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Tsiol Rocket 1903 |
Konstantin Edouardovitch Tsiolkovski ( 1857-1935) Russian theoretician and astro physicist. Father of modern rocket theory. Who established the basic laws of astronautics and predicted multiple stage rockets.
V2 = Vin*Ln(m1/m2) m/s 10th May , 1897 Derivation of Tsiolkovski Formula Version Pdf
Unrecognised for the first 60 years of his life. Tsiolkovski was elected to the Russian Academy of Sciences in 1919 after having been initially imprisoned in 1918 following the Revolution. A year later in 1920 Tsiolkovski was awarded a Soviet state pension/sponsorship in recognition for his pioneering work in astronauntics. This support became stronger when motivated by Herman Oberth's claim for the originality of being the pioneer of modern astronautics in 1923/24. During the last 10 years of his life Tsiolkovski published some 58 books and over 500 scientific papers. That provided the foundation for future Russian rocket design and space exploration. Tsiolkovski writings inspired a generation of young soviet scientists and engineers that would apply his theories during his own lifetime and lead the world in space exploration.
Following a high fever induced by contracting scarlet fever at the age of nine he became almost completely deaf. The Russian education system was unable to cope with his special needs and he was forced to leave school and educate himself through reading. Motivated to prove that having a handicap did not make him any less a person or less intelligent. In 1873 aged sixteen and hungry for knowledge Tsiolkovski was sent by his family to Moscow supported by a small pension. Autodidact he was capable of studying mathematics, analytical mechanics, astronomy, physics, chemistry, as well as classical literature at the Chertkovskaya Library. Moscow at this epoch was illuminated by rapid change reflected in the works of Tchaikovsky and Tolstoy. In science Dmitri Mendeleev had developed the first periodic table of elements and Nikolai Zhukovsky did his pioneering work on the study of aerodynamics. Reference Menelev's Periodic table
"Exploration of the Universe with Reaction Machines", First reached an international readership when it was published as an article in the monthly science magazine. 'The Science Review' No 5 St.Petersburg, in 1903. This developed his earlier theories,identifying the escape velocity of 7.8Km/s ( this is known as the first cosmic velocity) required to escape the earths gravity and place a satillite in base orbit of 200kms. . Note: To put this into a clearer perspective this is the same year that the Wright brothers first achieved powered flight.
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Qualifying to become a teacher in 1876, Tsiolkovski taught physics and mathematics during the day. Returning home to develop his ideas on aerodynamics and powered flight. His experiments involved using one of the first known windtunnels and scale models of airships and aerofoils. That he had manufactured in his small workshop. Reynolds Number the dimensionless parameter which is required to analyse aerodynamic flow over scaled models in a wind tunnel had been identified in 1883.
From 1885 Tsiolkovski became determined to pursue his interest in aeronautics. By reducing his sleeping hours he could work on his projects and carry out research before going to teach .
First theory 28.3.1883 'Naoutchnoie Obozreniye’ later published in 1898. 'Free Space' Exploration of space by rocket . In which he calculated the force necessary to leave the Earth's atmosphere and described in theory why and how a rocket jet engine unlike other means of propulsion could function in a vacuum. V2 = Vin*Ln(m1/m2) m/s 10th May , 1897 Established that a rocket powered by a reaction jet could travel at a velocity greater than the velocity of its jet stream. Effectively opening the way to the stars. | |||||||||||
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'Cosmic rocket trains'
In 'Rocket space trains' 1929 He explained in detail how multistage rockets could be used to achieve the first cosmic velocity. This was a logical development from the
V2 = Vin*Ln(m1/m2) m/s 10th May , 1897 Tsiolkovski formula
Application of Tsiolkovski's formula to multistage rockets 1924 Excel Spreadsheet for changing mass variables of 2stage rocket. PDF file explaining the formula for a multistage rocket Tsiolkovslki understood the importance of multi-staging not just of modules assembled in series piled one on top of the other but also using parallel modules. This was clearly transmitted to the next generation of Russian rocket engineers who successfully developed the R7 in August 1957. Now nearly fifty years and 2000 launches later the R7 is still the benchmark launcher. However it was a 'technology blind spot' for engineers in the west until the 'Sputniks' launcher technology was better understood.
Note: Below is the link to a Nasa reference to Tsiolkovski's work in1958 following 'Sputniks' launch 4.10.1957 Appendix 2a Interesting to note that there is no reference to the original date of publication of the Tsiolkovski work just the nasa translation date. http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4404/notes-app-a.htm
A good example of the rocket modules piled high in series is the US Saturn V launcher used for the Apollo moon missions. Today rocket engineers would not follow the same design philosophy prefering that of parallel modules that can be rejected earlier in the rocket flight. | ||||||||||
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In 'Investigation of Cosmic Space by Reaction Vehicles' published in 1903 Tsiolkovski developed the ideas of his earlier work into a detailed rocket specification that included the aerodynamic form and shape of rocket required to leave the earths atmosphere, and proved the possibility of artificial satellites orbiting the earth. By 1914 in the 4th edition. He predicted the use of liquid hydrogen (-2530C) and oxygen as the ideal fuels (or liquid propergols) mixed and fed into a combustion chamber. Then expanded through a divergent nozzle. Heat transfer was controlled by regenerative cooling of the combustion chamber and nozzle using the same liquid fuels before they were passed into the combustion chamber. Tsiolkovski also suggested the use of oxygen and kerosene as alternative propellants.
Reference to discover the properties of hydrogen H http://www.webelements.com/webelements/elements/text/H/key.html
Reference to discover the properties of liquid oxygen O2 http://www.webelements.com/webelements/elements/text/O/key.html | |||||||||||
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Amongst the many details concerning future space travel he suggested a system of gyroscopic stabilisation. The building of interplanetary space stations made up from several inter-locking rocket modules. He suggested using solar radiation and solar energy to provide the power for future rockets.etc.
These are no longer the hypotheses of his writings. Our ' vie quotedien' is shaped by the satellites he envisaged and the calculations of how to put them in orbit. An original thinker and visionary of the 21 centuary and beyond. In 1957 the USSR launched the worlds first man made satellite 'Spoutnik' on 4th October to coincide with the centenary of Tsiolkovski's birth.
"The Earth is the cradle of the mind, but we cannot live in a cradle forever". ?. ?. Tsiolkovsky Kalug,1911.
Anniversary of Tsiolkovsky's birth 17th September 1857. In 2007 the esa will launch a payload of 50 Nano satellites to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Sputnik and the 150th of Tsiolkovski. Tsiolkovski also has the largest crater on the far side of the monn named after him.
He should also be remembered as an ambassador for the deaf. Who accomplished more than those gifted with hearing. | |||||||||||
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Links to some of Tsiolkovski's other projects
Abstract Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky (Konstanty Ciolkowski), (1857-1935) (?????????? ?????????? ???????????)
Born Izhevskoye in September 17th, 1857 – Died September 19th, 1935 Kaluga USSR Russia Russian and Soviet rocket scientist and pioneer of astronautics who spent most of his life working as a mathematics and physics teacher living in a simple small two story log-house on the outskirts of the Russian town of Kaluga. An old Russian city on the river Oka, situated approximately 200 km south of Moscow. Left almost completely deaf following bout of scarlet fever at the age of nine Tsiolkovski was rejected by the Russian education system and left to educate himself from text books at home. Completely overlooked for the first sixty years of his life, most of his original research and self financed scientific writing was completed before the Russian Revolution of 1917. Imprisoned in the famous Lubyanka prison1918 he was then promoted as a symbol of oppressed creativity under the Czar by the new Soviet regime. He was born in Izhevskoye (now in Spassky District, Ryazan Oblast) Russia into a poor middle-class family of 17 children. Tsiolkovski's Russian mother died when was just 13.Leaving his father a Polish immigrant forester to look after the family. Tsiolkovski had no formal universty training. His overiding passion was to help free mankind from the bounds of the Earth to explore the universe beyond.
1.Tsiolkovski Rocket formula V2 = Vin*Ln(m1/m2) m/s 10th May , 1897
2. Tsiolkovski Tower 1895 the Space Elevator or stairway to heaven. Building a physical link with geostationary orbit.
Inspired scientists and engineers: Serguei Korolev(1907-1966) , Valentin Glushko(1908-1989), Kondratyuk(Shargei)(1897-1942), Friedrikh Tsander (1887-1933) Mikhail Yangel (1911-1971), Vladimir Chelomei (1914-1984)
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S P Korolev 'The Chief designer' Russia's Secret Weapon. The life of Korolev is an example to us all of the power of the human spirit in overcoming adversity
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(1907-1966) Russian Space Academician.
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He opened the way to the stars. Korolyov (?????? ???????? ???????) Born in Zhitomir near Kiev in central Ukraine.
Ukranian/Russian rocket engineer and pioneer. Arrested in July1938 during the Stalin purges and accused of " subversion in a new field of technology" he was sentenced to10 years in prison, the loss of his rights as a soviet citizen for an additional five years and the confiscation of all his property. Severely treated as a prisoner in the Siberian 'Kolyma' goldmine Gulag, (Where the expected survival rate was only 2-3% and had a death rate of 30% per year). Korolev's transfer to a 'Sharashka' ( Intellectual prison) in September 1940 almost certainly saved his life. Tupolev, who had been Korolev's professeur at the Moscow Technical Institute, wrote to the Soviet Government demanding for Korolev to come and work for him at KB29 on an important military aircraft development poject the Tu 2 light bomber. The only problem was to get to Tupolev and the Sharga KB29 in Moscow he had first to walk the 150 km to Magadan in severe Siberian weather without adequate clothing. Clothed in what fellow prisoners had given him Korolev set off without any food to complete the 150 km journey. Arriving too late, he missed the last boat leaving Magadan before the winter ice closed the access to the mainland. Unknown to Korolev the ship he missed was lost in a heavy storm in the Okhorst Sea. Korolev then had to find some way of surviving the extreme cold of -45 to -50oC until Spring when he could get back to the mainland by boat and catch a train that would take him to Moscow. Over the intervening months without proper clothes or food he contracted scurvy and had to be taken off the train to Moscow at Khaborovsk Where an old man treated his gums with a species of wild garlic and stablised his swollen condition enough for Korolev to continue his journey to Moscow a couple of weeks later. As a consequence of his poor state of health he lost all his teeth and developed a heart condition. According to a biographer of Stalin, Dmitri Volkogonov who had been a Colonel General in the Red Army during the period 1937-1938 when Korolev had been arrested ;4.5-5.5 million people where detained of which 8 to9 hundred thousand where executed. Between 1935 and1940 a whole generation of Soviet scientists, technologists and managers were systematically discredited, humiliated or destroyed. Korolev was classed as a 'Zek' or social outcast until officially excused by the Soviet regime . Released in 1945 he was finally exhonerated during the Khrouchtchev thaw in 1957, Nineteen years after his initial arrest and six months before the successful Sputnik launch. Between 1938 and 1957 even his best freinds where restricted from mentioning his name in public unless they refered to him as an enemy of the people. This included his wife. After the shock of Korolev's sudden arrest in 1938 his wifes blonde hair suddenly turned grey Once released Korolev talked at length with his family about his ordeal in prison. Then deciding to turn the page on his nightmare experiences in the Kolyma gulag. He never talked about it for the rest of his life. Except one evening shortly before he died on the 3rd January 1966 after a meal to celebrate his birthaday he spoke to his friends cosmonauts Yuri Gagarin and Alexei Leonov. The history above is based on Korolev's testimony during his last evening with his cosmonaut friends. Korolev died several days later after an operation in the Kremlin Hospital 14th January 1966.
Having survived what he had been through as a 'Zek' ment he was frightened of nobody and nothing He was independent and confident enough to challenge people who he believed where wrong or had made a poor decision. He also had an empathy for basic human values Respected by most he was always a Zek to some of his peers. During his imprisonment Korolev moved to various prisons, July 1938 Lefortovo, Butyrka , August 1938 Magadan Prison Ship , September 1938 Kolyma Siberia, Sept1940 Tupolev 'sharaski' KB 29 Moscow,1941 Tupolev 'sharaski' Ormsk, Siberia and at the end of 1942 NKVD Glushko 'sharaski' Kazan.
Korolev surmounted these considerable setbacks and astounded everybody in the west. Korolev put Tsiolkovski’s ideas into developing the R7 Semiorka space rocket in 1957.Subsequently used as the platform for launching a series of space firsts and to date more than 1700 subsequent launches.
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Radio amateurs listening to Sputnik |
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Vostok 1 |
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Korolev was a brilliant engineer and team motivator. With the release of information about the soviet space programme following the collapse of the Soviet regime in 1989. We are only just begining to appreciate the advances made by him and his team of engineers. | |||||||||||
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Before the Second World War Korolev's knowledge of rocket theory rivalled that of Wernher Von Braun in Germany and Goddard in the USA. Korolev's arrest in June 1938 successfully delayed further Russian space developments until 1944. A large number of the soviet rocket research and defence leaders were arrested and shot during the same Stalin purges. Some arrests were based on German intelligence or supposed German connections/sympathies. Or simply fabricated anti Soviet comments. Note: Earlier in January1938 the leaders of the RNII rocket research group ( For whom Korolev and Glushko worked ) Kleinov and Langemak were arrested and executed by Stalins secret police.NKVD | |||||||||||
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Following his release from the gulag Korolev's identity remained a closely guarded secret to the outside world until his death in 1966. Ironically he died during an operation that was made difficult due to a broken jaw restricting normal ventilation. His jaw had been broken whilst he had been beaten by the guards of the Kolyma gulag during his imprisonment. The first successful launch of the R7 Semiorika was on the 21 August 1957 following 2 failures and 3 aborted launches the R7 travelled a distance of 6500kms. His story like that of Tsiolkovski is one of human triumph in the face of extreme adversity. Classical in the Russian Tolstoy/Pasternak sense. Photograph of Korolev in Germany 1946 taken by Boris Chertok Copyright Boris Chertok | ||||||||||
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His legacy is that the original Korolev design bureau is now RSC Energia and the unrivalled succes of the R7. Europe is currently installing a special launch pad in Kourou next to the 'pas de tir' of Ariane to enable the R7 Semiorika to gain the benifits of being launched from a site closer to the equator. So increasing its launch payload capacity. Somehow this is a fitting tribute to both the R7, SPKorolev and his team. Today we depend on Korolev's R7 to supply the international space station ! 50 years after it first propelled man into Space. Anniversary of Korolev's birth 30th December 1907 using the Old Russian calander The survival rate at the artic Kolyma gulag where Korolev was initially imprisuned in 1938 was only 2-3%. If ever there was an example of the power of the human spirit to overcome adversity Korolev is it!
