“Martin XRV”: Save your backpacks for the EVA transfer.

Last night I took the time to watch again 1969 “Marooned” movie. Inspired in Martin Caidin’s book, this movie it’s not one of those I revisit often (dull acting and so-so story), but some of its props had real charm.
The jewel of the crown to me was its “XRV”, a lifting body (LB) shape inspired BY the Martin SV-5. This USAF-sponsored LB aircraft was tested in space in the middle-late 1960’s as the sub-scale X-23 PRIME and later in earth atmosphere, as the full-scale X-24A, in the early 1970’s.  A design which has merits; NASA applied later the concept to its now cancelled X-38 rescue vehicle. By the way, the Martin Marietta company had a crystal ball in 1965.
I’m not going to start relating its technical goofs, but the rude way that Sikorsky CH-3C deposited the “XRV” on the lorry couldn’t have done any good to its thermal protection.

Not at Kubrick’s “2001” level, yet the “XRV” cockpit had style and some really convincing gadgetry. The movie’s spacesuits, not being superb, were decent enough.