Ever since I first saw the illustrations of the SpaceX II Photonic Propulsion Space Station I've been hooked. I only know of two such SpaceX illustrations, both black and white and both adverts of a toy I've never seen in any form.
Over the years I've come across more illustrations of spacecraft similar to the Photonic Space Station, some of which actually mentioned the name Photon in the title, usually in connection with a Mars mission. So here's a gallery of the spacecraft I've found so far. Its a work in progress and any of your own photonic sightings would be welcomed! [ SpaceX are the three down the left side].
The picture I like the most is the larger one of the four armed satellite at the bottom. The arms with solar panel tips remind me totally of those on the SpaceX Photonic Space Station. The illustration is from a 1968 book called The Encyclopedia of Space but I don't know the actual name of the spacecraft. Can anyone help?
Hey woodstock, thats a design for an early space station, possibly by mc Donnel Douglas. Ill have to check!
ReplyDeleteThat is from the Boeing PARSECS project from the early 1960's. The oval module is from a space station, but the rest of it is a photon drive spacecraft.
ReplyDeletePARSECS stands for "Program for Astronomical Research and Scientific Experiments Concerning Space"
There are some nice photos in a forum here, but you have to register in order to see the photos.