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Photographs Source Natalya Koroleva |
Reaching for the stars. Korolev with Yuri Gigarin and the Cosmonauts training group May 1961.
" The route to the stars is open" S.P.Korolev Russian Space Academician. | ||||||||||
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Yuri
Gagarin The First Man in Space
Mission Code Name:Kedr April 12th 1961 Launch lift off 09hr 06min 59sec Moscow Time Flight duration:1hr 48 mins Orbit :89mins 34sec Landing site:Near the village of Smelovka in the Saratov region of Russia. Spacecraft Vostok :3KA No3 Launcher Vostok :r7 8K72K Back up cosmonautes: G.S.Titov and G.G Nelyuhov | ||||||||||
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The history of the Cosmonaute Training Center< Click Cosmonautes and astronautes launched into space by R7 < Click up to the year 2000 | ||||||||||
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Lectures that influenced Korolev.
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GIRD X 23 Nov 1933 |
The Moscow GIRD (Gruppa Izucheniya Reaktivhogo Dvizheniya)1930-33 Founded by F. A.Tsander.(1887-28th March 1933) The Worlds first rocket propulsion research group. Financed by the Osoaviakhim Soviet government ministry . Rocket Propulsion Research Group for the study of reaction propulsion. Korolev is at the top left of this group photograph taken on 23rd Nov 1933. It is chilling thought that within a few years of this photograph being taken most of the people in this group would be arrested and either imprisoned or shot during the Stalin purges. | ||||||||||
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Note: Later in September1933 the Russian RNII rocket group was formed following the merger of the GIRD (Moscow) and GDL(Leningrad) military rocket research associations. RNII was directed by Soviet Army Engineers Kleimenov and Langemakwho had prevoiusly been responsible for GDL. Until there arrest and execution on January 10th and January 11th under orders from Stalin in 1938. Due to there connections with German technical exchanges and there links with Marshall Tukhachevsky In 1937 Marshall Tukhachevsky the Soviet leader responsible for armaments and soviet military rocket strategy was revealed as a German spy and Soviet traitor following evidence provided by Nazi Germany. Promenant members in the development of new rocket technology within RNII were S P Korolev, V. Glushko, Y. Pobedonostsev, M. Tikhonravov, Vidimir Vetchinkin and Yeveniy Shchetirkov | |||||||||||
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GIRD 10 |
GIRD was organised into four project working groups each having its own special objectives. GIRD Group 1 Was responsible for liquid propergol rocket testing using rocket motors designed by Tsanders. The team was made up from six engineers and six designers
During 1932 Tsander was suffering from overwork and failing health. Korolev managed to organise a pass for Tsander to take a break to recover at a clinic at Kislovodsk in the Crimea When Tsander died suddenly from typhoid on the 28th March 1933 Leonid Konstinovich Korneev became group leader. Korneev can be seen above in the group photograph standing to the right of the GIRD X rocket. Tsander's engines (Used on projects 01, 02 and 10) dating from 1929-1933 are the earliest examples of regeneratively cooled rocket engines, .Following closely the ideas of Tsiolkovski
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GIRD 09 Image courtesy British Science Museum |
GIRD rocket 'GIRD 09' was successfully launched from the Nakhabino forest near to Moscow on 17 August 1933. The rocket attained an apogee of aproximately 400m. Landing some 150m from the launching site. 'GIRD 09' had a good vertical flight trajectory after launch , that flattened out as a secondary lateral gas jet leaked from a hole pierced in the side of the rocket nozzle Created by hot exhaust gases burning through the structure. The rocket fuel was solid gasoline paste with liquid oxygen.LOX M1=18kgs M2=13.5kgs Tvol=18s Length 2.46m, Rocket diameter 0.17m, Jet Thrust Force at launch 294N Soviet Russia's first liquid propellant rocket. Development was started under Group 2 Lead by Tikhonravov, with Korolev joining the group to help design, manufacture and analyse the causes of two earlier launch failures.
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The KB 7 Avianito with 12 K |
GIRD Design Group 2.
Tikhonravov's group worked on the 03 rocket fitted with the RDA-1 rocket engine that was pump fed with LOX and gasoline used as liquid propergols. Never reaching completion, prioity was given to developing a rocket design 05 to incorporate Glushko's ORM 50 engine. Which used nitric acid as a regenerative cooling fluid oxidiser and kerosene. This engine was first static tested in November 1933. Glushko worked with D. Shito, V Galkovskiy and S Rovinskiy on developing rocket engines based on these propergols. Perhaps the most interesting was the 'Aviavnito' rocket powered by Leonid Dushkin's 12-K engine, Which used LOX and 96% alcohol as propergols. First launched in 1936, the rocket achieved an altitude of 3000m during a subsequent launch in 1937. Note:Tikhonravov would later be the engineer reponsable for the Sputnk and lunar probes. | ||||||||||
GIRD 3 Concentrated on the design and
development of RAM jet engines.
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GIRD 4 Korolev's work on rocket planes at the GIRD4 started from his early interest in building a rocket powered glider. Inspired by Tsiolkovski's 1929 publications and lectures identifying the fact that a rocker powered plane would have no restriction on the altitude/ceiling it could fly. Unlike an air breathing means of propulsion. http://www.astronautix.com/craftfam/ruslanes.htm
The group was made up from six engineers, two designers and two mechanics
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212 Cruise missile 1938 |
Korolev and the GIRD RNII 1933 -1938 Soviet Cruise missle RAM jet development program German military knowledge of the various Soviot rocket projects could be the reason the German secret service wanted to disrupt the Soviet rocket developmenet program.. In May 1938 one of Korolev's projects was the development of a solid rocket accelerated, , winged 212 cruise missile/ ram jet . After his arrest in 27th June 1938 his work was continued by Leonid Dushkin and Alexey Isaev | ||||||||||
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When Kleimenov took over control of the GIRD in late 1933, it became increasingly clear that he would not encourage the utilisation of liquid propergols in rocket design and in particular liquid oxygen as an oxidiser. The fusion of GDL and GIRD into the RNII Rocket organisation never really happened as it was intended. With different factions aligning with Kleimenov representing the military on one side and Korolev on the other.As a consequence Korolev was removed from his position as assistant director of RNII Tukhachevski and Korolev supported the development of liquid propergols and disputed the logic of Kleiminenov with his goverment sponsor G V Sergo Ordzhonikidze( From the ministry of heavy industry) in adopting a strategy to preference solely solid propergol rocket development. similar to the Katyushka.
Encouraged by Tukhachevski a splinter group was created in 1934, when Korneev and some members of his Design Group1 left RNII and started a new design bureau: KB-7 in 1935 that would later be re-combined with NII 3 in 1939 after the Stalin purges.
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KB7 Polyamy with R-06 1937 |
KB 7 (1934-June1939) They built the R-03 and R-06 rockets, which were tested in 1937. The R-03 was estimated to reach an altitude of 3.7 km, and the R-06 exceeded an altitude of 4 km. Although Glushko described their work as a failure, the KB-7 rockets probably held the world record for rocket altitude until the German A4 in 1942! During the Satlin terror purges from 1937-1938 Korneev was one of the engineers to be arrested and imprisoned charged with 'Crimminal negligence' | ||||||||||
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World War 2 Soviet 'Katyushas ' |
NII-3 Katyushas The design and development of the 'Katyushas' solid propellant rockets was undertaken at NII-3 by Georgy Erkhovich Langemak who lead a team of three principle engineers Vladimir Artemiev, Boris Petropavlovskiy and Yuri Pobedonostsev | ||||||||||
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KB Design Bureau OKB Experimental Design Bureau NII Science Research Institute NKVD Ministry of Internal Affairs. That also controlled the Secret Police. | |||||||||||
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How many GIRD members survived Three GIRD enginneers who published articles about rocket propulsion prior to 1935 I. A. Merkulov, Yu. A. Pobedonostsev, and M. K. Tikhonravov went on to play a very important role in the field of rocket propulsion and space flight. The list of survivors: L S Dushkin, S P Korolev, A I Polarniy, V S Zuyev,I. A. Merkulov, Yu. A. Pobedonostsev, and M. K. Tikhonravov
General Gaydukov's directive from Stalin to set up a Soviet ballistic rocket programme at the end of World War 2 led to the immediate release of many Zeks who would become leaders and chief designers of the Soviet rocket development programme: Korolev, Glushko, Pilgugin, Mishin, Chertok, Voskrensky and Boris Rauschenbach | |||||||||||
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Who donnit? Who supplied the evidence that led to the destruction of Soviet rocket development.? It would have to be someone who knew about rocket design and the names of the most important leaders in this field of research in Russia. Someone who had worked with them during the German-Soviet technical exchange prior to1936.
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External Influences:
Based on knowledge gained during technical exchanges between Gremany and Russia | |||||||||||
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Rolf Engel © EADS |
http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=3277921
During 1932 the VfR German rocket group was suffering from lack of funding due to the effect of the economic depression on the German economy. With the prospect of the VfR rocket group being absorbed by the German army. Through interest shown by Army General Dornberger. As Hitler and National Socialism Party gained power they set out legislation to effectiveley ban all independent rocket development in Germany and forced the closer of the VfR. Rocket development them was brought under the control of the German army and the direction of General Dornberger. Initially only a few of the VfR moved with Wernher Von Braun to work on the military rocket development project. http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/staff/faculty/harrison/public/reh05.pdf Page29 Russian reference document: RGVA 34272/1/146 28-39 1932 RGVA Red Army Russian State Military Archive.
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Internal Possibilities:
Video of GermanWW2 Nebelwerfer six-barrel rocket launcher. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpGiitYuQBI&NR
Marshall Tukhachevsky subsequent arrest and execution in May 1937, lead to a whole chain of arrests and imprisoments within the rocket design and developoment organisation. Tukhachevsky was later rehabilitated by Nikita Krustchev in1956 when it was discovered that Germany had supplied falsified documents to Stalin to convince him of Tukhachevsky treason. | |||||||||||
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GDL Gas Dynamics Laboratory Valetin Glushko (1908-1989) Ukranian/Russian rocket engine engineer. Responsible for the RD-107 and RD-108 rocket engines that power the R7.Efficient and reliable. These engines where considerably more efficient, and generated an equivalent thrust at one third of the weight of the German V2 rocket engines. Packed in clusters of four and fed by a single turbo- pump the RD 107 had a shorter installation length than the equivalent Von Braun developed US Atlas rocket engines. R7 produced 500 metric tons.f of thrust whilst the equivalent US Atlas produced a thrust of 200 metric tons.f.
Less well known is the early work Glushko did when he first started work at the GDL on electrothermal rocket engines 1929-30 Again probably inspired by Tsiolkovski. This pre -dated work on electrical thrusters developed in the USA during the 1960's by thirty years. From the age of 15 Glushko is known to have corresponded with Tsiolkovski by letter. As an adolescent living in Odessa Glushko experimented with explosives that he had recovered from unexploded artillary shells left behind by the retreating 'White Guards'. During his later years Glushko recalled that during the pioneering period of rocketry just after the revolution and during th1920's. Rockets where regarded as on the fringe of science. Where the amateurs involved where refered to as 'Lunatics'.
There is known to be an exchange of scientific ideas between Russia and a Germany during the late 20's and 30's.Up to the point when Stalin broke all relations with Hitlers Germany. An example of this is the famous 'Katyusha' rocket which was based on the Germans six-barrelled Nebelwerfer rocket mortar development project started in 1936 . Details of which where made available to the Soviets due to the technical exchange of information under the Soviet-German Friendship Treaty The Soviet Katyusha solid propergol rocket was developed in 1938 by I. I .Gvay the RNII-1 design group; (where Glushko and Korolev worked before there arrest), and first used in July 1941 against the German invasion .at the Orsha railway station.(Belarus) http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/katyusha.htm
The relationship between Stalin and Hitler started to decay rapidly from May 1937. Tukhachevsky was arrested on 11th June1937 and shot.
During the Stalin purges of 1938 Glushko was arrested three months before Korolev, tortured and sent to a soviet work camp or Gulag. The evidence which was brought against Korolev came from three of his design bureau colleages Terentievich Klieimenov, Gyorgi Erikovich Langemak and Valentin Glushko. Accusing Korolev of squandering money on developing liquid propergol rockets. Effectively German intelligence, by leaking miss informationm had stopped the Russian liqiuid propergol rocket development until after the end of WW2 Hypothesis Was Wernher Von Braun involved > Probably > Providing information on the Russian rocket group to Himmler SS who produced miss information documents sent to >Stalin The original documents leaked by the Germans were created by Himmler and passed through a contact in Czechoslovakia to Stalin. Later Korolev was moved to a 'Sharaga' after a request from Tupolev. These were prison camps where interllectuals could work on fixed projects yet kept under strict supervision.You where certainly less likely to die form either cold or hunger The chilling novel written by Solzhenitsyn "The first circle" describes what life was like in a 'sharashka'. This word derives from Russian slang used for a sinister enterprise based on half truths and psycological deceit. The big question is. Why would Korolev, Glushko and other engineers later carry out pioneering work under the same regime? My view is that they where genuinely dedicated to pushing the frontiers of science in order to help mankind explore space. | ||||||||||
The Stalin Purges A poem in memory of the Zeks. And fate made everybody equal -Alexander Tvardovsky, | |||||||||||
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1938 Korolev's Gulag identity photograph Source Natalya Koroleva.
