Futuristic Space Exploration Concepts

Illustrations depicting imaginative concepts of space exploration, including satellites, space stations, and lunar bases from past decades.

METEOROLOGICAL STATION IN SPACE Date: circa 1950

from a series of cards for Brooke Bond Tea; 1973; "The Race into Space", illustrated by David Lawson; illustrated colour image of Intelsat 3, an American satellite (A series of 50 cards, no. 24).

METEOROLOGICAL STATION IN SPACE Date: circa 1950

Moon Base

from a series of cards for Brooke Bond Tea; 1973; "The Race into Space", illustrated by David Lawson; illustrated colour image of Meteor, a Soviet Satellite (A series of 50 cards, no. 21).

Atomic Airships of Mars, 1940's Visions of the Future

from a series of cards for Brooke Bond Tea; 1973; "The Race into Space", illustrated by David Lawson; illustrated colour image of Viking, an unmanned American spacecraft (A series of 50 cards, no. 44).

Composite Photo U-2 Aircraft in flight around the moon with the planet Earth in the background.

Assembly work in space by Leonov, Alexei Arkhipovich (*1934) / Central Artist's House, Moscow / Modern / 1982 / Russia / Oil on canvas / Genre /

from a series of cards for Brooke Bond Tea; 1973; "The Race into Space", illustrated by David Lawson; illustrated colour image of Sputnik I (A series of 50 cards, no. 1).

Rocket Launching Pad, Robots, ray guns & rocket ships

1960S Fantasy Illustration Lunar Landing Exploration Moon Astronauts Satellite Rocket Sci-Fi Science Fiction

futuristic vision of an observatory built on the moon 1948

'CORRIDOR' ENABLING SPACE TRAVELLERS TO TRANSFER FROM ONE SPACECRAFT TO ANOTHER Date: circa 1950

soviet space program, propaganda poster. Soviet man you can be be proud, you opened the road to stars from Earth 1963

from a series of cards for Brooke Bond Tea; 1973; "The Race into Space", illustrated by David Lawson; illustrated colour image of the Grand Tour proposed by NASA to tour the solar system in 1977-1978 (A series of 50 cards, no. 47).

Space Station, Robots, ray guns & rocket ships

Friction Moon Rocket, Robots, ray guns & rocket ships

During a missile test at White Sands proving ground, New Mexico, a missile is 'paced' by two inquisitive UFOs Date: 10 June 1949

from a series of cards for Brooke Bond Tea; 1973; "The Race into Space", illustrated by David Lawson; illustrated colour image of the Russian manned spacecraft Voskhod (A series of 50 cards, no. 15).

Imaginary inhabitants of the planet Mercury must withstand colossal heat, and for this reason are likely to exist in the form of insects. Date: 1939

MONGOLIA - CIRCA 1989: stamp printed by Mongolia, shows spaceship Soyuz , circa 1989.

1960s NASA ILLUSTRATION DRAWING TWO ASTRONAUTS EVA WORKING DISK SPACE VEHICLE

This picture illustrates a concept of a 33-Foot-Diameter Space Station Leading to a Space Base. In-house work of the Marshall Space Flight Center, as well as a Phase B contract with the McDornel Douglas Astronautics Company, resulted in a preliminary design for a space station in 1969 and l970. The Marshall-McDonnel Douglas approach envisioned the use of two common modules as the core configuration of a 12-man space station. Each common module was 33 feet in diameter and 40 feet in length and provided the building blocks, not only for the space station, but also for a 50-man space base. Coupled together, the two modules would form a four-deck facility two decks for laboratories and two decks for operations and living quarters. Zero-gravity would be the normal mode of operation, although the station would have an artificial gravity capability. This general-purpose orbital facility was to provide wide-ranging research capabilities. The design of the facility was driven by the need to acc

CUBA - CIRCA 1983: A stamp printed in Cuba, shows ´satelite meteorologico´ space satellite , circa 1983

1960S Space Rocket Flying Past Saturn With Surface Of Another Planet In Foreground

Illustration 1960S Weightless Astronauts Eva Extravehicular Activity Assembling Reflector For Space Station Science Sci-Fi Moon

Science Fiction posters of space stations as mechanical drawings

Diamond production process

Space Stories: Assault on Space Lab, 1940's Visions of the Future

Artist Pat Rawlings' concept of the type of work and hazards future astronauts will encounter on outer worlds Mars Rover Repair

NASA Art by Rick Guidice The Torus Wheel from 'Space Settlements; A Design Study' in colonization sponsored by NASA Ames, ASEE and Stanford University in the summer of 1975 to look at all aspects of sustained life in space. (ref NASA SP-413, library of congress catalog card number 76-600068)

USSR - CIRCA 1974: postage stamp celebrate Mars satellite program, circa 1974

MONGOLIA - CIRCA 1989: stamp printed by Mongolia, shows spaceship Columbia , circa 1989.

