Astronautics Collection (page 6)

Starship inspired by the novels of Stephen Baxter

A Mars cycler travels by the Earth while two astronauts watch from afar
A Mars cycler swings by the Earth and onward to Mars while two astronauts in manned maneuvering units (AKA, MMUs) watch from afar

An orbital maintenance platform docks an orbiting booster in low Earth orbit
An orbital maintenance platform (OMP) docks an orbiting booster in low Earth orbit. Once connected the booster will loft the OMP to a gravitationally stable Lagrangian point about 700 thousand miles

An aerial view of the Apollo 15 spacecraft on its launch pad
Cape Canaveral, Florida, July 13, 1971 - An aerial view of Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, showing the 363-feet tall Apollo 15 (Spacecraft 112/Lunar Module 10/Saturn 510)

An orbital maintenance platform fires it liquid-propellant rocket thrusters
An orbital maintenance platform (OMP) docked with a manned reusable crew capsule (RCC) in low Earth orbit fires its ten liquid-propellant rocket thrusters in order to lift it to a far higher Earth

International Space Station solar array panels and planet Earth
May 21, 2011 - International Space Station solar array panels and a blue and white part of Earth

Canadarm2 robotic arm releases the Cygnus spacecraft
October 22, 2013 - The International Space Stations Canadarm2 releases the Orbital Sciences Cygnus commercial craft. A blue and white part of Earth provides the backdrop for the scene

The Apollo 16 space vehicle is launched from Kennedy Space Center
April 16, 1972 - The huge, 363-feet tall Apollo 16 (Spacecraft 113/Lunar Module 11/Saturn 510) space vehicle is launched from Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida, on a lunar landing mission

A NASA Project Mercury spacecraft is test launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida
February 21, 1961 - In this Project Mercury test, a spacecraft booster by a modified Atlas was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida

The International Space Station with two docked Russian spacecraft
July 12, 2011 - The International Space Stations Cupola, backdropped against black space, a horizon scene and various components of the orbiting outpost

Space Shuttle Atlantis over the Bahamas
July 10, 2011 - Space Shuttle Atlantis over the Bahamas. Part of a Russian Progress spacecraft is visible in the foreground

A northern hemisphere mid-Atlantic low pressure system
February 23, 2013 - View from space of a northern hemisphere mid-Atlantic low pressure system

The SpaceX Dragon cargo craft is suspended in the grasp of the Candarm2
May 31, 2012 - The SpaceX Dragon cargo craft is suspended in the grasp of the Candarm2 robotic arm some 240 miles above Earth

Lunar liquid mirror telescope scale reference
A scale reference depicting an extremely large liquid mirror optical telescope with a diameter of 1 kilometer (6 tenths of a mile) and 1 kilometer tall

The SpaceX Dragon cargo craft with Earths horizon in the background
May 25, 2012 - With darkness, Earths horizon and thin line of atmosphere forming a backdrop, the SpaceX Dragon commercial cargo craft is grappled by the Canadarm2 robotic arm at the International

Apollo 10 space vehicle on the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center
May 4, 1969 - Ground-level view of the Apollo 10 (Spacecraft 106/Lunar Module 4/Saturn 505) space vehicle on Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida

A starship from Earth travels to a red planet to begin an exploratory expedition

An Orion class Crew Exploration Vehicle paired with a Soyuz TMA spacecraft
An Orion class Crew Exploration Vehicle (aka Deep Space Vehicle) is paired with a Soyuz TMA-M manned spacecraft for a joint deep space rendezvous with a satellite parked in a gravitationally stable

Spaceships fly through space to investigate an alien planet and its moon
Three spaceships fly through space to investigate an alien planet and its moon

A command module prepares to dock with a Phobos mission rocket in Earth orbit
An Orion class command module, upper right, prepares to dock with a Phobos mission rocket in Earth orbit. Below at a distance of approximately 200 miles is the eastern Sahara desert

A reusable crew capsule prepares to dock with an orbital maintenance platform
A manned reusable crew capsule (RCC) prepares to dock with an orbital maintenance platform (OMP) in low Earth orbit

A manned Soyuz TMA-M spacecraft docked with an extended stay module
A manned Soyuz TMA-M spacecraft docked with a three-person extended stay module soars over the Moon with the aid of a Russian-made upper stage booster rocket

A lunar lander begins its descent to the moons surface from an altitude of 40, 000 feet

Space Station 5 in Earth orbit

A spacecraft passes by a blue planet with a ring of asteroids
Small asteroids swirl around a blue planet as a spacecraft passes by on its way to a colorful nebula

Mars outpost near mesa
A manned habitat rests on the rocky and desolate surface of Mars. In the background is a mesa and on the right a manned rover

A manned reusable crew capsule docks with an orbital maintenance platform
A manned reusable crew capsule (RCC) docks with an orbital maintenance platform (OMP) in low Earth orbit. Once docked this mobile spacecraft system will have a total length of 70 feet

The SpaceX Dragon commercial cargo craft berthed to the ISS
May 25, 2012 - The SpaceX Dragon commercial cargo craft is berthed to the Earth-facing side of the International Space Stations Harmony node

