Integrated Manned Programme

When Apollo 17 left the moon, on the descent module was a plaque that read Here Man completed his first explorations of the moon. December 1972 AD. May the spirit of peace in which we came be reflected in the lives of all mankind.

But what were his next explorations to be like...

NASAs Integrated Post-Apollo Program

Reusable Nuclear Shuttle

Reusable Nuclear Shuttle

One of the 'backbones' of the Integrated Manned Program was the Reusable Nuclear Shuttle(RNS), a NERVA based propulsion stage that could be used either to shuttle cargo between Earth and Moon, or to send men to Mars and Venus.

A completed RNS ready for launch atop a Saturn INT-21

They were to be launched into orbit either by using a Space Shuttle and Saturn INT-21 to send it up as components to be assembled in orbit, or by using an Saturn INT-21 to place the entire spacecraft in Earth orbit.

References

Here are a selection of documents with information on the Integrated Manned Programme:

• North American/Rockwell, Technological Requirements Common to Manned Planetary Missions, December 7, 1967
• Boeing, Integrated Manned Interplanetary Spacecraft Concept Definition, Final Report Vol.1, Summary, January, 1968
• Boeing, Integrated Manned Interplanetary Spacecraft Concept Definition, Final Report Vol.2, System Assessment & Sensitivities, January, 1968
• Boeing, Integrated Manned Interplanetary Spacecraft Concept Definition, Final Report Vol.3(a), Systems Analysis (Missions & Operations), January, 1968
• Boeing, Integrated Manned Interplanetary Spacecraft Concept Definition, Final Report Vol.3(b), Systems Analysis (Experiment Program), January, 1968
• Boeing, Integrated Manned Interplanetary Spacecraft Concept Definition, Final Report Vol.4, System Definition, January, 1968
• Boeing, Integrated Manned Interplanetary Spacecraft Concept Definition, Final Report Vol.5, Plans & Costs, January, 1968
• Boeing, Integrated Manned Interplanetary Spacecraft Concept Definition, Final Report Vol.6, Cost Effective Subsystem Selection & Evolutionary Development, January, 1968
• J.P. Downs, W.B Thompson, A Feasible Planetary Exploration Program Through 1980, February 26, 1968
• A.E. Marks Rationale for selection of a 50000 pound propulsion module in an integrated manned space flight program, July 7, 1969
• W.B. Thompson, Integrated Space Program: Manned Planetary Missions for the 1980's, August 6, 1969
• E.M. Grenning Integrated manned space flight program traffic model, June 4, 1970
• T.H. Sharpe, G. Von Tiesenhausen, Space flight evolution, June 30, 1970
• Nuclear shuttle system definition study. Phase 3, volume 2 Concept and feasibility analysis. Part A Class 1 Hybrid RNS. Book 1 System analysis and operations, May 1, 1971
• Nuclear shuttle system definition study. Phase 3, volume 2 Concept and feasibility analysis. Part A Class 1 Hybrid RNS. Book 2 System definition, May 1, 1971
• North American/Rockwell, Lunar Base Synthesis Study Final Report Vol.2, Mission Analysis and Lunar Base Synthesis, May 15, 1971
• North American/Rockwell, Lunar Base Synthesis Study Final Report Vol.3, Shelter Design, May 15, 1971