#lunar test article

[lonestarflight]

Apollo Lunar Module Test Article no. 1 (LTA-1) at the Cradle of Aviation Museum.

Note: the round egress hatch opening. This was changed on the product version to the familiar square hatch.

Date: March 5, 2023

Photograph by Mike Peel: link

[lonestarflight]

The Apollo Lunar Test Article (LTA-8) under construction at Grumman's facility in Bethpage, Long Island, New York.

Date: March 14, 1967

NASA ID: S67-27042

Grumman Aerospace Company Photo: LPS-250-214

source

[lonestarflight]

Early concept art of the Apollo Command and Service Module docked with the front port of the Ascend stage of the Lunar Module.

"Originally the LM was to have two docking ports, at the top and front. But during development it was decided to change the front port to a hatch only, saving weight but making docking very uncomfortable for the crew."

-information from Astronautix: link

Photo of an early probe and drogue docking simulator/demonstrator at North American Aviation.

This was still evident with the early Lunar Test Articles, as seen here on LTA-1/11.

"Project Apollo: Mission to the Moon" by Charles Coombs, Scholastic Books, Inc., 1965

Posted on Flickr by Numbers Station: link

Smithsonian Institute: A19740648000

NASA ID: 64304, link

NAA publicity photo: 7005-04-196 C