Hey everyone,
Gemini III was the first manned flight of the program with Virgil Grissom as the command pilot and John Young as the pilot. Their spacecraft was named the Molly Brown, and they launched on March 23, 1965. They only had one objective which was an orbital maneuver by a manned spacecraft, and they were successful. It was also the first American spaceflight that carried two men into space. During the flight, Young hid a corned beef sandwich on board and tried to consume it, but it began to fall apart. Once they landed 84 kilometers short of their intended splashdown point, they were reprimanded for this action. Grissom would never fly into space again, but Young would make many more journeys into space. These will be discussed in later blogs.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Project Gemini
Hey everyone,
On May 25, 1961, just weeks after Shepard spent 15 minute in space, President Kennedy claimed that man (an American) would go to the moon before the end of the decade. The Mercury missions, alone, would not be enough for astronauts to go to the moon. Before a moon landing could be possible, there were five objectives that had to be met. There were:
1.To test the durability of astronauts and equipment in space for an extended period of time using long duration space flights.
2. To rendezvous and dock two separate spacecraft and then maneuver the space craft.
3. To perfect re-entry and landing techniques.
4. To gain further information about the effects of weightlessness on the body.
5. To have an astronaut go outside the spacecraft for Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA).
Once these were accomplished, the United States could journey to the moon. However, there was another new development in Project Gemini, the Titan III rocket which was a modified ICBM. The first two flights would be unmanned, but Gemini III would carry men into space.
Next: Gemini III
On May 25, 1961, just weeks after Shepard spent 15 minute in space, President Kennedy claimed that man (an American) would go to the moon before the end of the decade. The Mercury missions, alone, would not be enough for astronauts to go to the moon. Before a moon landing could be possible, there were five objectives that had to be met. There were:
1.To test the durability of astronauts and equipment in space for an extended period of time using long duration space flights.
2. To rendezvous and dock two separate spacecraft and then maneuver the space craft.
3. To perfect re-entry and landing techniques.
4. To gain further information about the effects of weightlessness on the body.
5. To have an astronaut go outside the spacecraft for Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA).
Once these were accomplished, the United States could journey to the moon. However, there was another new development in Project Gemini, the Titan III rocket which was a modified ICBM. The first two flights would be unmanned, but Gemini III would carry men into space.
Next: Gemini III
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
The rest of the Mercury 7
Hey everyone,
Of the original Mercury 7, six would be the first Americans into space. One man, Deke Slayton would not fly on those initial six flights. He would be grounded for atrial fibrillation, but he would continue to work for NASA as the head of astronaut selection. However, Scott Carpenter, Wally Schirra, and L. Gordon Cooper. All of them would orbit, but Carpenter would miss his landing by 250 miles and never fly a spacecraft again due to a grounding injury. At one point, they were worried that he'd become the first casualty in space, but he located eventually. Many blamed him for the overshot, but this is still debated. Schirra would fly a near flawless mission and continue on in the space program. Cooper would fly the last Mercury mission on March 15, 1963. He slept during the countdown and would be the first American to sleep in space during his 34 hour mission. He too would continue in the space program in project Gemini.
Of the original Mercury 7, six would be the first Americans into space. One man, Deke Slayton would not fly on those initial six flights. He would be grounded for atrial fibrillation, but he would continue to work for NASA as the head of astronaut selection. However, Scott Carpenter, Wally Schirra, and L. Gordon Cooper. All of them would orbit, but Carpenter would miss his landing by 250 miles and never fly a spacecraft again due to a grounding injury. At one point, they were worried that he'd become the first casualty in space, but he located eventually. Many blamed him for the overshot, but this is still debated. Schirra would fly a near flawless mission and continue on in the space program. Cooper would fly the last Mercury mission on March 15, 1963. He slept during the countdown and would be the first American to sleep in space during his 34 hour mission. He too would continue in the space program in project Gemini.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Friendship 7 and John Glenn
Hey everyone,
Glenn is the third American to travel to space, but he is the first orbit the Earth. He joined the military after the attack on Pearl Harbor and began flying missions. He would continue to fly and train pilots for the military until he entered the history books by completing the first supersonic transcontinental flight on July 16, 1957. In 1959, he was selected as one of the Mercury 7 astronauts. Glenn was the backup crew for Shepard during his historic flight and finally flew the third mission on Friendship 7. On February 20, 1962, Glenn successfully entered orbit and completed three periods around the Earth. There was some worry that his heat shield would fail upon re-entry, but it held. Glenn splashed down with no problems. After a ticker tape parade, he was hailed as a national hero and many forgot about Shepard and Grissom. However, Glenn retired from NASA in early 1964 soon after the assignation of John F. Kennedy. There was also a rumor that Kennedy made sure that Glenn would not fly into outer space again because of his standing as a national hero. After leaving NASA, Glenn focused on politics but didn't win a seat until 1974 when he became a senator from Ohio. Glenn would journey into space one more time at the age of 77 in 1998. Again, he would enter the history books as the oldest person to go to outer space. His trip provided data on how the elderly could handle the impact of space even though some criticized it as political, but Glenn would retire from politics in the following year. Glenn made an historic flight, but their were many more to come.