RUSSIA - CIRCA 1977: Stamp printed in USSR (Russia), shows study planets in the solar system, with inscription and name of series ´20 years of a space age´, circa 1977

USSR - CIRCA 1974: A Postage Stamp Shows the Space Stations Mars over Planet Mars, circa 1974

Moon Explorer, Robots, ray guns & rocket ships

On Vega, giant star of the Lyra (harp) constellation, life could take the form of insect- like creatures, here depicted carrying a visiting traveler from Earth. Date: 1943

As part of the Space Task Group's recommendations for more commonality and integration in America's space program, Marshall Space Flight Center engineers proposed an orbiting propellant storage facility to augment Space Shuttle missions. In this artist's concept from 1969 an early version of the Space Shuttle is shown refueling at the facility.

Artist Carter Emmart 'The Case for Mars' conference artwork (Mission to Mars) NOTE; for government educational use only -

A fishing party on Vancouver Island, Canada, see a classic domed disc which directs a beam of light at the water(date probably 5th October). Date: October 1973

Science Fiction posters of space stations as mechanical drawings

Space Explorer, Robots, ray guns & rocket ships

This 1969 artist's concept illustrates the use of three major elements of NASA's Integrated program, as proposed by President Nixon's Space Task Group. In Phases I and II, a Space Tug with a manipulator-equipped crew module removes a cargo module from an early Space Shuttle Orbiter and docks with it. In Phases III and IV, the Space Tug with attached cargo module flys toward a Nuclear Shuttle. As a result of the Space Task Group's recommendations for more commonality and integration in the American space program, Marshall Space Flight Center engineers studied many of the spacecraft depicted here.

DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE´S REPUBLIC (DPR) of KOREA - CIRCA 1987:A stamp printed in DPR Korea (North Korea) shows 30 anniversary of the first flight satellite, Sputnik-1 1957 , circa 1987

Science Fiction posters of space stations as mechanical drawings

RUSSIA - CIRCA 1977: Stamp printed in USSR (Russia), shows globe and sputniks, with inscription and name of series ´20 years of a space age´, circa 1977

Science Fiction posters of space stations as mechanical drawings

Science Fiction posters of space stations as mechanical drawings

Science Fiction posters of space stations as mechanical drawings

'MEN AND WOMEN, LET US SAFEGUARD PEACE !' Cosmonaut Gagarin is permitted to utter a politically innocuous statement Date: 1971

Space Shuttle cutaway showing astronauts working with ESA Spacelab

USSR - CIRCA 1966: stamp printed in the USSR shows Luna-11 - rocket flight to the moon with inscription Luna-11, 28 VIII 1966 , circa 1966

Cartoon - 20th Century Man. John Collins (1917-2007)

USSR - CIRCA 1976: A post stamp printed in USSR divided to April 12 Day of Cosmonautics , circa 1976

Artwork: "Rollback of Space Shuttle Challenger" Artist: George Guzzi, USAF Art Collection. Country: Unknown

Just as we speculate what Martians are like, they must be wondering about us. Knowing conditions on our planet, they perhaps picture us like this. Date: 1940

Jupiter Flying Saucer, Robots, ray guns & rocket ships

RUSSIA - CIRCA 1977: Stamp printed in USSR (Russia), shows interplanetary routes, with inscription and name of series ´20 years of a space age´, circa 1977

Science Fiction posters of space stations as mechanical drawings

The Green Splotches by T. S. Stribling. The Interplanetarian flyer leaves Earth. Date: March 1927

FILATELIA-SELLO HUNGARO CONMEMORANDO ASTRONAUTAS RUSOS 1962.

$A star's light refracted through a prism indicates its chemical composition.$

S73-26127 (1973) --- An artist's concept of the Skylab space station cluster in Earth orbit illustrating the deployment of the twin pole thermal shield to shade the Orbital Workshop (OWS) from the sun. This is one of the sunshade possibilities considered to solve the problem of the overheated OWS. Here the two Skylab 2 astronauts have completely deployed the sunshade. Note the evidence of another Skylab problem - the solar panels on the OWS are not deployed as required.

