In The Field

@ApolloPlus40 – The Manned Orbiting Laboratory

MOL-1.jpg

The Manned Orbiting Laboratory was a US Air Force initiative to build a space station in Earth orbit for surveillance and research purposes.

It would have used Gemini capsules to deliver pairs of Air Force astronauts for missions lasting up to 4 weeks, but funding problems, particularly competition from the Apollo programme and the Vietnam war, eventually scuttled the programme.

Deeper background:

“The Best Laid Plans: A History of the Manned Orbiting Laboratory” a history provided by the Aerospace Corporation.

Some of the equipment is on display at the Air Force Museum.

Photo: US Air Force

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