Glenn is the third American to travel to space, but he is the first orbit the Earth. He joined the military after the attack on Pearl Harbor and began flying missions. He would continue to fly and train pilots for the military until he entered the history books by completing the first supersonic transcontinental flight on July 16, 1957. In 1959, he was selected as one of the Mercury 7 astronauts. Glenn was the backup crew for Shepard during his historic flight and finally flew the third mission on Friendship 7. On February 20, 1962, Glenn successfully entered orbit and completed three periods around the Earth. There was some worry that his heat shield would fail upon re-entry, but it held. Glenn splashed down with no problems. After a ticker tape parade, he was hailed as a national hero and many forgot about Shepard and Grissom. However, Glenn retired from NASA in early 1964 soon after the assignation of John F. Kennedy. There was also a rumor that Kennedy made sure that Glenn would not fly into outer space again because of his standing as a national hero. After leaving NASA, Glenn focused on politics but didn't win a seat until 1974 when he became a senator from Ohio. Glenn would journey into space one more time at the age of 77 in 1998. Again, he would enter the history books as the oldest person to go to outer space. His trip provided data on how the elderly could handle the impact of space even though some criticized it as political, but Glenn would retire from politics in the following year. Glenn made an historic flight, but their were many more to come.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Virgil "Gus" Grissom
Hey everyone,
Virgil "Gus" Grissom was one of the original Mercury astronauts. Gus joined the Army Air Forces after graduating high school in 1944, and, thanks to the G.I. Bill, he received a degree in engineering from Purdue and rejoined the Air Force where he became a pilot. Grissom flew 100 combat missions in Korea and became an instructor and eventually a test pilot after the war. In 1959, he would undergo the same tests that Shepard had and make it through to the final seven. On July 21, 1961, Grissom flew in the Liberty Bell 7 into another sub-orbital flight like Shepard. Upon landing, explosive bolts opened the hatch, and the craft began to fill with water. A helicopter tried to retrieve the Liberty Bell 7, but it became too heavy and was left to sink. Grissom exited from craft but flailed in the ocean as his suit filled with water because of a hole that Grissom was not able to close in time. He nearly drowned but was saved by a second helicopter. Gus would continue to fly as an astronaut on Gemini 3 and was slated to fly on Apollo 3, but I'll talk about those stories in another post.
Virgil "Gus" Grissom was one of the original Mercury astronauts. Gus joined the Army Air Forces after graduating high school in 1944, and, thanks to the G.I. Bill, he received a degree in engineering from Purdue and rejoined the Air Force where he became a pilot. Grissom flew 100 combat missions in Korea and became an instructor and eventually a test pilot after the war. In 1959, he would undergo the same tests that Shepard had and make it through to the final seven. On July 21, 1961, Grissom flew in the Liberty Bell 7 into another sub-orbital flight like Shepard. Upon landing, explosive bolts opened the hatch, and the craft began to fill with water. A helicopter tried to retrieve the Liberty Bell 7, but it became too heavy and was left to sink. Grissom exited from craft but flailed in the ocean as his suit filled with water because of a hole that Grissom was not able to close in time. He nearly drowned but was saved by a second helicopter. Gus would continue to fly as an astronaut on Gemini 3 and was slated to fly on Apollo 3, but I'll talk about those stories in another post.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Alan Bartlett Shepard, Jr. and Freedom 7
Hey all,
Alan Shepard became a pilot in 1947 for the Navy, and, by the end of 1950, he had completed the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and continued to be a test pilot until 1959. In that year, 110 military test pilots were invited to join the newly formed NASA. Of these men, only 7 would be picked for space flight. These men would become known as the Mercury 7 astronauts. Shepard numbered among this elite group and was chosen as the first American to fly into space (some say it was because he was the smartest of the men). Delays continually pushed back the launch date until Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space. Less than a month later on May 5th, 1961, Shepard would be the first American launched into space for a total of 15 minutes (I recommend reading or watching the Right Stuff for more details about this flight and other Mercury flights). The craft was appropriately named Freedom 7 and carried the man 116 miles into space on a sub-orbital trajectory. While Shepard did not orbit, his flight was still historic, and he was slated as a national hero on his return. The United States Space Program was moving forward, but they still lagged behind the Russians.
