Historical review and current plans

Abstract

A space station concept published in Colliers Magazine in 1952 was the result of a proposal made by a group of visionary scientists and engineers. NASA began studies regarding the concepts and technology needed for a space station in 1959 during its first year of existence. Formative studies regarding the design and the construction of a space station are discussed, taking into account the 1960 space station design of an American aerospace company, the scale model of a hexagonal self-deploying space station, the concept of the Manned Orbiting Research Laboratory (MORL), MORL with Apollo Logistics System, the MORL Brayton Cycle power system, MORL with nuclear power, a manned orbiting telescope, the 1967 Large Space Station concept, the phase B modular space station, the MOSC configuration 1975, a basic manned platform with resupply, and a concept for a space operations center studied in 1979. A Soviet space station program began with Salyut 1 in April 1971. The U.S. Skylab was launched in May 1973. Attention is also given to military stations and current planning.