Joseph Stalin |
Reference: 'Gulag' A history of the Soviet Camps. by Anne Applebun. Published by Penguin Allen Lane 2003 Winner of the 2004 Pulitzer for non fiction From 1929 until 1953 18million where imprisoned in the Soviet concentration camps For most of them the Gulag ment working to death. In Auschwitz you could die in a gas chamber, in Kolyma you could freeze to death in the snow. http://www.anneapplebaum.com/gulag/intro.html
"The Rockets' Red Glare: Technology, Conflict, and Terror in the
Soviet Union"by Siddiqi, Asif A. 1966 The Stalin purges We have no idea how people in the USSR and Ukraine suffered During the Stalin purges (1930-1953) it has been estimated that 20 million people where killed, the male population of the 1930.s decimated and one in twenty on the population.arrested. The reign of terror ment that half the population had a NKVD dossier and all the population lived in fear. http://www.gendercide.org/case_stalin.html
In the Land of the Zeks by Julius Margolin http://www.newtimes.ru/eng/detail.asp?art_id=231 Solzhenitsyn http://nobelprize.org/literature/laureates/1970/solzhenitsyn-autobio.html http://ccweb.cosmosclub.org/web/journals/1998/harford.html The history of the Soviet Gulag system needs to be put in the same context as the Nazi Holocaust Modern western history needs to be brought up to date following the end of the Cold War | ||||||||||
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Holodomor' Ukrainian famine of 1932-1933 approximately 5 million people starved to death in the Kharkiv and Dneiprpetrovak regions when Stalin inflicted punishing grain quotas on the Ukraine. Genocide by famine of a well organised social group of Ukraine farming peasants who opposed Stalin's collectivism. It has been estimtaed that as a consequence 1 in 4 of the Ukranian rural population perished. Other victims of Stalin's repression where the Kulak peasants who lived along the Volga, the Cossaks north of the Caucase and the nomads from Kazakhstan. During this period Glushko would have been aged 24 and Korolev 21. Glushko was working at the GDL in St Petersbourg and Korolev at the GIRD in Moscow
A similar famine had occurred in Ukaine during 1921-1922 due to Lenins Soviet grain production collectivisim. http://www.ukrweekly.com/Archive/1988/458814.shtml This would correspond to when Glushko was (13) and Korolev (10).So they would definitely be aware that there was a deep distrust by the Soviet political adminstration of people from Ukraine.
Seventy fifth anniversary 2007 of the 1932 Ukrainian Holodomor BBC Opposed by Russia the Ukraine will ask the UN to officially recognise the Holodomor | ||||||||||
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Early Russian rocket development history at GDL http://www.russianspaceweb.com/gdl.html 15th May 1929 A specific department for the development of liquid fueled and electrical propulsion system rockets was formed at GDL Leningrad (St. Petersburgh) | |||||||||||
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Boris Chertok (1912- ) Russian Space Academician. .Deputy to Korolev at OKB1 Responsible for control systems. (Rocket guidance, control and communication) His early career mirrored Korolev's in that they were both arrested during the Stalin purges and somehow survived .To become leaders in the Soviet rocket programme. Here is a photograph taken at the Centenary celebrations of Korolevs birth at RSC Energia. January 2007 aged 95. | ||||||||||
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'Creating the rocket industry' by Boris Chertok <Click a member of Korolev's engineering team on the Soviet rocket programme. 'Rockets and People' Book 2 Boris Chertok (????? ?????? ) Edited into English by Asif Siddiqui http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4110/vol2.pdf <Click
Essential reading in that this is written by a contemporary of Korolev's giving an important human dimension to the reminisences of Boris Chertok. That is direct and less distorted by western researchers with limited access to archive material and soviet culture. As a tribute to S P Korolev please read this important reference. 'Rockets and People' Book1<Click by Boris Chertok. First meeting with Korolev Ch24 Page325. http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4110/vol1-1.pdf Boris Chertok (95) International Astronautical Fedeartion 50th anniversary of Sputnik March 21st 2007 http://www.iafastro.org/?id=507 Professor Boris Chertok said that he was one of the last living witnesses to the early Soviet space programme.
After World War II, Stalin decided to modernise the Soviet Union's defence and Sergey Korolyov decided to fulfil Stalin's wish - nobody realised it might lead to Sputnik.
The theory of space exploration was well-established by the writings of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky who published pioneering papers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Germans become experts both in the interwar years and during the Second World War. The Soviets reached the V-2 production sites in 1945 and went on to build a replica of the V-2 called the R-1. The weight of the Soviet nuclear warheads required a powerful booster and this was developed during the 1950s.
After the United States announced its intention to launch a scientific satellite, the Soviet Union announced its intention to do the same, based on its military R-1 rocket. During celebrations for the centenary of Tsiolkovsky's birth in 1956 and in time for the International Geophysical Year of 1957/58, Korolyov announced that a light-weighing satellite could be quickly launched, beating the USA into space. A simpler satellite than that planned the previous year, Sputnik 1 became the first satellite with its launch on 4 October 1957. It stunned citizens the world over. | |||||||||||
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Boris Chertok made an invaluable contributions to first the Soviet, and then the Russian space programme.
He joined the Soviet Research Institute of Aircraft Industry in 1930 as an electrical engineer. Immediately after the Second World War, he was head of the Rocket Technique Research Institute in Bleiherode, Germany. Back in the Soviet Union, he worked as one of the chief designers on control systems for rockets and space apparatus from 1947 to 1951. Professor Chertok served as deputy to the principal designer at the Central Design Bureau from 1951 to 1966 and at the Rocket and Space Energy Corporation from 1966 to 1992.
He was key to the design of the control systems of the Mir space station. For 15 years, research conducted on the Mir fostered breakthroughs in astronomy, space science, medicine and other disciplines.
An academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professor Chertok is a recipient of the highest award in Russia, Hero of Socialist Labour, and a recipient of the Lenin Prize.
An fimed interview with Boris Chertok in 2004 containing archive film of Korolev
http://www.jaxa.jp/article/interview/vol9/img/e_chertok.mpg http://www.jaxa.jp/article/interview/vol9/img/e_chertok2.mpg
Japanese Space Exploration Agency link
http://www.jaxa.jp/article/interview/vol9/index_e.html
Copyright Boris Chertok | |||||||||||
| The Technology Gap | |||||||||||
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Mig15 |
Until the launch of 'Spoutnik' 4th October 1957 the first man made satellite by Korolev and his team. The West comprising the United States and the OTAN signatory countries considered the USSR as technologically inferiour. The USSR was respected because it possesed a massive land arm supported by tens of thousands of battle tanks which effectively created an 'Iron curtain' between communism and the West. Former allies in WW2 were now engaged in a post war conflict for World dominance based on ideals. Referred to as 'The Cold War'. It must have been extremely difficult to change attitudes and motivatie people at a personal level who had worked together during the WW2. There needed to be another large power base to counterbalance that of the USA after WW2. Pre 1957 and despite evidence provided during the Korean War where the superiority of the USSR built MIG15 interceptor jet aircraft was generally acknowledged. The US continued to believe that the USSR was incapable of developing sophisticated aircraft or master the production of electronic circuits. After the 4th October 1957 and the failed attempt by the USA to launch the more modest Explorer satellite when the rocket exploded. This confirmed there was a technology gap. Hidden behind the accomplishment of putting the first man made satellite into orbit was the technical capability of long range nuclear strike using the same missile. This left post 1957 Europe and OTAN wondering whether the US had technological superioirity. Nasa reference to Tsiolkovski work1958.AppendixA2 http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4404/notes-app-a.htm
A credability gap opened in 1961 when the USSR (thanks to Korolev and his team of engineers) successfully launched the first man into space. After this point, rocket development became a political football with the engineers having less power whilst the politicians and military strategists controlled how the budget would be spent. Up to this point the politic elite had been unaware of the significant political status that could be gained from space in addition to its strategic military value. Engineering realism took a back seat in the USSR. Chelomei's close ties with the Kruschev family diverted finance required by Korolev onto an alternative moon rocket project on which Krustchev's son was working. So political competition and in fighting prevented Korolev from building on his earlier sucess. Never gaining the finance he needed even for basic static rocket engine ground tests. This
effectively split the Soviet Space effort into several competitive
programmes fighting for military approval from which it never fully
recovered until 1992. Without this interference Korolev ( USSR)
might have achieved considerably more. Whilst the US strategy of 'if you throw enough money at a problem; then statistically you will find a solution that will work' took hold. Todays space budgets have to be justified before expenditure is released. The most cost effective are those of the esa and Russia. The R7 Soyouz launch vehicle is a lesson we should all try to appreciate as a human triumph. Forget the politics and the nationalism. | ||||||||||
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Korolev |
Glushko |
Chelomei | |||||||||
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Gleb Evgenevitch Lozino-Lozimsky. An important space engineer whos name was kept a secret until 1999 Engineer responsible for the Bourane Soviet space shuttle Born 25th December 1909 Kiev Ukraine. Worked with Mikoyan at OKB 155 to design and develop a series of MIG jet fighter aircraft probably the most famous being the Mig 25 capable of flying at 25000m at a velocity in excess of 3000Km/hr. From 1966 Mikoyan started to develop a design for a future re-usable space shuttle. Centered at an office of OKB 155 in Moscow. Appointing Lozino-Lozinsy as chief engineering director responsible for the Bourane (Boran) project. Powered by a biphase RD701 twin rocket motor propulsion module.Phase1 produced a thrust of 400tonsf using oxygen/hydrogen and kerosene whilst Phase 2 produced 162 tonsf used only the ergols oxygen/hydrogen. Sole automatic flight 1988. Boran was launched using the Energia launch vehicle that was given to the Chief Designer Glushko. The begining of the end of the moon mission... Priorities to land a cosmonaut on the moon changed when military chiefs calculated that the flight path of the American space shuttle from Vandenburg AFB military base overflew sensitive strategic military sites in the USSR and would be capable of delivering a nulcear strike capability within 3.5minutes as compared to the 10minutes required for an intercontinental strike launched from a Polaris submarine. Hence the priority switched to producing a ussr space shuttle Bourane even though it was quickly realised that the economics of using a reusable flight vehicle was not cost effective. The logic went .... Well if its not cost effective why are the Americans building a space shuttle 3.5mins... We will make one to counter the threat of the USA. The rest is now fortunately history... With the end of the Cold War there was no longer any need for either the 'Boran ' or Energia programmes to continue> So the project was mothballed and funding finally stopped in1993.
Thanks to the development of surveillence or spy satellites. The cold war came to an end when both opposing factions could reliably monitor weapons development and deployment. Policing a nuclear proliferation treaty became
a possiblity.
There is another statistic worth mentioning: Nasa space shuttle launches STS 116 Total 118 Russian
R7
Launcher
Total 1929 | ||||||||||
| On the 25 th February1956 in closed congress Nikita Khrouchtchev denounced the personality cult that had been pursued by Stalin and brought to light the devastating effect and scope of the Stalin purges within the USSR. Source: Sam Russell journalist for the Communist Party Newspaper UK Le Monde 19Mars 2006 | |||||||||||
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Wernher von Braun
Dora-Mittelbau |
Wernher Von Braun (1912-1977) German pioneer and rocket scientist of WW2's infamous V2 and V1.Wernher was born into the Prussian aristocracy. At the end of WorldWar2 (1945) he emigrated to the USA with a large group of German engineers that had worked with him on the V2 programme in Peenemunde (Near the Baltic coast in Germany). Von Braun and his team subsequently worked on several US military rocket programmes ( Redstone, Jupiter and Atlas) and the Saturn5 rocket for the Apollo moon missions. Wernher Von Braun developed the ideas of Oberth and others. Financed by the Third Reich Wernher Von Braun directed a rocket programme that overcame many of the serious practical problems to produce a series of rockets that culminated with the 12.5ton A4(V2) that had a range of 200Kms carrying a charge ms1000 Kgs.
Cross section of the A4 rocket
From 1932 Wernher Von Braun worked under the control of Army General Ing. E.Walter Dornberger to set up a rocket design, development and manufacturing facility at Peenemunde.On the northern German coast. In 1943 control of Peenemunde passed under the control of SS Director Hans Kammler when Dornberger opposed the creation of an underground rocket production facility at Mittelbau. He wasn't to concerned about using slave prison labour. Just that it would effectively delay the availability of the weapons of mass destruction. During1943 Wernher von Braun, a member of the SS, was made a technical director of Dora Mittelbau underground prison factory. Wernher von Braun worked with SS Brigadier Hans Kammler to control the production of A4(V2). Protected by the Allies in 1945 by a cover up during operation 'Paper clip' Wernher von Braun did not have to stand trial at Nuremberg with other members of theNazi elite. The principle objective of operation 'Paperclip' was to find all the engineers and technical data on the Nazi rocket programme; as the allied forces advanced through Germany in 1945 during the final phase of the war. This knowledge would then be returned to the USA.This was also one of the principle objectives for the Soviet army as it advanced into Germany from the East. This photograph shows Wernher von Braun walking behind Himmler wearing an SS uniform. Note:( This image obviously missed the eliminate the evidence directive. During both the German clear up and allied operation Paper clip ) Army General Ing.E Walter Dornberger can be seen walking to the left of Himmler in the enlarged image.Click Image dated April 1943 To be objective we should at least open the question of Wernher von Brauns political views. Even if it has been a forbidden subject since 1945 Wernher Von Braun joined the National Socialist Party in 1932. Because it sponsored him and his project to develop rockets as military weapons. Braun was sponsored by Army General Ing. E.Walter Dornberger during his two year doctorate at the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Universität. Became a member of the SS riding club in 1933 The SS in 1940 or earlier. Himmler had shown a keen interested in destroying the Soviet rocket development team 1932>1936. Feeding false documents to Stalin that led to the excecution or imprisonment of all key engineers and researchers. To eliminate the competition.Informed by whom? . As a consequence a considerable number of lives were treated as expendable. I suspect the discussion could go on for some time. Towards the end of the war large numbers of prisoners were moved away from the Dora Mittelbau complex and several of the camps demolised. making it difficults to accurately estimate just how many perished. A very conservative estimate is that 20 000 of the 60 000 slave labour that entered Dora were worked to death.