Alan Shepard became a pilot in 1947 for the Navy, and, by the end of 1950, he had completed the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and continued to be a test pilot until 1959. In that year, 110 military test pilots were invited to join the newly formed NASA. Of these men, only 7 would be picked for space flight. These men would become known as the Mercury 7 astronauts. Shepard numbered among this elite group and was chosen as the first American to fly into space (some say it was because he was the smartest of the men). Delays continually pushed back the launch date until Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space. Less than a month later on May 5th, 1961, Shepard would be the first American launched into space for a total of 15 minutes (I recommend reading or watching the Right Stuff for more details about this flight and other Mercury flights). The craft was appropriately named Freedom 7 and carried the man 116 miles into space on a sub-orbital trajectory. While Shepard did not orbit, his flight was still historic, and he was slated as a national hero on his return. The United States Space Program was moving forward, but they still lagged behind the Russians.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Yuri Gagarin and Vostok 1
Hey everyone,
Vostok 1 was the first rocket to take a man into space. That man was Yuri Gagarin, a pilot who was selected out of twenty cosmonauts. In 1960, the selection process began, and the men were subjected to physical and psychological endurance tests. Eventually, he was selected due to his performance in training and small stature (he stood 5'2" tall). On April 12, 1961, Gagarin was the first man launched into space. Once in space, he orbited the Earth (another first). He spent a total of 1 hour, 48 minutes in space. After his journey into space, Gagarin would become the deputy training director of the Star City cosmonaut training base. Later, he flew fighter jets again, but, tragically, on March 27, 1968, he would die in a fighter jet crash. Yet, his actions will always be historic, and, again, would prove that the Americans were losing the space race. Soon, they would respond.
Vostok 1 was the first rocket to take a man into space. That man was Yuri Gagarin, a pilot who was selected out of twenty cosmonauts. In 1960, the selection process began, and the men were subjected to physical and psychological endurance tests. Eventually, he was selected due to his performance in training and small stature (he stood 5'2" tall). On April 12, 1961, Gagarin was the first man launched into space. Once in space, he orbited the Earth (another first). He spent a total of 1 hour, 48 minutes in space. After his journey into space, Gagarin would become the deputy training director of the Star City cosmonaut training base. Later, he flew fighter jets again, but, tragically, on March 27, 1968, he would die in a fighter jet crash. Yet, his actions will always be historic, and, again, would prove that the Americans were losing the space race. Soon, they would respond.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Pioneer 4
Hey everyone,
This was the first probe launched by the United States to exit Earth's gravity. The craft flew by the moon and entered an orbit around the sun. It came within 60,000 kilometers of the moon. Pioneer 4 only weighed 6.1 kg, but it carried many devices including a photoelectric sensor, two Geiger-Muller tubes, and a transmitter. Again, mercury batteries were used to power the craft. It was launched on March 4, 1959 on the Juno II which was a modified version of Juno I (which launched Explorer I). It did not discover any radiation on the moon, and it also did not trigger its photoelectric sensor because it wasn't close enough to the moon. However, it did achieve the primary objective of an Earth-Moon trajectory. While this may not seem like an impressive (well, I hope it's impressive) feat, this and Luna 1 paved for the way for a journey to the moon by man.
