Martin Project 7969

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Martin Project 7969

Part of Man-In-Space-Soonest

Proj 7969 Martin
Credit: NASA

American manned spacecraft. Study 1958. Martin's proposal for the Air Force manned space project was a zero-lift vehicle launched by a Titan I with controlled flight in orbit. The spacecraft would be boosted into a 240 km orbit for a 24 hour mission.

Status: Study 1958. Gross mass: 1,600 kg (3,500 lb). Height: 4.26 m (13.97 ft).

Tracking would use the Minitrack System and deorbit would be accomplished by a retrorocket producing a 150 m/sec delta-v. Spacecraft attitude control was by rocket thrusters. The spacecraft was fully automatic and the pilot was only a passenger. Maximum G-forces during re-entry were 8-15 g's and an ablative heat shield was proposed. In case of booster failure during ascent to orbit the capsule would be ejected. The spacecraft had a ballistic coefficient (m/CdA) of 500 kg per square meter. Landing precision was within a 160 x 160 km footprint. It was expected that a first manned orbital flight could be achieved 30 months after a go-ahead.

Family: Manned spacecraft. Country: USA. Launch Vehicles: Titan, Titan I. Agency: USAF, Martin. Bibliography: 26, 483, 59.

Photo Gallery

Project 7969 Designs
Project 7969 designs. From left, top row: North American X-15B; Bell Dynasoar; Northrop Dynasoar; Republic Demi body; Avco manoeuvrable drag cone. Second row: Lockheed; Martin; Aeronutronics; Goodyear; McDonnell; Convair
Credit: © Mark Wade

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