MORAD

American manned spacecraft. Study 1961. MORAD (Manned Orbital Rendezvous and Docking) would require the use of the Mercury-Atlas and Scout in the 1961- 1963 period.

Rendezvous in space between a Mercury spacecraft and Scout payload would establish confidence in manned rendezvous techniques and lead to simplification of equipment and increased reliability.

John C. Houbolt and members of the Langley Research Center subcommittee on rendezvous outlined the objectives of a rendezvous program that would lead ultimately to a manned lunar landing:

1. establish manned and unmanned orbital operations,
2. establish techniques for accomplishing space missions through the orbital assembly of units.

Three key projects were described which would accomplish these objectives. The first was MORAD (Manned Orbital Rendezvous and Docking). which would require the use of the Mercury-Atlas and Scout in the 1961- 1963 period. Rendezvous in space between the Mercury spacecraft and Scout payload would establish confidence in manned rendezvous techniques and lead to simplification of equipment and increased reliability. The second key project was ARP (Apollo Rendezvous Phases), in which the Atlas, Agena, and Saturn boosters would be used in the 1962-1965 period. This program would accomplish rendezvous with space stations, personnel transfer, resupply of space laboratory, execution of space maneuvers after coupling (steps toward lunar landing), and development of specifications for subsequent orbital and moon missions. The third project was called MALLIR (Manned Lunar Landing Involving Rendezvous), in which Saturn and Apollo components would be used during the 1961-1967 period. After qualification of the Saturn components for rendezvous operations, an early manned lunar landing would take place.