This was the first probe launched by the United States to exit Earth's gravity. The craft flew by the moon and entered an orbit around the sun. It came within 60,000 kilometers of the moon. Pioneer 4 only weighed 6.1 kg, but it carried many devices including a photoelectric sensor, two Geiger-Muller tubes, and a transmitter. Again, mercury batteries were used to power the craft. It was launched on March 4, 1959 on the Juno II which was a modified version of Juno I (which launched Explorer I). It did not discover any radiation on the moon, and it also did not trigger its photoelectric sensor because it wasn't close enough to the moon. However, it did achieve the primary objective of an Earth-Moon trajectory. While this may not seem like an impressive (well, I hope it's impressive) feat, this and Luna 1 paved for the way for a journey to the moon by man.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Luna 1 (and 2)
Hey everyone,
The Luna 1 was the first cosmic ship to exit our atmosphere completely on a course for the moon. The spacecraft, itself, weighed 361.3kgs, and the tools that it contained included radio equipment, a tracking transmitter, a telemetry system, and five devices for studying the space between the Earth and the moon. It was launched by the Soviets on January 2, 1959, and it reached the moon on January 4th. The spacecraft found that the moon has no magnetic field, but it also took readings of solar wind and ionized plasma that came from the Sun on its journey. Upon reaching Earth's only satellite, the craft was supposed to crash into it, but there was a malfunction which caused the craft to miss by 5,900km. However, Luna 2 would succeed in this task. After missing the moon, the spacecraft went into orbit around the Sun and remains there today. When this first happened, the Soviets renamed it the Mechta which means dream and called it a new planet. Its orbit is between Earth and Mars with a period of approximately 450 days. While it did not strike the moon, it is still quite an achievement.
The Luna 1 was the first cosmic ship to exit our atmosphere completely on a course for the moon. The spacecraft, itself, weighed 361.3kgs, and the tools that it contained included radio equipment, a tracking transmitter, a telemetry system, and five devices for studying the space between the Earth and the moon. It was launched by the Soviets on January 2, 1959, and it reached the moon on January 4th. The spacecraft found that the moon has no magnetic field, but it also took readings of solar wind and ionized plasma that came from the Sun on its journey. Upon reaching Earth's only satellite, the craft was supposed to crash into it, but there was a malfunction which caused the craft to miss by 5,900km. However, Luna 2 would succeed in this task. After missing the moon, the spacecraft went into orbit around the Sun and remains there today. When this first happened, the Soviets renamed it the Mechta which means dream and called it a new planet. Its orbit is between Earth and Mars with a period of approximately 450 days. While it did not strike the moon, it is still quite an achievement.
Explorer 1
Hey everyone,
On February 1, 1958, the United States launched its first satellite into space. The satellite was designed and built by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory headed by Wernher von Braun, and an Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) known as the Juno I was used for the rocket. The satellite only weighed 14kg and had an elliptical orbit around the of 114.8 minutes. At its closest point, it was 222 miles from Earth, and, at its furthest point, it was 1585 miles from Earth. Through this orbit,the satellite was the first to identify the Van Allen radiation belt, but this would not be confirmed until Explorer 3. Being so light, it could only carry a limited amount of instruments. The specific instrumentation carried by the craft included a Geiger-Muller tube to detect cosmic rays, five temperature sensors, an acoustic detector, and a wire grid detector to detect micrometeorite impacts. The Geiger-Muller tube would record the disparities that would lead to the discovery of the Van Allen radiation belt. Overall, the mission lasted for 111 days before the power fully ran out, and the mission was a success.
On February 1, 1958, the United States launched its first satellite into space. The satellite was designed and built by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory headed by Wernher von Braun, and an Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) known as the Juno I was used for the rocket. The satellite only weighed 14kg and had an elliptical orbit around the of 114.8 minutes. At its closest point, it was 222 miles from Earth, and, at its furthest point, it was 1585 miles from Earth. Through this orbit,the satellite was the first to identify the Van Allen radiation belt, but this would not be confirmed until Explorer 3. Being so light, it could only carry a limited amount of instruments. The specific instrumentation carried by the craft included a Geiger-Muller tube to detect cosmic rays, five temperature sensors, an acoustic detector, and a wire grid detector to detect micrometeorite impacts. The Geiger-Muller tube would record the disparities that would lead to the discovery of the Van Allen radiation belt. Overall, the mission lasted for 111 days before the power fully ran out, and the mission was a success.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Sputnik
Hey everyone,
I'm sure that many of you know that Sputnik was the first human-made object launched into space. The first true ICBM, known to the Soviets as the R-7 Semyorka, was used to launch Sputnik after only one successful launch of the rocket. Word of a possible rocket launch appeared in the Western press, and the Soviet rocket men (Korolyov and others) decided that they could beat the Americans into space. They threw together a simple design in a less than a month. Sputnik would included a polished metal sphere, a transmitter, thermal measuring instruments, and batteries. It weighed 83.6kg. On October 4, 1957, the rocket was launched successfully into orbit. Its orbits lasted about 96 minutes. The start of the Soviet Space Program had begun along with the space race. This would be the first launch of many Sputniks. Future missions would include canine passengers and the eventual preparation for human spaceflight. However, it would not be long before the Americans would launch their own satellite.