Astounding Science Fiction: Space Fear, 1940's Visions of the Future

Space Explorer, Robots, ray guns & rocket ships

Space Shuttle Re-Entering Earth's Atmosphere

Model of Canada's Alouette satellite at the New York World's Fair, 1964-5

Stamps from North Korea, space capsules, 1976

Yuri Gagarin (1934-68). Russian cosmonaut and first person to travel in space. Czech stamp commemorating his flight in 'Vostok', 12 April 1961

Science Fiction posters of space stations as mechanical drawings

Cartoon - Studying the Stars. John Collins (1917-2007)

Skyscraper rocket rising into space

Encounter between an Earthman and a Martian Date: 1939

Science Fiction posters of space stations as mechanical drawings

USSR - CIRCA 1982: A stamp printed in the USSR shows the day of astronautics on April, 12th, circa 1982

Universe Science Fiction: Rocket Girl, 1940's Visions of the Future

EQUATORIAL GUINEA - 1975: shows Apollo 11 lifts off from the lunar surface, Apollo-Soyuz Space Project EQUATORIAL GUINEA - CIRCA 1975: A stamp printed by Equatorial Guinea shows Apollo 11 lifts off from the lunar surface, Apollo-Soyuz Space Project, circa 1975 Copyright: xZoonar.com/OlgaxPopovax 3898086

USSR - CIRCA 1989: Stamps printed in Russia dedicated to exploration in the space, circa 1989

Artificially-induced auroras offer a viable means of communicating with other worlds : by modifying their pulses, messages can be effectively transmitted. Date: 1939

USSR - CIRCA 1976: Postcard printed in the USSR shows The international cooperation in space, circa 1976

A UFO abduction in New Hampshire, USA. Betty and Barney Hill, driving at night, see a UFO. Later they are stopped by the aliens, taken on board the flying saucer and subjected to a medical examination. Date: 19 September 1961

A blue and black horizon below a crescent moon and several multi-colored spheres appearing as planets with laser lights shining through

USSR - CIRCA 1978: postage stamp shows symbol of space research, circa 1978

'AVENGERS OF SPACE' (Henry Kuttner) The captive travellers from Earth are dragged before the God-Brain of Kathor. Date: 1938

Astounding Science Fiction, December 1947, Robots, ray guns & rocket ships

'Found ! An ancient tomb - for cavemen or spacemen' story tells of a strange 1938 archeological discovery on the China/Tibet border of tombs containing strange skeletons Date: 1979

'WANDERER OF THE VOID' (Dr Arch Carr) Two travellers from Earth encounter reptile-like beings when they land on another world Date: 1937

S69-19795 (February 1969) --- Composite of four artist's concepts illustrating key events, tasks and activities on the fourth day of the Apollo 9 mission, including use of camera, day-night extravehicular activity, use of golden slippers, and television over Texas and Florida. The Apollo 9 mission will evaluate spacecraft lunar module systems performance during manned Earth-orbital flight.

RUSSIA - CIRCA 1979: the stamp printed by Russia shows International space, circa 1979

Wonder Story Annual: Mobile Sphere Explorers, 1940's Visions of the Future

This drawing clearly shows the comparative sizes of the rocket engines used to launch the Saturn vehicles. The RL-10 and the H-1 engines were used to launch the Saturn I rockets. The J-2 engine was used on the second stage of Saturn IB and the second and third stages of Saturn V. The F-1 engine was used on the first stage of the Saturn V.

USSR - CIRCA 1982: A Stamp printed in USSR shows cooperation USSR and France into space, with inscriptions and name of series ´USSR - France Space Cooperation´, circa 1982

USA, New Mexico, Roswell: America's Capital of Space Alien Abductions Space Alien Statue

Space Elephant, Robots, ray guns & rocket ships

Aliens grave robbing Date: 1939

Outer space and galaxy research vector retro posters. Satellites and near Earth orbital station in universe with stars and planets. Galaxy, deep Space exploration, cosmic mission, vintage cards set. Outer space and galaxy research vector posters

Science Fiction posters of space stations as mechanical drawings

USSR - CIRCA 1984: A stamp printed in USSR shows the Intercosmos Cooperative Space Program (USSR-India ), series, circa 198

The Apollo 16 Command Module splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on April 27, 1972 after an 11-day moon exploration mission. The sixth manned lunar landing mission, the Apollo 16 (SA-511), carrying three astronauts Mission Commander John W. Young, Command Module pilot Thomas K. Mattingly II, and Lunar Module pilot Charles M. Duke, lifted off on April 16, 1972. The Apollo 16 continued the broad-scale geological, geochemical, and geophysical mapping of the Moons crust, begun by the Apollo 15, from lunar orbit. This mission marked the first use of the Moon as an astronomical observatory by using the ultraviolet camera/spectrograph which photographed ultraviolet light emitted by Earth and other celestial objects. The Lunar Roving Vehicle, developed by the Marshall Space Flight Center, was also used.

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