Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL)

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Manned Orbiting laboratory (MOL) was developed from early NASA manned space station concepts for military space exploration. MOL evolved into single used laboratory, with a crew onboard and duration 40 days, using a Gemini B spacecraft.

Gemini B prototype - used for tests: displayed in the museum Air Force Space & Missile Museum (credit to unknown author, it was released to public domain)
The MOL program was announced in December 1963 and was based on the Gemini spacecraft. The Gemini B had several modification including hatch in the heat shield for the transition between the spacecraft and the laboratory. The project was cancelled in 1969 since it was shown that unmanned satellites cost less with the same efficiency achieving the same purposes. Instead of this project NASA built civilian space station Skylab (Skylab), based on Apollo experiences.

Soviet Union launched 3 Almaz military stations during 1970s as a response to the announcement of the MOL. 3 Almaz space station flew officially as civilian Salyut 2,3, and 4 space stations (see for example article Space stations post Apollo direction). Soviets also turned into unmanned satellites instead, since the lower cost.

Spacelab was first reusable space laboratory used in certain spaceflight of the US Space Shuttle.

More about space stations you can read for example article Space stations, post Apollo direction.

Some details about Gemini B:
Gemini B would be launched together with the MOL space station. The crew would power down the capsule after reaching the orbit and activate the MOL space station. After the mission would be over, they would return to Gemini B capsule and separate from the station.

Station was supposed to be 21.9m long, with diameter 3.05m and living area of 11.3 m³. 

Unmanned MOL was launched in November 3, 1966. Refurbished Gemini 2 capsule was used. There were another flights proposed between December 1970 and February 1975. They were supposed to used Titan IIIM rockets. Titan IIIM was planned expendable launch system, however development was cancelled in 1969.

November 3, 1966: MOL test flight

 After the cancelation of the program, NASA offered to the MOL astronauts under 35 years of age to be transferred to NASA astronaut program. All 14 MOL astronauts took the offer and all flew later on the Space Shuttle. 

 In fiction:
Novel Blue Darker Than Black by Mike Jenne (2016): The MOL program was secretly transferred to US Navy after the official cancellation in 1969. The NAVY launches MOL in July 1972. 2 Blue Gemini astronauts fly to rescue mission to the MOL after its crew had troubles by the August 4, 1972 solar storm.


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