I'm sure that many of you know that Sputnik was the first human-made object launched into space. The first true ICBM, known to the Soviets as the R-7 Semyorka, was used to launch Sputnik after only one successful launch of the rocket. Word of a possible rocket launch appeared in the Western press, and the Soviet rocket men (Korolyov and others) decided that they could beat the Americans into space. They threw together a simple design in a less than a month. Sputnik would included a polished metal sphere, a transmitter, thermal measuring instruments, and batteries. It weighed 83.6kg. On October 4, 1957, the rocket was launched successfully into orbit. Its orbits lasted about 96 minutes. The start of the Soviet Space Program had begun along with the space race. This would be the first launch of many Sputniks. Future missions would include canine passengers and the eventual preparation for human spaceflight. However, it would not be long before the Americans would launch their own satellite.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Sergey Korolyov and the Soviet ICBM
Hey everyone,
Korolyov was the architect behind the Soviet rocket program and, ultimately, the Soviet space program. However, this fact would not be revealed until after his death. Korolyov was born in 1907 in a small province of the Russian Empire. In 1929, Korolyev received a degree in engineering after producing a practical aircraft design. At first, he worked on aircraft design, but, soon, the group in which he was involved turned to propulsion. By 1933, they had built and launched a liquid fueled rocket, and Korolyev published Rocket Flight in Stratosphere the next year. This work continued until 1938, Korolyev was arrested and sentenced to a work camp. He appealed the decision, and his sentence was reduced from ten years to eight years. However, he would no longer be in a labor camp. So, he was moved to a camp for the educated where he was used as slave labor to work on aircraft. Then, in 1942, he was moved to another camp for intellectuals where he helped to design rocket engines and continued here until 1944. This year, Korolyov was finally released and allowed to rejoin his family. His other comrades from his work in the 1930s had largely been executed by Stalin, so Korolyov was lucky to escape with his life as well as survive World War II.
After the war, V-2 technology was retrieved from Germany, and the Soviets began to make a replica of the rocket. Korolyov served as the chief designer of these missiles. The first rocket was designated the R-1, but it could only hit half of its targets. Another version, the R-2, was created, and it doubled the distance of the R-1. While there would be many more models, the first true Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) would be the R-7 which had a range of 7,000 km and could hit England. It was a two stage rocket which could carry a nuclear war head, and it successfully launched in August, 1957. This rocket that would carry Sputnik into space.
Korolyov was the architect behind the Soviet rocket program and, ultimately, the Soviet space program. However, this fact would not be revealed until after his death. Korolyov was born in 1907 in a small province of the Russian Empire. In 1929, Korolyev received a degree in engineering after producing a practical aircraft design. At first, he worked on aircraft design, but, soon, the group in which he was involved turned to propulsion. By 1933, they had built and launched a liquid fueled rocket, and Korolyev published Rocket Flight in Stratosphere the next year. This work continued until 1938, Korolyev was arrested and sentenced to a work camp. He appealed the decision, and his sentence was reduced from ten years to eight years. However, he would no longer be in a labor camp. So, he was moved to a camp for the educated where he was used as slave labor to work on aircraft. Then, in 1942, he was moved to another camp for intellectuals where he helped to design rocket engines and continued here until 1944. This year, Korolyov was finally released and allowed to rejoin his family. His other comrades from his work in the 1930s had largely been executed by Stalin, so Korolyov was lucky to escape with his life as well as survive World War II.
After the war, V-2 technology was retrieved from Germany, and the Soviets began to make a replica of the rocket. Korolyov served as the chief designer of these missiles. The first rocket was designated the R-1, but it could only hit half of its targets. Another version, the R-2, was created, and it doubled the distance of the R-1. While there would be many more models, the first true Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) would be the R-7 which had a range of 7,000 km and could hit England. It was a two stage rocket which could carry a nuclear war head, and it successfully launched in August, 1957. This rocket that would carry Sputnik into space.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Chuck Yeager and other test pilots.