Operation 'Paperclip' Reference Tom Bowers' The Paperclip Conspiracy" http://www.mindcontrolforums.com/project-paperclip4.htm Thesis on the Peenemunde engineers at Dora Mittelbau. Most middle and lower management civilian positions where filled by experienced Peenemunde engineers. Hans Lindenburg, Von Braun's deputy was based at Mittelbau and was responsable for implicating changes necessary to simplify and mass production of the A4.He remained in frequent contact with Von Braun and was also responsible for introducing production and systems quality procedures written by Braun. Of the Peenemunde engineers transfered to Mittelbau at least 20% were resposible for crimes against humanity whilst the rest at best can be accused of humanitarian indifference.Perhaps influenced by there increased salaries, promotion and inducments package Sawatzki was one of the engineers responsible for the day to day production and worked with Hans Lindeburg. Based on numerous accounts from prisoners who survived Sawatzki took pleasure in beating his production slave labour. .
Former Peenemunde engineers Seidenstucker and Jakob worked as deputies for Rudolph who was reputed for his ruthless use of slave labour. Who along with Sawatzki and Siegel, where all known for there cold ruthless and inhuman mistreatment of prisoners. There was one value given to staff and engineers who were German then there was another code of conduct for non Germans.Where almost anything was accepted if it helped the objective of mass producing A4 rockets. Rudolph first introduced slave prison labour when he was at Peenemunde Dornberger quote on the status of prisoners at Peenemunde:
"In the near future convicts will arrive here to work, I say to you now directly that they are all thieves , murders and crimminals, and every crimminal will always pronnouce his is innocent"
This statement clarified the elite status of the engineers at Peenemunde and set the role of the slave labour as comparitively worthless.
Thesis on the Peenemunde engineers at Dora Mittelbau. Engineering Consent Peenemunde, National Socialism and the V2 1924-1945 2005 https://drum.umd.edu/dspace/bitstream/1903/2861/1/umi-umd-2357.pdf Hannelore Bannach was secretary to Sawatzki and Wernher von Braun.
Wernher von Braun: Baron, member of the Nazi party elite and Sturmbannfuhrer , equivalent to major in the SS. With an important number of Russian prisoners used as slave labour in Dora Mittelbrau. Wernher von Braun was frightened of the consequences if he was captured by the Soviet army . Helmut Gottrup Chertok Rockets and People book1 P305-307<Click link Korolev would also have been aware of Von Braun's involvement at Mittelwerk Dora. | ||||||||||
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Dora Mittelbrau memorial Germany under National Socialism. Herman Oberth Verein fur Raumschiffarht '.The German Rocket Society'. | |||||||||||
| Treatment of Soviet population and soldiers during the German invasion of the Soviet Republic. I think if I were Von Braun I would have been concerned about being captured by the Soviet army. http://www.historynet.com/wars_conflicts/world_war_2/3037296.html?page=1&c=y | |||||||||||
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Dr Walter Thiel
3rd Oct 1942 First A4 launch to reach space courtesy videospacevideo.ru |
Between 1936 and 1941 Dr Walter Thiel developed rocket engine performance from a thrust of 1.5tonsf to 25tonsf introducing fuel injection into the combustion chamber and generally increasing reliability and efficiency during the transition from A1>A4. Responsible for introducing the turbine driven propellant pump to increase the fuel mass flowrate fed to the combustion chamber. Refered to as a 'turbopump' initially they where driven by steam due to there development from steam turbine technology. Later they would be driven by exhaust gas generated from a seperate combustion chamber. In 1942 a A4(V2) travelled faster than the speed of sound 340m/s. Note: Dr Walter Thiel also developed a hypergolic fueled rocket engine for the Wesserfall anti-aircraft missle that was a quarter the size of the A4 but had the additional requirement of being easy to store and launch. Making the use of liquid oxygen as used in the A4 unsuitable. The hypergolic fuel was made up from Visol (vinyl isobutyl ether) and SV-Stoff, that is an oxidising agent mixture of (90% nitric acid, 10% sulfuric acid).With hypergolic fuels the oxidising combustion process only occurs when the two chemical parts are brought into contact with each other. Todays anti aircraft missles prefer to use solid propergol fuel. The Wesserfall was later adopted by the USA refered to as the 'Nike Project' and by the USSR in there R101 anti aircraft missle programme
Dr Walter Thiel was killed along with hundreds of other engineers , during an allied bombing raid on Peenemunde during the night of 16/17th August 1943. Part of the same allied night bombing raid overshot by 3kms and bombed a prisoner work camp killing an unknown number of prisoners. Amongst them some of the Polish prisoners that had managed to get the original information to the allies about the rocket research and production site at Peenemunde. Forty allied aircraft where lost during the raid. The important work of Dr Walter Thiel and his team in developing the V2 rocket engine is frequently undervalued or attributed to Werhner Von Braun. | ||||||||||
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A4 reliability on reaching its programmed target was only 45%. In order to research and develop the A4 the German engineers had to build a supersonic wind tunnel and also developed a system of electrical analogue circuits to model the dynamic flight performance of rockets. Data recovered from test launches was then used to refine the model. German rocket achievements during this period created the foundation technology for both Russian and US rocket programmes immediately after the war. Note: Smaller teams also helped France>with the Viking rocket engine, Britain>with the BlackKnight rocket programme and in the 1950's the Russains gave ChinaV2 technology. Between 1946 and 1947 German rocket engineers joined the French research team of the LRBA at Vernon in the Eure. Research in developing the V2 ballistic rocket technology was later diverted in 1949 to designing an atmospheric test or sonde rocket code named 'Veronique'.
In all, 67 V-2 rockets were assembled and tested by the US at White Sands between 1946 and 1952, providing the U.S. with valuable experience in the assembly, pre-flight testing, handling, fueling, launching, and tracking of large missiles. The scientific experiments conducted aboard the V-2 yielded significant information about the upper atmosphere. Only 68 percent of the US V2 flights were considered successful. However, much valuable information was gained from flights with known malfunctions and classified as failures In 1946 a test firing of a captured V2 rocket at White Sands USA by Von Braun's team, recorded some of the first film taken from a rocket as it pierces the earths upper atmosphere leaving behind the shrinking curvature of our Earth. Destined to discover an unknown world beyond that of our own. V-2 WhiteSands No. 13: Motion pictures showing
Earth's curvature: October 24, 1946
This marked the begining of a technological battle for supremancy between two super powers U.S.S.R. (Russia) and the U.S.A. That had two parallel objectives: 1.The race to control the new frontiers of Space. Signalling the true start of space exploration 2.The Nuclear arms race Or 'Cold War' period. To develop nuclear armed rockets that could wipe the other super power off the face of the Earth. Or hold the world at peace by the threat of reprisal.. The deterrent strategy. UK Polaris Submarines http://www.awe.co.uk/main_site/about_awe/history/timeline/1968/index.html
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Nuclear deterrent |
Fortunately the space race took precedence with spy satellites policing anti prolifilaration agreements. By observing what each other was doing with their nuclear weapons. Priority was then focused on the need to develop peaceful applications of the technological advances in satellites. Slava boga ( Thank God )
The stakes where very high and there was a lot of failures on the way to success in the Space Race.
Probably the most significant advantage gained by the USA space development programme. Was the development and integration during the 1960's of computers and lightweight control system electronics. That would allow them to pull ahead of the Russian space programme.
Developments in second World War England1943 , by Max Newman, Alan Turing (Mathematicians) and Tommy Flowers a GPO telecommunicatioins engineer had produced the first code cracking computer called 'Collosus'. Working on a system of thyraton triode valves this massive device would later be drastically reduced in size by replacing the valves with microcircuits and transistors. So radically improving calculating speeds required for both designing rockets and calculating the orbits required to arrive at objectives like the moon and the planets. Consequently in 1957 when the engineers in the USA
discovered that the USSR had the technological advantage. They where able
to accelerate the design programme and take the lead in the race for the
moon.
The history of the first computer.Click
http://www.nasm.si.edu/exhibitions/gal213/gal213.html
Courtesy Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
Ultimately leading to Saturn 5, Apollo11 21 July1969 Man first walks on the moon. Satellites > Weather forecasting. With more accurate prediction of potential disasters cyclones, floods; geographic mapping and analysis of our world, internatioanl television, digital communications/telephone, GPS for verifying the accurate postion of aircraft and shipping etc. Today real time television reports from all over the world have kept the worlds population better informed than at any time in our history. Note: A completely transparent account of developments during this period is only just becoming possible. Satellite orbits required for :
Apollo Moon missions. 'The time of Apollo' 1975 NASA documemtry onthe Apollo space programme. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=289444585088213883&q=649442
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tothemoon/explore.html http://www.historychannel.com/broadband/clipview/index.jsp?id=mf866_saturnvapollo_93
To find out more about the race to the moon http://www.si.edu/science_and_technology/ Then select Apollo 11 mission to the moon. http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/students/idealabs/walking_on_the_moon.html History of the race to take man to the moon. Courtesy Smithsonian Institute
The Engineer October 1957 Sputnik article pdf
The legacy of Sputnik and the battle in the USA between the Vanguard and Redstone projects http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/sputnik/TOC.html SMART1 esa satellite mission video http://mfile.akamai.com/14448/wmv/esa.download.akamai.com/13452/wmv/destmoon_04042005_wmplow.asx JPL History Site covering the history of NASA space exploration. A good site for reference. | ||||||||||
| Historic film of V2 leaving Earth's atmosphere. See below V2 USA WhiteSands test rangeV2 flight No. 13: Film showing Earth's curvature at an apogee of 105Km above the White Sands test range in New Mexico USA October 24, 1946 | |||||||||||
| http://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2006/02/24/205082/Historic+video+V-2+rocket+reaches+space+October+1946.html\
http://www.flightglobal.com/Downloads/video/v2rocket.wmv Video Courtesy of Whitesands Missile Range © (New Mexico USA) and Virgin Galatic. With kind permission of Flight International Magazine and Internet Site. | |||||||||||
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Note: To get the maximum effect of this historic event the suggested accompaning sound track is the superb Michael Nyman's music from 'Gattaca' The arrival.(3.53)
What a fantastic achievement after all that had gone before, Just reading a few of the histories on these pages will give depth to the supreme effort and dedication that has opened the way to stars and discover our universe.
' This is the culmination of no one man but of mankind'. . Gattaca Film 'There is no gene for the human spirit' Michael Nymans music from 'Gattaca' Virigin records 7243 8 45018 2 2 The one moment (1.40) Top | ||||||||||
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USA Space strategy post 'Sputnik' The Formation of NASA In reply to ' Sputnik' Werhner von Braun's Time cover of February 17th 1958. | ||||||||||
| America in Space
the first 10years 1968 Nasa archive http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7120242879616552990&q=space
Nasa Space shuttle http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle | |||||||||||
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(1881-1957)
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Early French aviator and rocket theoretican .The first Engineer to become involved with rocket propulsion. 1912 15th November. At the meeting of the French Physical Society, Robert Esnault-Pelterie delivers a scientific paper with the ambiguous title 'The considerations on the Results of Unlimited Reduction in Engine Weight.' Discussing the possibility using rocket propulsion for exploring space. Co-founder of the REP- Hirsch prize awarded by the French Astronomique Societe for the advancement of the science of astronautics. (REP) Robert Esnault-Pelterie. Engineer and inventer of the 'Joy stick' aircraft flight control system and development of the radial aircraft engine. | ||||||||||
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1853-1881
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Transport Engineer form Chernigov Northern Ukraine. Studied at the St.Petersburgh Institute of Transportation Engineers enrolling in 1871. Who in 1881 wrote about his ideas for a projectile launched by the force of reaction supplied by multiple combustion chambers in which packets of slow burning combustible powder where contained. Written during the last days of his life in prison for his part in the assasination of Czar Alexandre 2. Established as the first person to show scientifically that an engine using the energy of a slow burning explosive could be used to create a jet propelled flying machine. Capable of propelling man. The first step in the history of space flight. Science and rocket flight became equated with the new revolutionary anti-czar era .
Kibaltchich(22) had been imprisoned earlier in 1875 for three years for the distribution of subversive literature shortly after a failed attempt to assasinate Alexander2. Somewhat ironically Czar Alexander 2 had done more than any previous Czar to enlighten the University system and produce more practically oriented engineering graduates. Kilbaltchich was executed along with the other members of the Peoples will asasination group Sophia Perovskaya, Andrei Zheyabov, Gesia Gelfman, Nikolai Sablin, Nikolai Rysakov and Timofei Mikhailov. | ||||||||||
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| Just Buisson and Alexandru Ciurcu 3rd August 1886 They dreamed of developing the first jet propelled dirigable.. | |||||||||||
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The Rocket powered boat of Just Buisson and Alexandru Ciurcu 1886 Seine Paris Alexandru N, Ciurcu is the person you can see standing second from the lright in the above photograph. My research indicates that this could be a photograph taken after development tests at Sevran in 1887. | |||||||||||
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The Rocket powered boat of Just Buisson and Alexandru Ciurcu
1886 Pioneers Just Buisson French inventor and Alexandre.Ciurcu (Romanian) pronounced Tchurcou developed and patented a rocket powered boat. This marked the start of the development of the solid propellant rocket motor as used in booster rockets today. The slow burning explosive of Kibaltchich had become a reality. The jet boat was demonstrated on the river Seine during a series of tests carried out from August until December 1886 to convince military officials. That someday rocket propulsion could be used for dirigibles, boats and heavier than air machines (aircraft).. Brave men indeed. Subsequently a similar rocket motor was tested as a means of propulsion for a rail wagon at Sevran in 1887. With an orientable jet version developed to power a dirigable 'Zepplin' or aeroplane. Having concieved the idea of using jet propulsion they had eleminated the possibility of using either high pressure steam or compressed air during the early development phases and concentrated on producing a powerful slow burning explosive mixture to generate the pressure. A bronze combustion chamber was used to generate a high energy proplusion jet.
