Element115Art
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element115.bsky.social
Element115Art
@element115.bsky.social
Concept art for non-existent space programs. No AI, using only FOSS (Blender and GIMP)

Short stories in Linktree.

linktr.ee/element115art
The TKS was a Soviet design for a space station logistics craft that could carry a crew of three. It flew uncrewed test missions, but was canceled before it could fly in its intended role. The design was later reused for Mir and ISS space station modules.
November 24, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Orion renders:

1) and 2), renders of the spacecraft
3) Size comparison between Orion and Apollo CSM
4) Tongren, my concept for a joint US-Chinese moon-orbiting space station
November 22, 2025 at 4:57 PM
The TKS was a Soviet design for a space station logistics spacecraft, capable to carrying a crew of three. Although it never flew a crew in its intended role, the design was reworked into space station modules for the Mir and ISS.
November 19, 2025 at 11:28 PM
TKS: Vladimir Chemolei's space station logistics craft. Designed to support Almaz military stations, it could carry a crew of three. Despite successful test flights, it never flew a crew. Rather, the design was reconfigured and used as Mir and ISS modules (Zarya and Nauka).
November 17, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Historical unbuilt Gemini concepts:

1) Lunar Reconnaissance Gemini for mapping the lunar surface

2) Mission to rendezvous with the Pegasus micrometeorite satellite

3) Big Gemini space station logistics craft

4) Rescue Gemini for picking up stranded Apollo astronauts
November 15, 2025 at 6:33 PM
The Avco 7969 was designed for the USAF Man in Space Soonest program of the late 50s. It used a deployable drag chute instead of retrorockets to initiate reentry. None of the MISS projects flew, and NASA was given the mission of sending up the first astronaut.
November 13, 2025 at 9:54 PM
The Avco 7969 was an unusual, unflown late 50s USAF crewed spaceflight concept. Instead of retrorockets, it would use a steel mesh drag brake to slow the spaceraft for reentry. This had an advantage of saving weight and being simpler than a traditional retrorocket system.
November 12, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Renders from my alternate history project wherein I designed 80s military spacecraft based on the ships from Star Wars; a world where the Strategic Defense Initiative conformed more strictly to its nickname.
November 7, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Zond 5 returns to Earth. Flown in September 1968, it was a test flight for a Soviet crewed circumlunar mission. Although that mission never happened, Zond 5 was the 1st spacecraft to make a circumlunar flight, making the two turtles it carried the 1st creatures to reach the moon.
November 6, 2025 at 11:20 PM
Zond 5 was a test flight in support of the Soviet objective of completing a circumlunar flight with a crew of two cosmonauts. The Zond spacecraft (7K-L1) was basically a stripped down version of the Soyuz 7K-OK, removing the forward living compartment.
November 4, 2025 at 10:20 PM
While the crew of Apollo 8 were the first human beings to reach the moon and return, two Soviet turtles were the first Earth creatures to accomplish the feat. They were launch aboard Zond 5 on September 14, 1968 and splashed down on September 21st.
November 4, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Happy Halloween!

Check out my newest short story "You Who Dwell in the Dust" in Nocturne Magazine ( @nocturnemag.bsky.social )

It's about Mars.

www.nocturnezine.com/issue-5
October 31, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Happy Halloween from Salem!

Some pictures I took this month.
October 31, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Lunar Liner, sometime in the 2100s. The whole ship would spin around its axis to provide some artificial gravity to the six inflatable passenger modules. The ship would be boosted via space tug to the moon, then return to pick up more passengers before being boosted again.
October 28, 2025 at 9:47 PM
"Saw" Autechre
October 28, 2025 at 3:20 AM
Check the thread for the picture I was referring to. Looks like this is another one from the same shoot. Pretty sure that the truss structure holding the RTG
October 25, 2025 at 4:39 PM
USS Triangulum (NCC-82115), a Galathea-class science vessel (my own design). The Galathea-class is a demilitarized Defiant variant. When the Dominion War ended there were Defiants in various states of completion. Some were retrofitted to this specification.
October 22, 2025 at 8:49 PM
On a recent DS9 rewatch I realized that we never actually see Earth's orbital defenses, so I made this: the Defense Sphere. They have a crew of 10, impulse engines but no warp drive, and two phaser strips. They are designed to be simple to build and deployed in large numbers.
October 20, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Black and white randoms:

1) Infographic
2) Satellite from concept art for 2001: A Space Odyssey
3) Alternate-80s laser carrying space station inspired by the TIE fighter
4) Apollo mission trajectory
October 18, 2025 at 2:30 PM
A closeup view of the Heliogyro's inhabited section. The design comes from a late 60s study for a solar sail. Details of the study in the quoted thread.
October 16, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Apollo Heliogyro: a 1969 proposal by the Astro Research Corporation. The Heliogryo is a unique type of solar sail. The sails are mounted in a pinwheel configuration, and each can be rotated in order to change the angle of the blade with respect to the incoming radiation.
October 14, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Black and white randoms

1) Failed anti-gravity experiment
2) TRS Mk. 2 satellite (1963)
3) 70s McDonnell space station concept
4 Photon rocket based on a design feature in Tekhnika - Molodezhi in 1957
October 11, 2025 at 6:21 PM
The Virgo over Venus. This is my concept for a crewed Venus exploration vessel in the 2100s, based on the astrological glyph for the planet. The whole structure is spun, and the tether increases the overall radius for the inhabited sections while saving weight.
October 9, 2025 at 11:16 PM
The Virgo, my concept for a crewed mission to Venus sometime in the next century. The design is based on the astrology glyph for the planet. It uses rotational artificial gravity.
October 8, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Can't believe this is real. It's been 12 years.
October 7, 2025 at 8:11 PM