Hey everyone,
You may wonder how Chuck Yeager figures into space exploration, but his contributions can't be ignored. Yeager was born in 1923 in West Virginia. At the outbreak of World War II, he joined the Air Force and became a pilot. As a fighter pilot, he quickly showed his ability in the air, but he was shot down during a mission over France. Yeager found the French resistance and made some bombs for them before crossing into safe territory and heading back to England. Once he came back, he argued to fly again even though the current policy did not allow it due to his work with the French resistance. After gaining clearance, he flew again and became an ace in one day. On that day, he had five victories and would record 11.5 before the end of the war. During the war, he flew 61 missions.
After the war, he was able to choose his position and chose Wright Field near his home. It was here that he became a test pilot, but he eventually relocated to what is now Edwards Air Force Base. Then, on October 14, 1947, Yeager broke the sound barrier flying the X-1 (an experimental plane). While he would continue to break records for speed and altitude, astronauts would soon blow the records away. However, Yeager would continue to fly and fight for many years and eventually train astronauts. While other test pilots would fly rocket ships, the effects of such extreme speeds and altitudes were first tested with pilots such as Yeager. Other test pilots whose names will never be known attributed greatly to the pursuit of men in space, and many gave their lives for it. They didn't build the ships, but they had the balls to fly them with the knowledge that they were risking their lives. While Yeager is the most famous, he is not the only one who should be revered.
You may wonder how Chuck Yeager figures into space exploration, but his contributions can't be ignored. Yeager was born in 1923 in West Virginia. At the outbreak of World War II, he joined the Air Force and became a pilot. As a fighter pilot, he quickly showed his ability in the air, but he was shot down during a mission over France. Yeager found the French resistance and made some bombs for them before crossing into safe territory and heading back to England. Once he came back, he argued to fly again even though the current policy did not allow it due to his work with the French resistance. After gaining clearance, he flew again and became an ace in one day. On that day, he had five victories and would record 11.5 before the end of the war. During the war, he flew 61 missions.
After the war, he was able to choose his position and chose Wright Field near his home. It was here that he became a test pilot, but he eventually relocated to what is now Edwards Air Force Base. Then, on October 14, 1947, Yeager broke the sound barrier flying the X-1 (an experimental plane). While he would continue to break records for speed and altitude, astronauts would soon blow the records away. However, Yeager would continue to fly and fight for many years and eventually train astronauts. While other test pilots would fly rocket ships, the effects of such extreme speeds and altitudes were first tested with pilots such as Yeager. Other test pilots whose names will never be known attributed greatly to the pursuit of men in space, and many gave their lives for it. They didn't build the ships, but they had the balls to fly them with the knowledge that they were risking their lives. While Yeager is the most famous, he is not the only one who should be revered.
Wernher von Braun and the V-2 rocket
Hey everyone,
Wernher von Braun is famous for his work on rockets, especially the German V-2, the United States ICBM, and the Saturn rocket that took astronauts to the moon, but I'm going to start with von Braun's earliest achievement and life and come back to his work on the Saturn rocket. He was born in the German Empire in 1912. As a youth, he did not excel at physics or mathematics, but he was interested in space. After reading Oberth's By Rocket into Planetary Space, he switched to math and physics and focused on space travel. Von Braun also worked with Oberth on his liquid fueled rockets. When the Nazis came to power, he began to work on rocket propelled missiles, and, by the end of 1934, he and his group of scientists and workers had fired two rockets which achieved altitudes of 2.2 km and 3.5 km. He continued to work for the Nazis and, by 1944, they had developed a rocket that could strike London from Germany. However, this end result saddened von Braun who very much wanted the rocket to be used for space travel. During World War II, slave laborers were used for the rocketry program after a shortage of workers developed. Von Braun himself visited some of the factories and camps and admitted that the workers were in pitiful shape, but he felt unable to do anything about it. Eventually, von Braun would be imprisoned for a short time because he wanted to work on a spaceship and felt they were losing the war. He was soon released because he was considered to be irreplaceable. Indeed, he was correct that they were losing the war, and von Braun would soon surrender to American forces in May, 1945. Upon surrender, he was transported to the United States to work on rockets. I will continue von Braun's story in a later post.