The material weight associated with controlling the high combustion pressures probably ended the project. Not to mention the danger of explosion! They faced a daunting task of technology transfer from the era of vapour to rocket jet propulsion. The new century would eventually provide a solution to their problem in 1943.
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Alfred Nobel |
One of the
principle sponsors of the project was Edmond Blanc a member of
Nadars Aviation Society created in 1863. That included Jules Verne amongst
its members.
Severan at this point was the area where production and development of explosives was undertaken. Where interestingly a certain Mr Nobel (1833-1896) also worked http://nobelprize.org/nobel/alfred-nobel/industrial/sevran/ ' Nobel established operations in Sevran,where he was occupied with research that led to the invention of ballistite in 1887. This was a gunpowder that left behind no solid particles when it burned, only small quantities of steam. In other words, it was virtually smokeless.' | ||||||||||
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Van Gogh Pont de Clichy 1887 |
I have discovered the original text in La Nature late 1887 edition about there demonstrations. Fatal explosion December 16th 1886 on the Seine near the Pont de Clichy. P70 La Nature Article late 1887 introduction written by Editor Gaston Tissandier with the main article written by Alexandru Ciurcu Jet Propulsion experiment of J. J. Buisson and A. Ciurcu.
Title: Disaster of 16th December 1886. On the 16th December 1886 a terrible accident left the population of Asnieres and its vicinity in a state of shock. after an engine used to power a whaling gaff exploded on the river Seine. Just downstrem from the Pont de Clichy bridge..... Read the translation in English<Click There first boat was 8m long with a displacement for six oarsmen and had been modified by adding a 28L portable bronze combustion chamber 50cms high and with a diameter of 30cms. Operating within a pressure regime of 10 to15 Bar. What's more it worked. Encouraged by the success of the early development phase from 3rd August to December 1886 where they achieved a propulsion autonomy of 15mins.They increased the jet power output by raising the system operating pressure and improved the autonomy by introducing a primary pressure generator. Like many early rocket pioneers after many successful trials over the prevoius 4 months they just went a bit too far. Precipitated by an important visit of Mr Edmond Blanc and M le Conte d'Herisson, who where interested in helping finance there jet propulsion development project. Without the luxury of time or the special test facilities to confirm the integratiy of the new combustion chamber under excess pressure loading, they installed the new system in the boat during the days leading up to the demonstration and on the 16th Dec. set out on the Seine to impress there visiters and see what improvements to performance the changes had produced.
During one of there initial trials with the Mk2 boat they ruptured the high pressure combustion chamber after the pressure control valve jammed in the closed position. The resulting violent explosion killed Buisson and a young helper almost instantly. Al Ciurcu although severely burned survived to write this article and continue the development of rocket propulsion. The boat had been blown into a thousand pieces with Al Cuircu blown clear by the blast. Suffering severe burns to the face and one hand. Still conscious he was able to swim to the river side and safety. | ||||||||||
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Seurat's steam tug |
Just Buisson died shortly afterwards in the arms of M le Comte d'Herisson and in the company of his friend who had been recovered from the Seine by a passing steam tug. Note: Maurice d'Irisson, comte d'Herrisson (1839-1893) Orientalist and fomer Maire of Paris during the Prussian seige of 1870 | ||||||||||
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Seurat 1884 Bathers at Asnieres. Revised1887
Monets 1877 Gare Saint -Lazare |
Setting the scene.... After recovering in Bucherest Al. Cuircu returned to Asnieres (Haute Seine) in 1887 determined to continue his research and expertiments.
Note: Asnieres at this time was home to the impressionist movement Seurat, Renoir, Monet. Boating and sailing on the Seine was a popular pastime followed by meeting socially to eat , drink and relax at restraunts and cafes at Asnieres, La Grande Jatte and Argenteuil. New social life-styles where being adopted by those aspiring to be recognised as intellectually middle class.. The advent of railways provided easy access to the countryside on the ouskirts of Paris. The impressionists Seurat, Monet and Van Gogh not being afraid to show smoke , trains and industrialisation that the others appear to have censored from there images of life. Trains ran from Gare Saint-Lazare to Asnieres and Argenteuil. You can almost smell the vapour and coal smoke. http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/glo/impressionism/
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Van Gough 1887 Bridges Asnieres |
Following the recovery of the rocket propulsion unit from the bottom of the Seine. Ciurcu identified that the cause of the accident was due to the failure, at high pressure, of a metal access panel at the front end of the chamber. It was not an explosion as such but a rupture of the metal used for the panel. He attributed the cause of failure as being a combination of the quality of the steel used and the thickness of panel selected for the design. He estimated that a force of 105Kg ( Which I interpret to be 9.81* 105 N ) was generated on the interior surface area of the combustion chamber.. | ||||||||||
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Seurat Dimanche a la grande jatte 1884 modified 86, 88 and 89. |
Translated this would indicate a material yield stress of 46 N/mm2 MPa. For steel at this period I would expect to see a yield value of no less than 230MPa.Rp0.2 Note: 46 N/mm2 is quite low and would indicate either a fatigue or fabrication procedure problem. What he probably was unable to define was the rate of increase in pressure to which the pressur vessel/combustion chamber was exposed. If a plate buckled under pressure it could have been due to the plate not being either thick enough, being made of a none homogenous material or the use of an inappropriate locking and fastening system.Elsewhere in the text he refers to the rupture of the cylinder occurring when the pressure was in excess of 20bar. | ||||||||||
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Renoir Asnieres 1878 |
When the cylinder ruptured it would be analagous to a boiler explosion; the energy of the expanding hot gases leaking from the hole in the reservoir would have had a devastating effect. According to the account given by Cuircu. The rupture in the front of the main cylinder reversed the thrust of the combustion chamber. That immediately broke free from its mounting and transformed into a projectile impacting Buisson at the rear of the boat. Whilst the front panel was projected like a bullet impacting the young lad at the front controlling the rudder cords. Cuircu who was close to the source of the explosion and was blown sideways. Recieving severe burns from the burning combustion product. That disfigured the righthand side of his face, hand and back.
Unfortunately Just Buisson died shortly afterwards in the arms of M le Conte d'Herisson after asking if his friend was alright.
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After the accident the fight for credibility...
In the conclusion to the article in 'Nature' Cuircu expresses his determination to continue with the research into jet propulsion as he is convinced it would be important for the future. He would not allow the development to be stopped because of the accident that had claimed the life of his best friend. Quite the opposite. The cause of the accident had been generally misunderstood by the general public who had assumed incorrectly that Buisson and Cuircu had been playing with explosives that would inevitably lead to a devastating explosion. Cuircu appealed to the public to try and understand the basic principle of rocket jet propulsion. Based on the simple Newtonian principle of every active force being acccompanied by a reaction force. So if there was a jet force pointed towards the rear of the boat the reaction force would propel the boat forwards. Secondly he appealed to the scientific community to let him continue his rocket development project. Since the accident had been due to lack of adequate test facilities and a material failure. Qualifying that the accident had in fact occurred following several months of successful trials without incident. The basic idea of rocket propulsion was sound.
Moral and financial support was provided by Edmond Blanc and M. le Comte d'Herisson ( Formerly Governor of Paris 1870 during the Franco-German Siege ) who had both witnessed the successful trials and where following the progress of the phase 2 boat from the river bank when the combustion chamber ruptured causing an explosion.
The two figures can just be made out at the top righthand in the illustration in 'La Nature' showing the accident. Both where members of the 'Heavier than air Aviation Society' of Nadar.
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1887 Combustion chamber test at Sevran |
What people actually thought after the accident is not recorded. It can be assumed that the generally low level of scientific knowledge in society during the late 19th century would not have made Ciurcu task an easy one. But we can imagine that he was written off as some form of derranged scientist What we do know is that Beau de Rochas, Gaston Tissandier, Mr Mourouard ( Ministrie deGuerre ) and a few others like Desire Thomas Piot and (The Nadar heavier than air aviation Society) where sufficiently convinced with his idea for the future of jet propulsion. But they where in the minoirty. | ||||||||||
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Timing... But at this epoch the technological revolution was focused on steam. the development of electricity and the internal combustion engine. Horse feed was in short supply, the roads where polluted by horse manure and there was a major shift of population from the country to the large industrial towns where an alternative means of transport was required. metro, train, motor driven transport etc
A report by Mr Mourouard the Director of Poudres est saltpetres at the Ministrie de Guerre (Defence Department) authenticates the success of the initail trials. It is probably with his help, that after the accident further developoment work was carried out in a rail yard at Sevran under his control in 1887. Severan at this point was the area where production and development of explosives was undertaken. Where interestingly a certain Mr Nobel (1833-1896) also worked http://nobelprize.org/nobel/alfred-nobel/industrial/sevran/ ' Nobel established operations in Sevran,where he was occupied with research that led to the invention of ballistite in 1887. This was a gunpowder that left behind no solid particles when it burned, only small quantities of steam. In other words, it was virtually smokeless.'
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Monet 1857 Pont Asnieres |
The famous Monet painting 'Deschargeurs des charbons' is painted at the bridge at Asnieres with the bridge of Pont de Clichy in the background. The picture records the unloading of coal from barges at Clichy next to the bridge to Asnieres. Which was then used to produce gas in Clichy for the city of Paris.
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The source of the original text in La Nature late 1887 Is taken from the french National archive of the CNUM CNAM. If you need a full translation you can contact me. http://cnum.cnam.fr/SYN/4KY28.29.html
Click on this title to see the original text> Interestingly the images in the article bare no resemblance to the installatioin in the photograph. So it is possible that the photograph shows the results of the rocket development work carried out on a rail wagon during 1887.
The earlier images show 28L bronze combustion chamber, where the hot exhaust gases of combustion , generated by the slow burning solid propergol fuel cartidge, are then directed through a nozzle in the side of the pressure vessel, developing thrust force to propel the boat. In some of there early patents they use the heat energy created by the combustion to generate high energy steam vapour. However the use of high steam pressure was eliminated in the early stages of development in preference to using simply the high energy combustion products expanded through a nozzle in the side of the bronze combustion chamber. The definition of the primary cycle would then more closely resemble a air cooled rocket combustion chamber. Although only operating at 15 to 20 bar. The later Phase 3 development (Post Dec1886 seen in the photograph) is a large single combustion chamber. Which had the facility of intoducing two propergol cartridges to extend the combustion autonomy. Somewhat understanderbly there are numerous control valves and maximum pressure safety valves to avoid excess pressure rupturing the combustion cylinder. The operating pressure is unknown but we can assume that it would operate with a suitable margin of safety at 20bar.
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The solid fuel booster cross section for the new esa Vega launcher rocket is shown here. The star shaped profile of the burning combustion face of modern solid fuel rocket motor is a derivativeof the cartridge shape used by Buisson and Ciurcu in there patent for the rocket powered boat.
Initially Buisson and Cuircu used a cylindrical hole at the center of the combustion material and later modified this for the fuel to be moulded into a cylindrical block with a hollow star shape at its center. Effectively to increase the surface area exposed to the combustion flame and improve the burn rate .Ignition would be started by lighting the hole at the outside of the combustion carteridge. | ||||||||||
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Alexandru N. Ciurcu (1854-1922)
Alexandru N. Ciurcu Born 29th Jan 1854 Sercia. Died 22th Jan 1922 Bucharest. Ciurcu studied law in Vienna 1873. Working as a journalists in Bucharest he was forced to flee Romania after writting an article criticising the Romanian government. Arriving in Paris where he met a old friend, Just Buisson, who was also a journalist. Both where fascinated by technology and the technological revolution they where experiencing. | |||||||||||
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Albert and Gaston Photographed by Nader |
During the 1881 International Exhibition of Electricity in Paris.(l'Exposition Internationale d'electricitie) The two journalists meet Gaston Tissandier Editor of the publication La Nature and suggest he uses a jet of compressed gas to propel his dirigable balloon. Note:Gaston Tissandier (1843-1899) with his brother Albert where famous pioneers of balloon flight and had flown in a balloon behind the German lines during the seige of Paris. September 1870. In 1883, Tissandier fit a Siemins electric motor powered propeller to a balloon, thus creating the first electric-powered flight. Successful trial flights where accomplished 8th October 1883 and 26th September 1884 in an electrically powered balloon built by Albert . Some 28m long the elongated gas balloon was driven by propellor Using power supplied from a 1.12KW Siemens electric motor and 24 bichromate voltaic cells. Albert Tissandier (1839-1906) Piloted a ballon out of besieged Paris 14th October 1870 accompanied by two passengers M. Banc and M. Ferrand along with 400Kgs of letter post.. Albert was an architect and illustrator. Working for his brother to illustrate La Nature publication. So he would have been responsible for designing the illustrations of the Buisson and Cuircu rocket boat. Below is a record of balloon pilots known to have carried out balloon flights during the Prussian siege of Paris (1870-1871) http://www.ballooninghistory.com/whoswho/appendix1n.html Paul Tissandier (1881 -1945) Son of Gaston Learned to fly balloons and dirigeables before becoming the second student pilot to learn to fly with Wilbur Wright at the I'ecole de Pau..Gaining his flying licence No.10 in September 1909 | ||||||||||
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Gaston Tissandier (1843 1899) Editor of Nature, Chemist and aeronaute/ballonist. |
The development of dirigibles with a more aerodynamic (Ruby ball) shape had created a need for some form of light weight propulsion system. Propulsion by an electrically driven propeller had been suggested. But the weight of batteries or generator required brought with it a serious weight penalty Gastons/ Nadar balloon trips over Paris had produced a series of detailed aerial photographs (Taken by Nadar ) which the Ministry of defence had noticed might enable them to develop a system of aerial survaillence Enter stage right Just Buisson and Alex Ciurcu with there rocket propulsion proposal. Interestingly the development of a better aerodynamic shaped dirigable was the focus of a wind tunnel research project by Tsiolkovski in Russia about the same time. The French Ministry of Defense had shown a keen interest in using a powered dirigable as an observation platform that did not require to be tethered. Unfortunately they refused to fund the research of jet propulsion necessary. The escape from the besieged Paris in 1870/71 had also proved that balloons could be a strategic tool. Although it was the Russians who where the first to developed the use of ballons for aerial bombardment. Santos Dumonts developments in flying balloons , dirigibles and aircraft during the 1890's and early 1900's can be recongnised as having similar origins. | ||||||||||
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Plan of Asnieres NW Paris |
On the river bank at Asnieres looking across to the island of La Grande Jatte. |
From the island looking back at the Asnierse river bank | |||||||||
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Undeterred Buisson and Ciurcu decide to develop the idea by using a rocket jet to power a boat. Given a Patent No 172461 23rd Nov1885. Technical specification: Reservoir 1.5m long *0.4mdiam wall thickness e = 7mm Minimum mass of combustion reservoir 1052Kgs. Power estimate 26.6cv. The initial patent describes a generator of steam vapour at very high pressure using a cartridge of slow burning explosive mixture. After looking at the patent I think it is fair to say that the steam generator was more a water cooled rocket combustion chamber than a vapour generator.. There patent describes the chemical composition of the slow burning explosive charge and the design of a two cylinder jet motor. The chemical composition of the rocket fuel had been covered by an earlier patent by Just Buisson No153785 10th January 1885.Partricularly interesting in that it left no solid pariculates after the combustion. The next logical step was to forget about high pressure steam and concentrate on a pure rocket jet produced from the exhaust gases.
