg (31,693 lb). Specific impulse: 255 s. Height: 21.92 m (71.91 ft). Diameter: 3.05 m (10.00 ft).

The crew rode the station to orbit and returned to earth aboard a Gemini-B capsule that was part of the station - no rendezvous or docking was required. Experiments planned ranged the gamut from military reconnaissance using large optical cameras and side-looking radar, through interception and inspection of satellites, to exploring the usefulness of man in space and test of Manned Maneuvering Units.

After cancellation, some of the reconnaissance systems ended up in later KH series satellites, and some of the manned experiments were accomplished on Skylab.

Crew Size: 2. Orbital Storage: 40 days. Habitable Volume: 11.30 m3. Spacecraft delta v: 101 m/s (331 ft/sec). Electric System: 2,000.00 kWh. Electric System: 2.00 average kW.



Subtopics

Gemini B AM American manned spacecraft module. Cancelled 1969. Adapter module for Gemini B, the engines serving as both abort motors during ascent to orbit and for retrofire on return to earth. Abort/deorbit propulsion.

Gemini B RM American manned spacecraft. Cancelled 1969. Gemini was extensively redesigned for the MOL Manned Orbiting Laboratory program. The resulting Gemini B, although externally similar, was essentially a completely new spacecraft. Reentry capsule.

MOL LM American manned space station module. Cancelled 1969. The Laboratory Module consisted of a forward unpressurized section 2.43 m long, followed by an aft pressurized section, a 3.37 m long cylinder with 2.79 m diameter hemispherical bulkheads at each end. Space station military.

MOL MM American manned space station module. Cancelled 1969. The MOL Mission Module took up most of the spacecraft. It had a length of 11.24 m and was divided into two major bays, the forward section 4.42 m long, and the aft section 6.82 m long.

MOL Space Suit American space suit. Cancelled 1969. Space suit designed to support launch/re-entry and Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA) aboard the USAF Manned Orbiting Laboratory. Developed from 1965-1969, when MOL was cancelled.

MOL 3 At the time of the cancellation of the MOL program in June 1969, the first manned mission was planned for early 1972. A crew of two would have spent thirty days in orbit operating sophisticated military reconnaissance equipment and other experiments.

MOL 4 Planned date of second manned MOL mission at time of the program cancellation.

MOL 5 Planned date of third manned MOL mission at time of the program cancellation.

MOL 6 Planned date of fourth manned MOL mission at time of the program cancellation. From the beginning of the project, the Navy had demanded that this be an all-Navy crew, which would limit the crew to Truly, with either Overmyer or Crippen as co-pilot.

MOL 7 Planned date of fifth manned MOL mission. This mission was already deleted from the FY 1970 budget request in April 1969, two months before the entire project was cancelled.

Family: Space station, Surveillance orbit, USA - Space Stations. Country: USA. Spacecraft: Gemini B AM, Gemini B RM, MOL LM, MOL MM. Launch Vehicles: Titan, Titan II, Titan IIIC, Titan 3M. Propellants: Solid. Launch Sites: Cape Canaveral, Vandenberg, Cape Canaveral LC40. Agency: USAF, Douglas. Bibliography: 128, 137, 16, 2, 22, 26, 279, 28, 376, 54, 88.
Photo Gallery

MOL MOL
Credit: © Dan Roam


Gemini B Panel Gemini B Panel
Gemini B control panel, as would be used in the MOL project, showing numerous changes from NASA Gemini.
Credit: Glen Swanson


Gemini B Gemini B
Gemini B cross-section
Credit: McDonnell Douglas


MOL LM View 2 MOL LM View 2
MOL Lab Module cutaway
Credit: McDonnell Douglas


MOL LM View 1 MOL LM View 1
MOL Lab Module cutaway
Credit: McDonnell Douglas


MOL LM Forward MOL LM Forward
MOL Lab Module forward unpressurised section
Credit: McDonnell Douglas


MOL Full Size MOL Full Size
Credit: © Dan Roam


MOL early design MOL early design
MOL early design concept
Credit: © Mark Wade


MOL seen from Gemini MOL seen from Gemini
MOL seen from Gemini over hurricane
Credit: © Mark Wade


MOL in flight MOL in flight
MOL in flight over Pacific
Credit: © Mark Wade


MOL in flight MOL in flight
MOL in flight over Sinai Peninsula
Credit: © Mark Wade


MOL seen from Gemini MOL seen from Gemini
MOL seen from Gemini over Sinai Peninsula
Credit: © Mark Wade


MOL in flight MOL in flight
MOL in flight over Sinai Peninsula
Credit: © Mark Wade


MOL seen from Gemini MOL seen from Gemini
MOL seen from Gemini over Sinai Peninsula
Credit: © Mark Wade


MOL MOL
MOL as it actually would have appeared in space
Credit: © Mark Wade


Manned Orbiting Lab Manned Orbiting Lab
Manned Orbiting Laboratory
Credit: © Mark Wade


MOL Mockup MOL Mockup
Credit: Manufacturer Image


Gemini with MORL Gemini with MORL
Gemini docked with MORL. Note lack of a docking hatch in Gemini is accommodated by having docking collar as large as the base of the Gemini re-entry vehicle itself.
Credit: US Air Force


Gemini Control Panel Gemini Control Panel
Gemini control panel - close-up of the pedestal controls between the two astronauts.
Credit: NASA


Gemini Spacecraft Gemini Spacecraft
Credit: © Mark Wade



1959 June 22 - .
1962 May 23 - . LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan II.
1963 July 22 - .
1963 August 9 - .
1963 August 30 - .
1963 September 12 - .
1963 November 14 - .
1963 November 30 - .
1963 December 4 - .
1963 December 5 - .
1963 December 10 - .
1963 December 10 - . LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan IIIM.
1963 December 16 - .
1963 December 19 - .
1963 December 31 - .
1964 January-March - .
1964 January 10 - .
1964 February 1 - .
1964 February 15 - .
1964 June 5 - . LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan IIIC.
1964 December 7 - .
1965 January 23 - .
1965 August 24 - .
1965 August 25 - .
1965 August 25 - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 3M.
1965 August 25 - . LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan IIIM.
1965 August 31 - .
1965 December 29 - .
1966 March 12 - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan IIIC.
1966 March 21 - .
1966 May 20-21 - .
1966 November 3 - . 13:50 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC40. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan IIIC.
1967 February 14 - .
1967 March - .
1967 March 20 - .
1967 May 2 - .
1968 March 1 - .
1969 April 27 - . LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 3M.
1969 June 10 - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan IIIC.
1969 August 4 - .
1970 February 9 - .
1970 Late - . LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 3M.
1971 - . LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 3M.
1972 Early - . LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 3M.
1972 Late - . LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 3M.
1973 - . LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 3M.
1974 - . LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 3M.
1975 - . LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 3M.

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