Wernher von Braun is famous for his work on rockets, especially the German V-2, the United States ICBM, and the Saturn rocket that took astronauts to the moon, but I'm going to start with von Braun's earliest achievement and life and come back to his work on the Saturn rocket. He was born in the German Empire in 1912. As a youth, he did not excel at physics or mathematics, but he was interested in space. After reading Oberth's By Rocket into Planetary Space, he switched to math and physics and focused on space travel. Von Braun also worked with Oberth on his liquid fueled rockets. When the Nazis came to power, he began to work on rocket propelled missiles, and, by the end of 1934, he and his group of scientists and workers had fired two rockets which achieved altitudes of 2.2 km and 3.5 km. He continued to work for the Nazis and, by 1944, they had developed a rocket that could strike London from Germany. However, this end result saddened von Braun who very much wanted the rocket to be used for space travel. During World War II, slave laborers were used for the rocketry program after a shortage of workers developed. Von Braun himself visited some of the factories and camps and admitted that the workers were in pitiful shape, but he felt unable to do anything about it. Eventually, von Braun would be imprisoned for a short time because he wanted to work on a spaceship and felt they were losing the war. He was soon released because he was considered to be irreplaceable. Indeed, he was correct that they were losing the war, and von Braun would soon surrender to American forces in May, 1945. Upon surrender, he was transported to the United States to work on rockets. I will continue von Braun's story in a later post.
Monday, October 12, 2009
The Wright Brothers cont.
Hey everyone,
After the brothers historic flight, they went back to Ohio where they continued to improve their aircraft. Many accidents had damaged the original flier, so they constructed the Flier II in 1904. On August 13, 1904, they finally bested their flight at Kitty Hawk with a 1,300 foot flight. By the end of the year, they had accomplished flights of 3 miles, but they still lacked control. Their solution was to build another airplane labeled the Flier III which had independent controls for the rudders and the wing warping which had been previously connected. Still, the craft did not fly well, so they rebuilt the plane with larger rudders and forward elevator. These were placed farther from the wings, and stability greatly improved. By the end of 1905, they had many sustained flights covering distances ranging from 11 to 24 miles. In 1908, they finally showed their airplane to the public in France and by Washington, D. C. Soon, they sold it the design for the craft and, after a patent war, made a fortune. Overnight, they achieved worldwide fame, but Wilbur died in 1912. Orville took over their business and received many accolades until his death in 1948. Still, the airplane probably would have come to existence without the Wright brothers, but they made air travel safe and controllable. Without their work, test pilots would have taken to the air later and possibly not at all. Without the Wright brothers, it's possible that no man would have gone to space at all.
After the brothers historic flight, they went back to Ohio where they continued to improve their aircraft. Many accidents had damaged the original flier, so they constructed the Flier II in 1904. On August 13, 1904, they finally bested their flight at Kitty Hawk with a 1,300 foot flight. By the end of the year, they had accomplished flights of 3 miles, but they still lacked control. Their solution was to build another airplane labeled the Flier III which had independent controls for the rudders and the wing warping which had been previously connected. Still, the craft did not fly well, so they rebuilt the plane with larger rudders and forward elevator. These were placed farther from the wings, and stability greatly improved. By the end of 1905, they had many sustained flights covering distances ranging from 11 to 24 miles. In 1908, they finally showed their airplane to the public in France and by Washington, D. C. Soon, they sold it the design for the craft and, after a patent war, made a fortune. Overnight, they achieved worldwide fame, but Wilbur died in 1912. Orville took over their business and received many accolades until his death in 1948. Still, the airplane probably would have come to existence without the Wright brothers, but they made air travel safe and controllable. Without their work, test pilots would have taken to the air later and possibly not at all. Without the Wright brothers, it's possible that no man would have gone to space at all.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Orville and Wilbur Wright
Hey everyone,
I assume that almost everyone in the United States will recognize these names, but, in case you don't, they are the first men to build and fly the first successful airplane and complete the first powered, controlled, and heavier than air human flight. This feat was accomplished on December 17th, 1903 in Kill Devil Hills, Kittyhawk, North Carolina. Four flights occurred that day. The first three would all be under 200 feet, but the fourth (flown by Wilbur) was 852 feet and lasted for 59 seconds.