Phase1 goes well ,with encouraging results. Closely observed by the French Ministry of Defense Buisson and Ciurcu manufacture and successfully test there first rocket powered boat on the Seine from August to December1886. Phase2 A larger more powerful version of the rocket motor was manufactured with the pressure reservoir rupturing during testing on 16th December 1886, instantly killing Just Buisson and a young man at the helm of the boat. Alexandru Ciurcu is acquitted of manslaughter following the accident and continues to develop the idea with some help from Emil Sarrau and Paul Vieill ( a slow burning expolsives expert). Encouraged and helped by Gaston Tissandier and Mr Mourouard of the Ministry of Defence. They develop the worlds first rocket propelled rail wagon at Sevran railway yard 1887. The rail wagon was probably selected to act as a good test bench for developing the rocket motor. It could also be tested without the need for technicians to be in the close proximity to the rocket motor. After hearing about there experiment in the La Nature magazine article Alphonse Eugene Beau (1815-1893) Beau de Rochas the famous French thermodynamician takes up the idea and writes out some of the first mathematical analysis of rocket propulsion in a 24page reference note for the Academie of Science. "Conversion de l'énergie potentielle des fluides
élastiques à haute tension en travail direct de translation"1887. Fortunately Tsiolkovski had been working on his own ideas for rocket propulsion...
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Background research of the Asnieres area where Just Buisson and Alexandru Cuircu lived and developed there rocket boat. Seurat (1859-1891) Asnieres link to the history of 'Les baignés' and 'Dimanche a La Grande Jatte'. Les baignes is the view seen from Asnieres river bank looking across to the island of the Grande Jatte. Which record the social scene on a Sunday near Asnieres. Which Juste Buisson and Alexandru Cuircu would have been familiar. http://www.artic.edu/aic/exhibitions/seurat/seurat_themes.html The Chicargo Institute of Art. Fantastic book to explore and a good reference on impressioinsm originally published in Italian and translated into French. Petite encyclopedie de I'impressionnisme by Gabrielle Crepaldi Publisher Solar ISBN 2-263-04125-7
La Nature 1858 Gaston Tissandier publishes an article on the first aerial photography made by Felix Tournachon (Nadar)(1820-1910). Nadar is also famous for allowing his photographic salon to be used to hold the first 'Impressionist' art exhibition in 1874 that comprised a group of artists whose work was shunned by the official French art establishment. Monet, Renoir, Sisley, Pissarro, Degas, Cezanne etc. All they knew was they where anti the existing French art establishment of the day. Which had both alienated them and made the sales of there paintings a rare event. The name 'Impressionist' was coined by an art critic who attended the exhibition who ridiculed there art. But somewhat ironically the name taken from Monet's painting 'Impression Sunrise' stuck and the names of the artists he ridiculed entered the world stage. Before the exhibition at Nadars salon in 1874 they had no common identity.After it they where recognised as having a common cause. Nadar worked amongst the avant garde society of this epoch and had the reputation as being a pioneer in many of his projects. Natural character photography. Aerial photography. Electric illumination used for photography... Helping the impressionist movement. Nadar also worked with his son Paul Nader to produce some of the first examples photo-journalism. Refer to photographs at the end of page on the site below: | |||||||||||
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Micael Ardan alias Nadar in From the Earth to the moon 1865
Jules Verne photographed by Nadar
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French Society for encouraging the development of flight.1863 Nader with Gabriel de La Landelle, Viconte La Ponton d'Amecourt and Jules Verne was the founder of the "La Societe d'encouragement pour la locomotion aerienne au moyen d'appareil plus lourds que l'air" Fondee1863 by Nadar. The society for encouraging aviation using a machine heavier than air. Membership of the Society in 1865 included:
"Edmond About, Louis
Blanc(French Socialist), Brierre de Boismont, Dentu, Maxime Du Camp,
Alexandre Dumas père et fils, Farcot, Paul Féval, Emile de Girardin,
Victor Hugo, Hector Malot, Jacques Offenbach, le Prince Poniatowski,
Adrien Tournachon, George Sand. Jules
Verne and Elisee Reclus.
So although well experienced with balloning Nadar was convinced that a flying machine heavier than air driven by a propellor would in the future be superior to a balloon. Nadar was made fun off in the press characterised as an idiot for imagining that a steamtrain powered by a propellor could fly... Yes well in 1863 Nadar was in the minority and everybody had a good laugh. It wouldn't be until 43 years later in 1906 when Santos Dumont first flew in an aeroplane in front of an enthralled public followed by the sensation in1909 when Bleriot flew across the English channel that the Nadar heavier than air aviation society was proved right.
Jules Verne 'Cinq semaines en ballon' Five weeks in a ballon Written in 1862-63 is based on the ballon adventures of Nadar. Nadar aided by Reclus during the Prussian seige of Paris 1870. Managed to ferry important leaders and mail out of besieged Paris by balloon. In 1865 in the story 'From the Earth to the moon' ( De la Terre a la Lune ) Jules Verne.includes a character Michael Arden which is an anagram of 'Nader' in honour of his friend.and source of inspiration.
"I do not remember how it got into my head to make the first calculations related to rockets," Tsiolko vsky later wrote, "It seems to me the first seeds were planted by the famous science fiction writer, Jules Verne." The heavier than air societe encouraged the development of flight in all its forms and this is perhaps reflected best by the determined efforts of Santos Dumont and Bleriot. What is less well known, as this document illustrates, is its role in encouraging and inspiring the origins of rocket motors and rocket propulsion. | ||||||||||
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Chevreul Nader interview 1886
Felix Nader with Chevreul 1886 |
Centenary interview with Eugene Chevreul (1786-1889) Photographs taken by Nadar's son of an interview between Nadar and the French chemist and colour chemist Eugène Chevreul in1886 to mark his centenary. Where used to illustrate an article in the le Journal illustré 5th Septembre based on the interview with the scientist. Chevreuls 1839 theory of the effect of placing complimentry contrasting colours next to each other to produce an optical amplification of colour and contrast , directly influenced the 'Impressionist', 'neo Impressionist' and cubist movement of artists. http://webexhibits.org/colorart/pointillism.html Example complimentry colour wheel.
There is a strong link between the scientific revoltion during the 19th century and the change in art. Science began to explain how colour worked optically. Then how colour pigments could be used in complementry colour brush dabs and yet have the same effect as the fine brush work of the fine art school of realist painting. Basic points or blocks of colour could be left for the eye of the observer to mix and produce the contrast avoiding the muddy greys produced by mixing colour pigments that reduced the brightnmess of a traditional painting. Colour pigments and oil paints where starting to be pruduced using industrial process that standardised colour and reduced costs.
So who do you think the photographer was of the proud rocket boat crew? Could it be Nadar?.There is a high possibility it be either Nader or his son Paul. Its difficult to imagine that Nader would not have been aware of the rocket propulsion project or that he never heard of the 1886 accident.
From the photograph with Chevreul in 1886 we can see felix nader had grey receding hair. So we can say he is not one of the people in the boat. The most probable candidates for those in the boat are: From right to left: Mr Mourouard or Gaston Tissandieror his brother Albert Tissandier Mr Alexandru Ciurcu. Emil Sarrau
and Paul Vieille inventor of "Powder
blanche" one of the first smokeless nitrocellulose based
propellants in1886 adopted by the French army to replace 'black powder' in
munitions Paul Vieille (1854-1934) After studying with the
chemist Marcellin Berthelot, Vieille collaborated
with him in researches that led to important discoveries in the physics of
shock waves (1881). He then undertook to solve
the problem of harnessing the powerful but unstable substance nitrocellulose as a propellant… In 1887Alfred Nobel invented and patented a smokeless propellant he called Ballistite. It was composed of 10% camphor, 45% nitroglycerin and 45% collodion (nitrocellulose).But like thePowder blancheit became unstable once the solvent had evaporated.
Link to Desire Thomas Piot and the pulse jet boat 1891. Piot had been inspired by the trials of the rocket boat and developed a toy vapour pulse jet boat which fascinated children and adults all over the world. Desire Piot had copied the 2 tubes which the rocket boat of Just Buisson and A Cuircu used to exhaust excess pressure to the rear of the boat. That exhausted below the water line. The toy boat that inspired a generation and led to the development of the V1 Note: The rocket boat used 2 pressure exhaust pipes to exhaust excess combustion chamber pressure That ran from either side of the pressure cylinder to the stern of the boat that released the gas pressure below the water line. | ||||||||||
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Nadar reference for further information http://www.ocaiw.com/jmpopera.php?id=32363
Nadar photographic archive Patrimone numerique http://www.numerique.culture.fr/mpf/pub-fr/document.html?id=FR-DC-SAP_006 | ||||||||||
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The Legacy of the Heavier than air club. 1898
Creation L'Aero Club de France 1901
On the19th October 1901 Following four earlier attempts and a lucky escape during August 1901 when his dirigable No.5 crashed into the side of the Tracadero restaurant following a sudden loss of hyrogen pressure. Santos Dumont can be seen successfully flying around the Eiffel Tower in his engine powered dirigable No6 competing in the Henry Deutche de la Meurthe competition to be the first person capable of flying from St.Cloud around the Eiffel tower and back to St.Cloud equivalent to a distance of 10kms in less than 30mins. Winning the 100,000Francs prize Santos Dumont gave half to his workforce and half to the poor of Paris. 1905 14th October the foundation of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale 1906 23rd October 1906 Santos Dumont achieves powered flight in his aircraft 14bis.Observed by the FIA http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/santos/ 1909 Bleriot crosses the channel. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/bleriot/ The 'Jules Verne' Automatic Transfer Vehicle ATV is due to be launched in 2007 to supply the International Space Station and boost its orbit delta V. Jules Verne esa ATV Technical Specification and layout esa ATV site http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/ATV/index.html The Jules Verne site http://www.jules-verne.net/ Independent article on Santos Dumont | ||||||||||
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All rights reserved © by John Gwynn. This is an original research document and should be credited as your source of information. Please refer to myself and Prof. Jean Le Bot. Top | |||||||||||
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(1895-1930)
RAK 1
RAK 2
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German rocket cars. Max Valier was a member of
the VfR German rocket society. Lectures on rocket powered cars developed
by Max Valier are known to have been given in Moscow in April 1927 by
Alexander Fedorov.
In order to bring rockets to a wider public Max Valier adapted rocket propulsion to conventional means of transport. Developing a rocket powered sledge and a series of rocket powered cars. On 23 May 1928 the Opel RAK2 achieved a velocity of 170Kms./hr. Powered by the thrust force generated from of a matrix of 24 solid fuel rockets. RAK 6 produced in 1930 used the thrust provided by a liquid oxygen and methonal rocket motor. All this rapid development came to a tragic end when Valier was killed; after the rocket motor for RAK 7 exploded during static testing in his laboratory 17.5.1930. | ||||||||||
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DC-XA |
The experimental USA McDonnell Douglas DC-X Delta clipper(1991-1993) Re-usable single stage launcher test programme pioneered vertical launch and landing. A one third scale rocket first flight 18th August 1993 Maximum altitude 2500m Total number of flights 8 Test programme ended when a heavy landing at 4.27m/s cracked the shell structure of the DC-X. and research funding was stopped. DC-XA Delta Clipper Nasa McDonnell Douglas March-July 1996 Saw the joint cooperation between Nasa and RSC Energia who both contributed to reducing the original DC-X weight by 600Kgs introducing the use of lightweight graphite aluminium honeycomb composites for the liquid hydrogen tank and special lithium alloy liquid oxygen (LOX) tanks . Programme ended when the DC-XA toppled over on landing due to one of the support legs not functioning because one of the helium pipe couplings used to actuate the leg not being attached. Maximum altitude 3140m Total number of flights 4 Turn around between flights 26hrs. http://www.hq.nasa.gov/pao/History/x-33/dc-xa.htm Nasa Delta Clipper video DC-XA launch http://www.cnn.com/TECH/9606/07/delta.clipper/launch.mov DC-XA landing http://www.cnn.com/TECH/9606/07/delta.clipper/landing.mov The end of DC-XA Landing on three legs. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8967396963929400263
Nasa DC-X 5mins http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4749074158103458312 | ||||||||||
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Blue Origin November 2006 Development flight of 85m Vertical take off and landing Fuel hydrogen peroxide and kerosene | |||||||||||
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NASA Hypersonic prototype X
43A 27.3.2004.
