Orbiter Spaceport

Apollo 8 launch highlights, from liftoff to orbit, from HD sources Launched on December 21, 1968, Apollo 8 was the first crewed spacecraft to orbit the Moon.  Some of the original footage was taken by engineering cameras at high frame rates and normally is shown in slow motion. Here it's presented in real speed, but taking advantage of 60 fps video for smother motion.  On the latter part of the ascent, images from Apollo 4 and 6 are used to illustrate stage separation, tower jettison and out the window views. These are also presented at approximate real speed.

Saturn I test flight videos, in real-time and with side-by-side rocket camera views The early Saturn I test flights (Saturn I SA-5 and Saturn I SA-6) are interesting visually because of the on-board camera footage, with good coverage of stage separation. SA-5 tested S-IV second stage ignition and SA-6 carried the first boilerplate Apollo spacecraft into low Earth orbit Since they where test flights, engineers needed images to record what was happening on the vehicle during flight. Most times these on-board cameras would run faster or slower than the standard 24fps film speed. Normally the sequences are shown with no compensation for that, but where I tried to show things in real time. I'm presenting these images in real time and side by side with the more common distant views. The original images come from multiple documentaries and film sources. Sound comes from a real Saturn I launch.

I've uploaded some videos dealing with spaceflight theory. You can find them on this playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ4LzWgVGYi2sc-KyCITzbTsFUfzFkOMf Or you can view them here: Fly me to the Moon - and back "Fly me to the Moon - and back" is a 1966 NASA documentary that explains the complexity of planning a lunar mission trajectory. Includes mission analysis, mathematical techniques, computers, mission plan, calculations and real-time support for the NASA Mission Control. Launch windows for lunar landing "Launch windows for lunar landing" is a 1967 NASA documentary, and describes, with animation, the planning of a lunar mission with trajectories and physical capabilities that define these trajectories. Emphasizes launch windows and Earth reentry. Space Navigation "Space Navigation" was made in 1968 and is very informative, showing techniques and equipment used in lunar missions. The Apollo spacecraft...

The Gemini B was the military version of the Gemini spacecraft, adapted for use on the MOL (Manned Orbiting Laboratory) program. The general cockpit layout was similar, but many instruments were changed. I'm doing a 3D model of the cockpit, and as part of that I need to recreate the dashboard layout. For the normal Gemini we have great detailed instrument layouts, but for Gemini B we must work based on photos. I've identified as much labels as possible. Some probably have errors, but still I think you get the idea of the general operation. The main difference from the stock Gemini is that gauges and switches are more protected perhaps from accidental touching. Also you have controls for the MOL laboratory on the right hand panel. Left panel Center panel Bottom panel Right panel I'm working mainly based on two reference photos: (http://www.nro.gov) (unknown origin)

  Mercury-Redstone 1 (MR-1) was the first flight test of the Redstone rocket in Project Mercury. Intended as an unmanned sub-orbital spaceflight, it was launched on November 21, 1960 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. The launch failed in a peculiar fashion with the rocket shutting down just after liftoff. As such it became know as the "four-inch flight". The video is presented in real-time, with side-by-side views of the rocket. Interestingly, the original footage was taken at different speeds. The view on the right had a higher frame rate originally, as is typical of engineering cameras.  Here, it was matched to view on the left. Sounds were recreated, since there's no audio of this event.

The Apollo 9 mission tested the Apollo CMS and LEM in Earth orbit. It included a EVA where Lunar Module Pilot Rusty Schweickart was using an handheld camera at the LM forward hatch and Command Module Pilot David Scott had a camera fixed to the CM side hatch. Here I took footage from both cameras and synchronized it with real time audio. Image processing: Frame rate corrected and motion interpolated from 6fps to 24fps.  Motion stabilization performed on the handheld camera footage. Fish-eye lens corrected on the fixed camera The end result is a cleared view of the EVA highlights. I created one version with footage from both cameras side-by-side, and another with a normal edit.

Started a YouTube channel to show some videos I'm making. - Retro Space HD They are mainly about historical space missions, trying to balance accuracy, modern online language and and good image quality: sequences shown in chronological order and at real speed short videos about a single aspect of the mission,  multiple camera angles adding sound effects and music noise reduction, field of view correction hand cropping for 16:9 HD displays I'm working based on new HD transfers of the original footage, and also on the original period NASA mission documentaries. I'll post a few videos here soon!