Mack Crawford
@mackinspace.bsky.social
Artist, aerospace nerd, software engineer
NASA's First Lunar Outpost at lunar morning. The pressurized element is derived from Space Station Freedom's laboratory/habitat modules. In the distance, a set of deployable experiment packages have been set up for astronomical and geological observations
November 22, 2025 at 8:21 PM
NASA's First Lunar Outpost at lunar morning. The pressurized element is derived from Space Station Freedom's laboratory/habitat modules. In the distance, a set of deployable experiment packages have been set up for astronomical and geological observations
Space Transfer Concepts and Analyses for Exploration Missions (STCAEM): A Boeing Mars mission concept from the 1990s. Two broad variants were proposed, with either chemical propulsion and aerocapture or nuclear-thermal propulsion
November 16, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Space Transfer Concepts and Analyses for Exploration Missions (STCAEM): A Boeing Mars mission concept from the 1990s. Two broad variants were proposed, with either chemical propulsion and aerocapture or nuclear-thermal propulsion
My full set of renders of Delta Clipper: Launch, payload deployment, station servicing, and reentry
November 11, 2025 at 2:05 AM
My full set of renders of Delta Clipper: Launch, payload deployment, station servicing, and reentry
The X-20 Dyna-Soar reentering Earth's atmosphere
July 29, 2025 at 1:47 AM
The X-20 Dyna-Soar reentering Earth's atmosphere
Crew Dragon transfers passengers to a Cygnus-derived transit habitat on Cislunar Transporter, to be delivered to a waiting lander in lunar orbit
July 27, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Crew Dragon transfers passengers to a Cygnus-derived transit habitat on Cislunar Transporter, to be delivered to a waiting lander in lunar orbit
The "Mission-B" Cygnus, for use on the remaining CRS2 Cygnus flights. Mostly differentiated visually by a 4th PCM segment, but there are lots of subsystem changes as well to support longer-duration flights, reduce cost, and support more complex applications beyond simple cargo
June 23, 2025 at 9:51 PM
The "Mission-B" Cygnus, for use on the remaining CRS2 Cygnus flights. Mostly differentiated visually by a 4th PCM segment, but there are lots of subsystem changes as well to support longer-duration flights, reduce cost, and support more complex applications beyond simple cargo
Blue Moon Mk2 being maneuvered and refueled by the Cislunar Transporter
May 26, 2025 at 4:07 AM
Blue Moon Mk2 being maneuvered and refueled by the Cislunar Transporter
Sadly, Dyna-Soar and MOL could have never met in orbit: X-20 was canceled the same day the MOL program began. I still think of them as siblings though
April 5, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Sadly, Dyna-Soar and MOL could have never met in orbit: X-20 was canceled the same day the MOL program began. I still think of them as siblings though
For an early crewed lunar flyby, a follow-on to Gemini-Agena was proposed where a modified Gemini would dock to a pair of Transtages, which would boost it to TLI
April 1, 2025 at 2:34 AM
For an early crewed lunar flyby, a follow-on to Gemini-Agena was proposed where a modified Gemini would dock to a pair of Transtages, which would boost it to TLI
An operational derivative of the X-20 docked to a wet workshop built around an S-IV stage
Not much published on the station, but likely served a similar role to MOL
Not much published on the station, but likely served a similar role to MOL
March 27, 2025 at 11:53 PM
An operational derivative of the X-20 docked to a wet workshop built around an S-IV stage
Not much published on the station, but likely served a similar role to MOL
Not much published on the station, but likely served a similar role to MOL
By request, Orion docked directly to Blue Moon. This would be a possible scenario either if Gateway is canceled, or in event of a failure on the lander requiring Orion to retrieve the crew
Any other missions/vehicles people want to see?
Any other missions/vehicles people want to see?
March 16, 2025 at 4:38 PM
By request, Orion docked directly to Blue Moon. This would be a possible scenario either if Gateway is canceled, or in event of a failure on the lander requiring Orion to retrieve the crew
Any other missions/vehicles people want to see?
Any other missions/vehicles people want to see?