Based on a scram jet. The objective is to produce a cheaper and more efficient propulsion using air to replace the oxygen (ergol). Mach 7 = 2252m/s Tvol = 11secs M1 = 981kgs. Surface temperature 16050C. The 'scram jet' relies on air entering the intake at supersonic velocity to rapidly compress the air charge. Before the hydrogen is added. This ram air replaces the oxygen usually used in conventional rocket jet combustion. So potentially reducing the mass of first stage launcher systems up to 40kms. Booster rockets would be used to propel the scram jet to the required supersonic speed for the scram jet to begin to function. So reducing the need for oxygen for the main first stage of the launcher. 16.11.2004 X43A Third test flight. Mach 9.6 = 3130m/s Surface temperature 22300C.
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The speed of flight development: 17th Dec 1903. Wilbur and Orville Wright,Kitty Hawk USA First powered flight lasted 12secs and covered 36m, V=3m/s Windspeed assisted lift A=43.4km/hr 12.06m/s Power to weight 0.0264KW/Kg http://www.nasm.si.edu/wrightbrothers/ Courtesy Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/wright/inventors.html
27th March 2004 Nasa X 43A Hypersonic prototype. Tvol =11secs V = 2252 m/s |
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Who really was the first aviator to fly an aeroplane? Was Santos Dumont really the first avaitor to fly a powered aeroplane in Paris on 23rd October 1906. Flight officially recorded at more than 50m Santos Dumont showed the world how to fly mastering balloons, dirigables and aeroplanes. BBC programme on Brazils famous aviator. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/6063812.stm He also invented the wristwatch.... Santos Dumont flying 14bis 23rd October1906 at Bagatelle Nr Paris. This was his forteenth aircraft and had an undercarriage to allow a rolling take-off and landing. It was powered by a pusher propller driven by a V8 Antionette engine capable of 18Kw (24HP) Power to weight ratio 0.06KW/Kg A second flight of 14bis on the 12th November 1906 fitted with an engine of 37.3KW(50HP) covered 220m at a height of 6m. Power to weight ratio 0.12KW/Kg http://www.aiaa.org/content.cfm?pageid=428 bbc news article with original film footage http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/video/39642000/rm/_39642877_aviation12_kingstone_vi.ram
His next plane 'Demoiselles' a simple monoplane No20 1908 was the first to be produced in large numbers and can be identified as bringing flight to a larger population of aspiring aviators. A precurser of todays ULM 'Demoiselle' was an ultra light aircraft of a simple design optimised for power to mass ratio and maximum lift. Based on his experiecne of building 19 previous flying machines. Mass empty 56Kgs and fitted with a flat opposed 2 cylinder engine capable of producing 26KW (35HP) and 85Kgf of thrust force. Flown at an estimated ceiling oif 3000m His aircraft No22 a modified 'Demoiselle' version Clement- Bayard fitted with a four cylinder 37.3KW(50HP) was flown by Santos Dumont at a recorded 112.6Km/hr.
After being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in1909 his doctor advised him that his flying days were over . In 1916 Santos returned to his native Brazil where he died in 1932. Some believe he became depressed after seeing the use of aircraft being adopted as a weapon to wreak death and destruction during the First World War Over 20,000 pilots were killed during WW1. Somehow he felt responsible We all,
without realising it, carry a little momento , even space
astronautes, as he invented the wrist watch. Which
he needed to be able to tell the time whilst using both hands to pilot
his aeroplane. Nova documentry on Santos Dumont http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/santos/ http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/santos/about.html Film of the Demoiselle during take off and flight |
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Space Ship One 4th October 2004 Majave,
California USA
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Independent Space Venture 'Space Ship One' 'Space Ship One' and 'White Knight' were designed and manufactured by Burt Rutan and his team of engineers. On 4th October 2004, 'Space Ship One' rocketed into history, becoming the first private manned spacecraft to exceed an altitude of 100Kms (328,000 feet) twice within the span of a 14 day period, thus claiming the ten million dollar Ansari X-Prize that had been set as a challenge 8years earlier. Subsequently a joint company has been created with Virgin Galatic to launch low cost space flights. Space Ship
One is launched from a mother aircraft 'White Knight' at 15240m. |
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Flight sequence plan. |
| Independent article about
Virgin Galaxtics plans to launch Space Ship 2 in 2008. Designed to carry six passengers into space. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/bransons-vision-for-space-travel-ndash-named-after-his-mum-773158.html | |
1909
Demoiselle in flight I
Some of Tsiolkovski’s other interests and
inventions.
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In1897 Tsiolkovski built one of the first wind tunnels to study and identify the best aerodynamic forms for his all metal dirigable (airships) and perfect the design of his all steel monoplane 1894.Which later flew in 1915. Reference to development problems with the first German monoplane. Note: During the First World War Germany had lost nearly as many pilots developing a monoplane fighter (the wings kept on breaking off) as had been shot down by the allies. The origin of the problem was that the role of the torsion box that had been created by the trussed double wing of the biplane had not been completely understood. The pressure center formed under the wing created a
twisting moment or couple about the shear center of the wing
section. When the two centers are closer to one another the twisting
energy involved is reduced. The torsion box created by the two wing system
absorbed the twist energy well. T=2Aq K=4A2t/S The main problem was that nobody had told them about torsional loading and the need for box or tube wing spars positioned at the centre of lift. That are required to control wing twist or torque loadings created when pulling a high g turn manouver. With the initial monoplane design A>0 so K>0. So the wing was violently twisted away from the fuselage when it pulled a tight turning manoeuvre.
Up until this point in aircraft structures the simple beam theory similar to that used for designing buildings and bridges was used. Wing laoding was reproduced by physically turning the aircraft structure upside down and quasi statically loading the wings using bags filled with sand or lead shot. Consequently when the wings first started falling off the first reaction of the design engineers was to stiffen up the wing spar beam section. Only problem was it made the problem worse. Maybe Tsiolkovski knew? Refer: Structures JE Gordon Pelican
Tsiolkovski's interest in aerodynamics may have been influenced by Nikolai Zhukovsky (1847-1921) Russian pioneer in fluid flow and aerodynamic theory. During 1890-91 Zhukovsky experimented with different disc shaped elements placed in an airstream to discover the parameters that affected air resistance. Which later developed into a study of flight dynamics 1891. In 1895 he visited Lilienthal in Berlin , a German engineer who had developed a series of gliders. One of which Zhukovsky purchased and took back to Russia. In an extract from a biography on Zhukovkys
His work in developing the study of aerdynamics at the Moscow Technical Institute. Where he had built one of the worlds first wind tunnels in 1902. Would later influence the young Ukranian student Korolev who was already designing gliders. When he started studying at the MTI in 1926. His professors included Andrei Tupolev
In 1906 Zhukovsky published two papers in which he gave a mathematical expression for the aerodynamic lift on an airfoil. Today it is known as the Kutta-Joukowski theorem. http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/physics/Kutta-ZhukovskiTheorem.html
Zhukovsky Aerofoils (also refered to as Jowkowski aerofoils) Zhukovsky's transformation is the map of a complex function from C to C given by w = z + 1/z more commonly used in the form w = z + a2/z. It was
studied by Zhukovsky because the image of a circle which passes through
the point where the values of z = 1 or z = -1 creates a curve shape similar to the
that of an aerofoil. Tsiolkovski used his wind tunnel to develop aerofoil sections and also refine the best form shape for airships that would produce the lowest drag force ( resistance).It is for this reason that based of this research his first rocket designs resembled a streached tear drop shape. Like the image on the right above. Tsiolkovski's later interest in aircraft was focused on developing winged space craft . Similar to the shuttle in that it had a central winged fuselage with two booster rockets.1929
.The history of the first wind tunnel http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/WindTunnel/history.html Note: The work carried out in Russia by Zhukovsky and Tsiolkovski needs to be taken into account. | ||||
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1889
Design by Maurice Koechlin
Seurat's Eiffel tower 1889 |
This was a project to calculate the feasiblity of building a physical link to access GEO orbit. "The space elevator" Tsiolkovski imagined constructing tall towers from the surface of a planet to access a geostationary orbit (GEO) that is sychronous with the planet rotation. Where the gravitational and centrifugal forces on a body are in balance. So that the point in space is stationary relative to a point on the Earths surface. Tsiolkovski calculated the synchronous altitudes for the five other visible planets, and the sun.
What inspired Tsiolkovski ? Gustave Eiffel (1832-1923) had managed both the design and construction phases of the 300m tall Eiffel tower in Paris between 1887-1889. Ready for the l'Exposition Universelle de 1889 ( Universal Exhibition).At which all the major powers where present including Russia. The tower was the technological symbol of a new era . Inspiring heated debate about its affect on the Paris skyline from the artistic community. Whilst inspiring many engineers and new technologists. The basic design had been proposed by Eiffel's two principle engineers Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nougeur in 1884.
Arthur C. Clarkes ( Fellow of Kings College London) science fiction publication " The Foutains of Paradise" was inspired by Tsiolkovski's proposal. Arthur C. Clarke, The Fountains of Paradise. Published by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, N.Y.; Gollancz, London (1979). Clarkes scientific papers on the subject can be found on http://sboisse.free.fr/technique/clark.htm
"Clarke orbit." or geostationary orbit of 35900km was identifed by Clarke in 1945. Recent NASA presentation April 2004 http://www.affordablespaceflight.com/spaceelevator.html
Calculate the geostationary orbits GEO for different planets.
Look under space elevators http://www.star-tech-inc.com/spaceelevator.html
Link to documents on the Eiffel tower http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/teiffel/fr/documentation/dossiers/index.html?id=3_11 | |||
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Nasa Space Elevator Presentation pdf\ The
mechanical properties and strength of materials required to
construct a space elevator currently surpass our current material
knowledge by a factor of 250 times that of steel. A possible
solution could be the development of new
Nano Material technology. Nano 10-9m
Properties of the materials required:
Nova program on space elevators 9.01.2007 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3401/02.html
esa Spider silk research helps nano tube structure design http://www.scienceinschool.org/2007/issue4/spidersilk/
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| Gustave Effel the aerodynamicist
Gustave Eiffel during the last 21 years of his life was also a pioneer in the study of aerodynamics. After developing an interest from examing the speed with which objects of a certain shape and form fell from the second platform of the Eiffel tower. Probably influenced by Santos Dumont's quest to find the best aerodynamic form for his dirigibles. In 1909 in conjunction with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale he built his first electrically driven wind tunnel on the edge of the Champs de Mars. Its design incorporated a convergent intake duct leading to a test section 1.5m in diameter and was capable of producing a air flow velocity of 20m/s. Although most of his work was carried out at 12m/s. He derived that the aerodynaic force produced by an object placed in the airstream was proportional to the square of the air stream velocity..
P268 Anderson History of Aerodynamics. | ||||
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Kondratyuk |
1924 The Society for Studies of Interplanetary Travel
Tsiolkovski, June 20th 1924 fondation of the Society for Studies of Interplanetary Travel, with Frederich Tsander and Yuri Vasilievich Kondratyuk psuedonim for his real name Alexander Ignat'jevich Shargey (b June 21 1897 - d1942).Who pioneered the rocket flight strategy refered to as the "Kondratyuk's loop" that was later adopted by the USA to place man on the moon. Urkrainian , Shargey had fought in the First World War as an officier at the Transcaucasian Eastern Front.At the frontier of Turkey and Armenia. During this period he completed four note books of calculations developing his ideas on interplanetary space flight.and pioneering the use of a gravitational sling shot to aid interplanetary travel. Leaving the Russian army in 1918 following the revolution he found life difficult. Identified as an enemy of the revolution for having fought as an officer for the Czars White army by the Bolsheviks whilst conversely treated as a deserter by the White army supporting the old Csarist regime. The Ukraine was the traditional Cossack region which had been historically the backbone for the defence of Csarist Russia prior to the Revolution. In 1925 he was caught by red guards as he was trying to escape to Poland.. Seriously ill with suspected typhus he was left for dead by the red guards but taken in and nursed back to full health by friends and given the false identity of Kondratyuk who had actually died in 1921. In January 1929 using his new identity and working as a mechanic in Siberia, he managed to publish a scientific publication by partly financing and then completing the type setting himself entitled "The Conquest of Interplanetary Space", describing his ideas on using the gravitational slingshot for sending a mission to the moon. Copies of which he sent back to his friends in Moscow.( Tsiolkovski and Tsanders ) Shargei was responsible for the design and manufacture of large wind turbines long before it became todays ecological alternative. He designed and supervised the building of large grain silos from wood without using nails. Misunderstood this was then used to support the theory that they had been designed deliberately to collapse. Sabotage In 1930 he was investigated as a saboteur by the NKVD Soviet secret police and convicted of anti-Soviet activity, Kondratyuk was sentenced to three years in a gulag, but because of his interllectual capacity was sent to a sharashka (research facility prison) rather than a labour camp. Shargei was killed during WW2 in early 1942 defending Russia from the Geman invasion. He died unimportant and forgotten, just one Soviet soldier amongst many hundreds of thousands who helped turn the tide of the second world war.
Note: Approximately 11,000,000 Russian soldiers and between a minimum of 7 and 20,000,000 Russian civilians died during WW2.known in the USSR as the Great Patriotic War for freedom?