Soyuz deep space explorer docked begins to leave Earth orbit
A manned Soyuz TMA-M spacecraft docked with a three-person extended stay module begins to leave Earth orbit with the aid of a Russian-made upper stage booster rocket

The Phobos mission rocket prepares for approach to the martian moon
With the Phobos mission rocket in a stable orbit near Phobos (upper right), the command module departs so that it may approach to within a few hundred yards of the martian moon

The aft part of space shuttle Endeavour backdropped against a part of Earth
May 19, 2011 - The aft part of space shuttle Endeavour backdropped against a part of Earth showing Italy. The vertical stabilizer

The Hubble Space Telescope backdropped by planet Earth
April 25, 1990 - The Hubble Space Telescope backdropped by planet Earth

A Russian Soyuz spacecraft docked to the International Space Station
January 31, 2011 - A Russian Soyuz spacecraft docked to the International Space Station. A blue and white part of Earth and the blackness of space provide the backdrop for the scene

Orion-drive spacecraft approaching Mars, with habitat modules extended for centripetal gravity

A manned Asteroid Lander on the surface of an asteroid
This manned Asteroid Lander includes a hatch permitting explorers (in space suits) to exit the lander and explore the asteroids airless, lunar-like surface

The Soyuz TMA-10M above Earths limb
September 25, 2013 - The Soyuz TMA-10M above Earths limb

Fish-eye lens view of the Enhanced International Space Station Boom Assembly
May 27, 2011 - Fish-eye lens view of the newly-attached 50-foot-long Enhanced International Space Station Boom Assembly

Xeelee nightfighters, inspired by the novels of Stephen Baxter

Lunar space elevator compared to a locomotive
This manned lunar space elevator is approximately 160 feet long, about the length of a modern locomotive and two box cars and would carry a crew of two

The SpaceX Dragon cargo craft prior to being released by the Canadarm2 robotic arm
May 31, 2012 - The SpaceX Dragon cargo craft is pictured just prior to being released by the International Space Stations Canadarm2 robotic arm to allow it to head toward a splashdown in the Pacific

The SpaceX Dragon commercial cargo craft approaches the International Space Station
May 25, 2012 - The SpaceX Dragon commercial cargo craft approaches the International Space Station for grapple and berthing

The Apollo 12 space vehicle at Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Cape Canaveral, Florida, September 8, 1969 - Ground-level view at Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, showing the Apollo 12 (Spacecraft 108/ Lunar Module 6/ Saturn 507)

Artists concept of the Aries 1B spacecraft approaching the Moon
Artists concept of the Aries 1B spacecraft from the novel, 2001: A Space Odyssey, approaching the Moon

Artists concept of a lunar cycler
A lunar cycler has reached its furthest orbital point from the Earth, the apogee, and is rounding the far side of the Moon to begin its fall back toward Earth

View of space shuttle Discoverys three main engines
February 26, 2011 - View of the aft portion of the space shuttle Discovery, including the three main engines and part of the wings

Illustration of astronauts exploring the surface of Saturns moon Titan during a blizzard. A forbidding blizzard of ethane ice flakes immobilizes two explorers and their surface transportation

A pilot looks up at his ride to the stars

A spacecraft arrives at the docking station on an enormous gas giant

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Astronautics, the captivating realm of space exploration, has witnessed remarkable milestones throughout history. From the groundbreaking launch of Sputnik II carrying Laika, the courageous canine astronaut, to the awe-inspiring image of an astronaut standing on the moon with Earth as a backdrop - these moments have forever etched themselves in our collective memory. The journey began with Sputnik I, a testament to human ingenuity and scientific prowess. As it pierced through Earth's atmosphere, it heralded a new era of possibilities and ignited fierce competition between Russia and the United States. The race for supremacy in space intensified when Sputnik II embarked on its mission with Laika onboard, capturing hearts worldwide. Amidst this rivalry emerged extraordinary feats like Yuri Gagarin becoming the first human to orbit our planet aboard Vostok This triumph was celebrated not only by Russia but also marked a significant milestone for all humankind. Spacewalks became another defining moment in astronautics as Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov ventured outside his spacecraft adorned in an artistic spacesuit. His daring act paved the way for future extravehicular activities that expanded our understanding of outer space. Meanwhile, across continents and oceans lay Apollo 1 tragedy - a somber reminder of the risks involved in pushing boundaries. Yet from this dark chapter arose resilience and determination as NASA continued their pursuit towards landing humans on lunar soil. As time progressed, Pravda unveiled secrets hidden within Sputnik I's walls – revealing astonishing discoveries that further fueled mankind's curiosity about what lies beyond our blue planet. Fast forward to present times; we witness breathtaking images captured by rovers exploring Mars' rugged terrain or glimpses into distant galaxies taken by powerful telescopes stationed above Earth's atmosphere. These advancements remind us that there is still so much left unexplored within our vast universe. Astronautics continues to evolve; private companies now join the ranks of space exploration, offering opportunities for space tourism.