Size comparison of the FLO piloted lander vs Altair, Blue Moon, and (outdated model) Starship HLS. Its not outrageously huge overall, but it is a much taller ladder than I'd want to climb down
March 12, 2025 at 12:50 AM
Size comparison of the FLO piloted lander vs Altair, Blue Moon, and (outdated model) Starship HLS. Its not outrageously huge overall, but it is a much taller ladder than I'd want to climb down
Was gonna include the bit about the name, but forgot. Comet sounds cool though
Chemical was the baseline for FLO, but there were proposals to bring nuclear forward sooner, partially for performance and partially to demonstrate it before Mars
Chemical was the baseline for FLO, but there were proposals to bring nuclear forward sooner, partially for performance and partially to demonstrate it before Mars
March 7, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Was gonna include the bit about the name, but forgot. Comet sounds cool though
Chemical was the baseline for FLO, but there were proposals to bring nuclear forward sooner, partially for performance and partially to demonstrate it before Mars
Chemical was the baseline for FLO, but there were proposals to bring nuclear forward sooner, partially for performance and partially to demonstrate it before Mars
Following separation from the J-2S-powered second stage, Comet's nuclear-thermal third stage jettisons its aerodynamic insulation panels (similar to early Centaurs prior to Atlas II) and begins a coast phase prior to translunar injection
March 7, 2025 at 2:21 AM
Following separation from the J-2S-powered second stage, Comet's nuclear-thermal third stage jettisons its aerodynamic insulation panels (similar to early Centaurs prior to Atlas II) and begins a coast phase prior to translunar injection
"The former USSR has a cheap booster for heavy-lift rockets"
"We'll take your whole stock"
One of the launch vehicle options for First Lunar Outpost was the Saturn V-derived base option but with up to 8 Energia strapon boosters
"We'll take your whole stock"
One of the launch vehicle options for First Lunar Outpost was the Saturn V-derived base option but with up to 8 Energia strapon boosters
March 5, 2025 at 4:35 AM
"The former USSR has a cheap booster for heavy-lift rockets"
"We'll take your whole stock"
One of the launch vehicle options for First Lunar Outpost was the Saturn V-derived base option but with up to 8 Energia strapon boosters
"We'll take your whole stock"
One of the launch vehicle options for First Lunar Outpost was the Saturn V-derived base option but with up to 8 Energia strapon boosters
The First Lunar Outpost HLLV second stage compared to SLS's core stage. 2/3 as much propellant mass (its shorter, but wider and has a common bulkhead)
March 4, 2025 at 4:11 AM
The First Lunar Outpost HLLV second stage compared to SLS's core stage. 2/3 as much propellant mass (its shorter, but wider and has a common bulkhead)
This guy is the one I'm doing. Scaled up Saturn V with boosters
I hadn't seen RL10-Jarvis before, just the F-1 and RS-25 versions. Neat
I hadn't seen RL10-Jarvis before, just the F-1 and RS-25 versions. Neat
March 4, 2025 at 1:50 AM
This guy is the one I'm doing. Scaled up Saturn V with boosters
I hadn't seen RL10-Jarvis before, just the F-1 and RS-25 versions. Neat
I hadn't seen RL10-Jarvis before, just the F-1 and RS-25 versions. Neat
Beginning on the launch vehicle for First Lunar Outpost, starting with the NTR version of the Earth departure stage
There's a *lot* of variants of the FLO HLV, with NLS/ALS/Shuttle/Saturn/Energia-derived options. Any in particular you want to see?
There's a *lot* of variants of the FLO HLV, with NLS/ALS/Shuttle/Saturn/Energia-derived options. Any in particular you want to see?
March 2, 2025 at 3:09 AM
Beginning on the launch vehicle for First Lunar Outpost, starting with the NTR version of the Earth departure stage
There's a *lot* of variants of the FLO HLV, with NLS/ALS/Shuttle/Saturn/Energia-derived options. Any in particular you want to see?
There's a *lot* of variants of the FLO HLV, with NLS/ALS/Shuttle/Saturn/Energia-derived options. Any in particular you want to see?
Busy with commissions this week, so reposting the fat Apollo just to remind people of its existence
This is from a 1966 study on a crewed flyby of Eros using Apollo, Saturn, and MORL hardware. Possibly the worst human spaceflight proposal in history
This is from a 1966 study on a crewed flyby of Eros using Apollo, Saturn, and MORL hardware. Possibly the worst human spaceflight proposal in history
February 28, 2025 at 2:09 AM
Busy with commissions this week, so reposting the fat Apollo just to remind people of its existence
This is from a 1966 study on a crewed flyby of Eros using Apollo, Saturn, and MORL hardware. Possibly the worst human spaceflight proposal in history
This is from a 1966 study on a crewed flyby of Eros using Apollo, Saturn, and MORL hardware. Possibly the worst human spaceflight proposal in history
All of the LVs proposed for this were bonkers in some way or another
There's also "Saturn V but with 2 smaller S-ICs on the sides, growable to 4", "ten RSRMs with 3 External Tanks on top and another stage on top of that", "SLS but all-liquid", etc
There's also "Saturn V but with 2 smaller S-ICs on the sides, growable to 4", "ten RSRMs with 3 External Tanks on top and another stage on top of that", "SLS but all-liquid", etc
February 18, 2025 at 2:57 AM
All of the LVs proposed for this were bonkers in some way or another
There's also "Saturn V but with 2 smaller S-ICs on the sides, growable to 4", "ten RSRMs with 3 External Tanks on top and another stage on top of that", "SLS but all-liquid", etc
There's also "Saturn V but with 2 smaller S-ICs on the sides, growable to 4", "ten RSRMs with 3 External Tanks on top and another stage on top of that", "SLS but all-liquid", etc
Another shot of the First Lunar Outpost piloted lander, on course for the moon
February 16, 2025 at 4:30 AM
Another shot of the First Lunar Outpost piloted lander, on course for the moon
The First Lunar Outpost piloted lander on descent. The surface habitat and other assets are visible, a few hundred meters away from this mission's landing zone
February 14, 2025 at 4:31 PM
The First Lunar Outpost piloted lander on descent. The surface habitat and other assets are visible, a few hundred meters away from this mission's landing zone
Having had its layer of foam insulation stripped, and certain structures and systems scavenged in LEO for other purposes, what's left of a Shuttle External Tank is boosted to GEO by a TRW laser-thermal orbital transfer vehicle, to be melted down into material for a solar platform
January 28, 2025 at 2:55 AM
Having had its layer of foam insulation stripped, and certain structures and systems scavenged in LEO for other purposes, what's left of a Shuttle External Tank is boosted to GEO by a TRW laser-thermal orbital transfer vehicle, to be melted down into material for a solar platform
The Titan Liquid Boost Module continues to fire for a minute and a half after SRB separation. After burning to depletion, it will separate from the External Tank and be disposed of into the Pacific
November 21, 2024 at 4:16 AM
The Titan Liquid Boost Module continues to fire for a minute and a half after SRB separation. After burning to depletion, it will separate from the External Tank and be disposed of into the Pacific