Early History Shargei (Kondratyuk) was born in Poltava,Ukraine. Shargei's mother Ludmila Lvovna Schlippenbach was a social activist who taught French at a Kiev high school, and came from a family bearing the name of a Swedish general Wolmar Anton von Schlippenbach who had fought in the 'Great Northern War' campaign between Russian- Sweden during the reign of Charles XII.King of Sweden. General Schlippenbach (51) would have fought at the Battle of Poltava 28th June 1709 in which the Swedish army was outnumbered and defeated by the Russians lead by Csar Peter the Great. When Shargei was still quiet young his mother was sent to an asylum following her continual demonstrations for social justice and subsequent imprisonments; gained her the reputation of being a social nuisance and obviously suffering from some psychiatric disorder. Shargei was then brought up by his grandmother and became interested in reading the science and mathematics books of his father Ignatiy Benediktovich Shargei, who had studied at Kiev University. So Shargei (Kondratyuk) was Ukranian with Swedish noble anscestry. It is difficult to imagine how somebody with such a high profile. Coupled with his role as an Officier in the Csars army during end WW1 could disguise his identity for long. The Ukraine region was associated with Cossack anti revolutionary resistance. In 1709 the Cossack's had made a pact to fight with Charles XII of Sweden but had been broken by the Russian army of Peter the Great before they could help fortify the Swedish forces. There had always been an underlying wish for Ukrainien autonomy. He had also to publically conceal his interest in rocketsand space exploration for fear of attracting attention. To some extent Korolev, Glushko and Kondratyuk would all have suffered under the Stalin regime because of their Ukranian origins. Stalin had little time for Ukranians: The Soviet collectivism policy of Satlin was instigated specifically to break the Ukranian village community resolve to protect thereb independence from Soviet collectivism by demanding excessive cereal quotas to be given by the Ukranian farmers for the Soviet cause. The consequence was severe famine in Ukraine 1932-33.With it is estimated, the loss of between 10 and 15 million people in Ukraine. In parrallel there was a determined effort by Stalin to eliminate the Kulaks. http://www.gendercide.org/case_stalin.html Reference Trotskys letters on the Ukraine http://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/works/1930-lif/ch37.htm
Wolmar Anton von Schlippenbach (born 1658, died 1739) was Governor General of Swedish Estonia from 1704 to 1706. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Poltava
1924 Tsiolkovski, Kondratyuk(Alexander Ignatjevich Shargey) and Tsander proposed using the Earths gravity to retard the re-entry of space vehicles returning to Earth.
That all three are associated with Interplanetary space exploration, space elevators and early space rocket designs should come as no suprise! They probably discussed all there projects and motivated one another to develop them. Along with other young members..... Glushko and Korolev would certainly have heard about these lectures. I have a funny story for you which is indirectly connected with Yurri Kondratuk.. Alexander Ignatjevich Shargey A true space story... Its Guaranteed to make you smile.. On July 20th 1969 the commander Neil Armstrong of the Apollo11 lunar module was the first pearson to set foot on the moon His first words as he stepped on to the moons surface are now carved in history.. ' Thats one small step for man , Thats one giant leap for mankind.' . heards by millions across the planet.. However a less well known comment was made as he re entered the Apollo capsule... the enigmatic remark..' Good luck Mr Gorsky...' Some people in NASA thought it was a joke for there Russian.rivals or a specific Russian cosmonaut.. However checks at both the indexes of the Soviet or Nasa personel drew a blank.. Who was Mr Gorsky ? Over the years many people asked the question to Armstrong to find out what he ment..he always smiled quitely and refused to answer.. However on July 5th 1995 in Tampa Bay Florida .. While answering questions from the press a reporter brought up the old question about Gorsky ..... this time Armstrong finally replied.. Mr Gorsky had during the intervening years died.... so Niel Armstrong felt he could at last safely tell his story.. As a boy in 1938 Armstrong had been playing base ball with a friend in the back yard.; When his friend had hit the ball into the yard of the next door neighbour where it rolled right next to there bedroom window.. of Mr and Mrs Gorsky... As Niel Armstrong leened down to pick up the ball he over heard Mrs Gorsky shouting at Mr Gorsky 'Sex You want sex ,!!!! You'll get sex when the kid next door walks on the moon...' A nice story...:))) After his return to earth Armstrong visted the birth place of Yurii (Alexander Ignatjevich Shargey) in the Soviet Union and collected some earth to take back to his home in the US. As a sign of respect for his pioneering the the Kondratuk Loop which had safely taken him to the moon and back.. | |||
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http://www.newtimes.ru/eng/detail.asp?art_id=472 http://www.russianspaceweb.com/ http://akl.nsk.ru/eng/kondratuk.htm | ||||
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1925 First Exhibition dedicated to Interplanetary space travel takes place in Kiev Ukraine. 1927 April 24 The world's first exhibition of technology for interplanetary travel opens in Moscow.
Tsiolkovski Electric rocket motors idea inspired the early research work of Glushko at the GDL.1929 Refer to PDF file of recent scientific paper on Electric propulsion in 2004 by Choueiri Princton University Press Page 9 Kondratyuk Mit SPL http://web.mit.edu/dept/aeroastro/www/labs/SPL/electric.htm | ||||
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1917 4th July Petrograd
1918 Red army |
In 1873 whilst studying in Moscow as a young student Tsiolkovski met Nikolai Fedorov, a Russian philosopher and science fiction writer who allowed him access to his personal library and became his tutor. Fedorov theory of "cosmism" had a profound effect on young Konstantin. Fedorov prophesied that progress in science would eventually allow humans to achieve immortality and even resurrect long-dead ancestors. The population would swell so much that humanity would have to spread across the universe. No doubt thought of as a bit of an eccentric by his peers Fedorov was obviously a free thinker, To get a feeling as to what life was like in Russia 1917-1989 one route open to us is to explore Russia through the eyes of Pasternak, Tolstoy, Fedorov and Solzhenitsyn.
Tsiolkovski's circle of friends and admirers included Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky and Leonid Pasternak Naturalisim painter and writer. Whose son was the author Boris Pasternak.(1890-1960) who wrote Doctor Zhivago published in 1957.That was banned in the USSR and was finally smuggled out and printed in Italy. Boris Pasternak was later rejected by Russian literary society as being anti soviet (Open minded).The story of Dr Zhivago reflects the pain and suffering experienced by many that had been labelled intelligensia in Russia after the revolution.
Boris Pasternak was forced to decline the award of the Noble prize for literature in 1958 due to pressure from the soviet police.1957 was the same year 'Spoutnik' was launched. Note:Boris Pasternaks book did not become available in the ex USSR until 1988. The story of Dr Zhivago mirrors that of many labelled 'anti- soviet interlectuals' after the 1917 revolution in Russia . Korolev and Kondratyuk(Shargei) included. Those who could escaped to Poland or Germany to avoid the Stalin purges. Pasternak's parents left Russia after the revolution settling in Oxford England where his father died in 1945. Boris Pasternak stayed behind initially supporting the social revolution then becoming progressively disillusioned with the totalitarian state that replaced it.. Which suppressed free expression. The characters used in Dr Zhivago were based on the people Pastenak knew and his own experience. He certainly would have been aware of Tsiolkovski, Korolev and Kondratyuk(Shargei) personal battles with the totalitarian system. And in no small way this is a story that is an amalgam of their individual lives. It also illustrates an empathy for how they suffered . It is a story to honour there courage and the thousands of other people who suffered under the Stalin regime. When he won the Noble Prize for literature this was the side of communism that only he and Solzhenitsyn had the courage and determination to communicate to the outside world. | |||
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Tsiolkovski Cosmic Progression
In 1926 Tsiolkovski defined the evolutionary steps for human exploration of the Cosmos. in a programme known as Tsiolkovski Cosmic Progression consisting of sixteen steps for human expansion into space: 1) Creation of rocket airplanes with wings. 2) Progressively increasing the speed and altitude of these airplanes. 3) Production of real rockets-without wings. 4) Ability to land on the surface of the sea. Tsiolkovski also wrote some science fiction books "On The Moon" (1895), "Dreams of the Earth and Sky "(1895), "Beyond the Earth" (1920). | ||||
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Tsiolkovski's philosophical beliefs got him into trouble . Most of his pioneering work was carried out before the Russian revolution. Immediately after the revolution in 1918 Tsiolkovski had been arrested by the Bolshevik Chk secret police and imprisoned in Moscow's infamous Lubyanka prison because some of his philsophical writings where thought to be anti soviet. Fortunately after several weeks he was released following intervention by a high authority in the soviet government and subsequently treated as a hero of the soviet republic. The details of his arrest and release where subsequently hidden by the authorities but could probably have been aided by the earlier sacrifice of Kibaltchich. Who in 1881 had both helped in the assasination of Czar Alexander 2 and also established rocket science as being new era or revolutionary science. Or might possibly be due to his connections within Russian society. Tsiolkovski's philosophical writings where supressed until the fall of the USSR in 1989. Why? He believed that all life in the universe was controlled by some universal evolution of the cosmos. Our destiny was therefore far beyond that of even Soviet and Marxist control. This apparantly supportive yet suspicious relationship that existed between the political power base and the free minded intellectuals on which it relied for its future. Would be symptomatic of the future. Where the governing party of the USSR would either be constructive and 'in phase' with rocket and space development or catastrophically destructive and paranoid. Stalins suspicion of the intelligentsia was a major problem for rocket development. Throughout this development the single minded determination of the individual engineers and scientists involved would play a significant part in future success. Top | ||||
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The large 'Tsiolkovski' crater on the far side of the moon dedicated to Tsiolkovski after the pioneering orbit of Korolev's Luna3 probe in October 4th 1959.Which was the first satellite of the moon that filmed what the far side of the moon looked like and transmitted the pictures back to Earth. | ||||
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| Korolev : digital copy obtained from New Mexico
Museum of Space History www.spacefame.org
Science Museum London GIRD09 image http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?image=10308774&wwwflag=2&imagepos=4 | ||||
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James Harford book http://ccweb.cosmosclub.org/web/journals/1998/harford.html http://www.pbs.org/redfiles/moon/deep/interv/m_int_james_harford.htm | ||||
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Analysis of the development and financing of early Soviet rocket and jet propulsion.GIRD, .RNII, KB 7 http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/staff/faculty/harrison/public/reh05.pdf | ||||
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Essential reading Boris Chertok 'Creating the rocket industry' NASA History Series Rockets and People Vol2 Edited by Asif Siddeqi TL 78985C48132006 http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4110/vol2.pdf <Click 'Rockets and People' Book1<Click by Boris Chertok. First meeting with Korolev Ch24 Page325. 'Creating the rocket industry' by Boris Chertok <Click Book 2 a member of Korolev's engineering team on the Soviet rocket programme. 14th April 2007 "Korolev" feature film directed by Yuri Kara | ||||
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Sputnik Oct 1957.When Sputnik was launched it was the signals recorded at Jodrell Bank in England that confirmed its existance. http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/dishoftheday.shtml Sound recording of the Sputnik signal http://www.amsat.org/amsat/features/sounds/sputnk1b.wav Photographs from RSC Energia Museum of satelites Sputnik series http://www.npointercos.jp/Energiamuseum.html
Soyuz Fregate launch video of Galaxy mission 4mins First and second stage seperation. First Russian biography on Korolev by Golovanov, Ya., Korolev: Mify i Fakty (in Russian) Moscow 1994 GIRD http://www.mentallandscape.com/G_GIRD.htm
Tsiolkovski : from http://www.th.physik.uni-frankfurt.de/ Tsiolkovski Museum Kaluga Russia http://www.informatics.org/museum/welcome.html Nikolai Alexsevitch Rynin (1887-1942)
Who wrote the first biography on the life and works of K .E. Tsiolkovski as part of a 9 vol. encyclopedia on 'Space Travel '1928-1932. Entitled Interplanetary Flight and Communication ( Mezhplanetynie soobshenirya ) Available in English from the Nasa Technical translations reference: Rynin, N.A. Interplanetary Flight and Communication. Washington, D.C.: NASA and NSF, 1970-71. (NASA TT F-640, TT F-642 through TT F-648) (Holdings: Vol. 1, Nos. 1 and 3; Vol. II, Nos. 4 and 6, Vol. III, Nos. 7, 8 , 9).
Soyouz: courtesy esa rscEnergia http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/index.html Cutaway diagram of Soyuz-Fregat launch vehicle image courtesy of Starsem www.starsem.com Good research source site for Russian Space history http://russianspaceweb.co
"The Rockets' Red Glare: Technology, Conflict, and
Terror in the Soviet Union" by Siddiqi, Asif A. 1966
MIG15 reference http://www.acepilots.com/russian/rus_aces.html Russian Space video http://www.spacevideo.ru/toc/toc_en.html
Buisson boat: Origin Copyright Jacque Villian L'Aventure Millenenaire des Fusees. Pub Explora La Villette 1991
A4 V2 Rocket: From the Deutsches Museum Munich Science Museum www.deutsches-museum.de/ Wernher Von Braun: Several pages are referenced Courtesy Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Further reading: Dornberger's account of the A4 development project. http://www.astronautix.com/astros/dorerger.htm US White Sands missle range site http://www.wsmr.army.mil/pao/FactSheets/V2/v-2.htm Operation 'Paperclip' Recruitment of Nazi Engineers and scientists after WW2 'The Paperclip conspiracy' Tom Bowers 'Secret Agenda' Linda Hunt Frightening account on USA recruitment and cover up of war crimes commited by German engineers and scientists. http://www.mindcontrolforums.com/project-paperclip4.htm
Nasa reference to Tsiolkovski and Goddards works http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4404/notes-app-a.htm
Electric powered ion propulsion jets for satellite propulsion Boeing UTC http://www.pratt-whitney.com/prod_space_eprop.asp
Russian space history http://www.russianspaceweb.com/ (1815-1893) Beau de Rochas French thermodynamicist student of Carnot Animated cycle in French http://www.univ-lemans.fr/enseignements/physique/02/thermo/rochas.html
1928 Film by Fritz Lang 'Frau im Mond' for which Herman Oberth was technical adviser http://www.taoyue.com/film/frau-im-mond.html Background reading 'The Cold War Experience' by Norman Friedman Published by Carlton books limited. Michael Nymans 'Gattaca'
Important JPL History site presenting the historical developoment of space exploration http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/jplhistory/
Bleriot1909 monoplane. http://www.csudh.edu/1910airmeet/bler.htm
Santos Dumont Brazilian aviator 23 Octobe1906 http://www.airspacemag.com/issues/2006/october-november/in_the_museum.php http://www.hydroretro.net/etudegh/machines_volantes_santos-dumont.pdf
Fantastic book to explore and a good reference on impressioinsm originally published in Italian and translated into French. Petite encyclopedie de I'impressionnisme by Gabrielle Crepaldi Publisher Solar ISBN 2-263-04125-7
We have a large data base of videos and photographs that we can use for development of TV or press articles Contact us if you are interested.
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