However, it took a significant amount of work to do just this. Neither of these two men attended college, and they started as businessmen and amateur scientists. In 1899, they began to seriously study flying machines and decided after a lot of work that the problem wasn't with the engine or the wings (pretty much) but with control. Their solution was a three-axis control that allowed controlled movement around a vertical axis (yaw) using a rudder, a sideways movement (roll) by warping the wings (pulling one down and lifting the other), and a forward roll (pitch) accomplished with a forward elevator. Early glider tests in Kill Devil Hills proved successful with gliders, and they moved forward on an engine. By the fall of 1903, they had constructed it with the help of their shop mechanic, Charley Taylor. The engine was made of out of aluminum with no carburetor or fuel pump and was fed gasoline by gravity. All of these innovations allowed it to be light to increase the chances of flight. They also calculated the math for lift before they even flew a glider. After correcting for a coefficent, the gliders became more effective and the Wright Flier I was born. This is the plane which would take them into the history books and is now in the Smithsonian. However, their story doesn't end after Kitty Hawk, so I'm going to devote one more post to the Wright Brothers.
I assume that almost everyone in the United States will recognize these names, but, in case you don't, they are the first men to build and fly the first successful airplane and complete the first powered, controlled, and heavier than air human flight. This feat was accomplished on December 17th, 1903 in Kill Devil Hills, Kittyhawk, North Carolina. Four flights occurred that day. The first three would all be under 200 feet, but the fourth (flown by Wilbur) was 852 feet and lasted for 59 seconds.
However, it took a significant amount of work to do just this. Neither of these two men attended college, and they started as businessmen and amateur scientists. In 1899, they began to seriously study flying machines and decided after a lot of work that the problem wasn't with the engine or the wings (pretty much) but with control. Their solution was a three-axis control that allowed controlled movement around a vertical axis (yaw) using a rudder, a sideways movement (roll) by warping the wings (pulling one down and lifting the other), and a forward roll (pitch) accomplished with a forward elevator. Early glider tests in Kill Devil Hills proved successful with gliders, and they moved forward on an engine. By the fall of 1903, they had constructed it with the help of their shop mechanic, Charley Taylor. The engine was made of out of aluminum with no carburetor or fuel pump and was fed gasoline by gravity. All of these innovations allowed it to be light to increase the chances of flight. They also calculated the math for lift before they even flew a glider. After correcting for a coefficent, the gliders became more effective and the Wright Flier I was born. This is the plane which would take them into the history books and is now in the Smithsonian. However, their story doesn't end after Kitty Hawk, so I'm going to devote one more post to the Wright Brothers.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Who am I?
Hey there,
I suppose you're wondering who I am. Well, my name is Nick and as my title states, I'm a space and science fiction nerd. This, unsurprisingly, is what I'm going to blog about in my posts. However, I should tell you some more about myself. I am a 24 year old, single (that's right ladies) male who has a wide variety of interests. Last fall, I graduated from college with a degree in Psychology, so my space knowledge has mainly come from individual study. Hopefully, next September, I'll be in a Ph. D. program for Psychology or for a Masters of Public Health. So, you may be wondering why I have a blog about this subject. Well, I love these topics (more and more each day), and I love to write. I do have another blog, but that is more about random items and covers the gamut of subjects. The hope of this blog is to provide some entertainment for myself, but, also it will encourage me to increase my knowledge about these subjects (even though I have some knowledge already). Just for the record, I will probably publish my first official post later today. Have a great day!
I suppose you're wondering who I am. Well, my name is Nick and as my title states, I'm a space and science fiction nerd. This, unsurprisingly, is what I'm going to blog about in my posts. However, I should tell you some more about myself. I am a 24 year old, single (that's right ladies) male who has a wide variety of interests. Last fall, I graduated from college with a degree in Psychology, so my space knowledge has mainly come from individual study. Hopefully, next September, I'll be in a Ph. D. program for Psychology or for a Masters of Public Health. So, you may be wondering why I have a blog about this subject. Well, I love these topics (more and more each day), and I love to write. I do have another blog, but that is more about random items and covers the gamut of subjects. The hope of this blog is to provide some entertainment for myself, but, also it will encourage me to increase my knowledge about these subjects (even though I have some knowledge already). Just for the record, I will probably publish my first official post later today. Have a great day!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)