In the opinion of many space historians, Langley's most important contribution to the Apollo program was its development of Lunar Orbit Rendezvous. Here, John Houbolt explains the critical weight-saving advantage of the LOR concept. The basic premise was to fire an assembly of three spacecraft into Earth orbit on top of a single powerful rocket.
In the opinion of many space historians, Langley’s most important contribution to the Apollo program was its development of Lunar Orbit Rendezvous (LOR).
Here, John Houbolt explains the critical weight-saving advantage of the LOR concept. The basic premise was to fire an assembly of three spacecraft into Earth orbit on top of a single powerful rocket.
Without this successful mission concept, the United States may still have landed humans on the moon, but it probably would not have happened by the end of the 1960s as directed by President Kennedy.Image Credit: NASA