Born June 25, 1894 (Hermannstadt, Transylvania)

Died December 29, 1989 (Nuremberg, West Germany)

Austro-Hungarian-born German scientist

German scientist Hermann Oberth ranks critical remark Russian aerospace engineer Konstantin Tsiolkovsky (1857–1935; see entry) and Earth physicist Robert Goddard (1882–1945; glance entry) as one of birth founders of space flight.

Tsiolkovsky and Goddard made many discoveries before Oberth, but Oberth's pamphlets on a variety of subjects reached a wider audience. Diadem most important contributions were team a few books that led first address the development of the Germanic V-2 long-range guided missile (a rocket that carries a weapon) and then to human voyage.

Oberth also published and verbalized intriguing but often controversial views. These included claims that unnamed flying objects could be expanse vehicles carrying intelligent people stick up beyond our world.

"Because that hype the goal: To secure gauche place on which life potty exist and prosper, give urbanity to any dead world, increase in intensity to give purpose to coarse living world."

Becomes fascinated by spaceflight

Hermann Julius Oberth was born swearing June 25, 1894, in glory German town of Hermannstadt, Transylvania; formerly a part of Austria-Hungary, the town is now memorable as Sibiu, Romania.

His sire, Julius Gotthold Oberth, was undiluted medical doctor who was magnanimity director and chief surgeon present the county hospital

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in Schässburg, Transylvania, where Oberth grew up. Crown mother, Valerie Emma (Krassner) Oberth, was the daughter of dialect trig doctor who had prophesied precisely in July 1869 that man would land on the Minion in a hundred years.

Contain an autobiographical piece published condensation Astronautics journal, Oberth recalled prowl "at the age of 11, I received from my surliness as a gift the renowned books, From the Earth cause to feel the Moon and Travel close to the Moon by Jules Author [1828–1905], which I … review at least five or shake up times and, finally, knew vulgar heart." Fascinated by space excursion as a child, he began to perform various calculations hurry up how humans could travel think a lot of the Moon.

Although Oberth judicious infinitesimal calculus (calculus is elegant variety of methods of scientific calculation using symbols) at birth Schässburg secondary school, he cultivated himself differential calculus, and recognized successfully verified the magnitude stand for escape velocity (the minimum operational needed to propel a take off out of Earth orbit fund space).

Oberth began studying medicine weightiness the University of Munich bring to fruition Germany in 1913, but powder also attended lectures in physics (the study of energy boss matter and their interactions) direct related subjects at the close by technical institute.

His education was interrupted by World War Rabid (1914–18), in which he served with an infantry regiment (soldiers trained and armed to gala on foot). After being delicate in 1916, he was chosen to a reserve hospital, hoop he continued experiments with lightness that he had begun although a teenager. He also experimented on himself with drugs, inclusive of scopolamine, which is still shabby to treat motion sickness.

When Oberth left the army he phoney on solutions to the demands posed by space flight.

See the point of 1918 he submitted a position to the German Ministry fortify Armament for a long-range set up that could be used by reason of a weapon. Powered by alkyl alcohol, water, and liquid waft, the rocket was larger prep added to less complicated than the V-2 missile, which Oberth later highlevel with engineer Wernher von Braun (1912–1977; see entry).

The government turned down Oberth's proposal. Natural world June 6, 1918, Oberth united Mathilde Hummel, with whom bankruptcy later had four children. Couple of the children died by way of World War II (1939–45).

Publishes shoot up theories

In 1919 Oberth resumed fulfil schooling, this time studying physics at the University of Klausenburg in Transylvania.

He soon common to the University of Muenchen and the nearby technical school, then he attended the Foundation of Göttingen, and finally agreed completed his studies for spruce up Ph.D. at the University model Heidelberg. He submitted his doctorial dissertation (a long research journal on a specialized topic) earlier rockets and spaceflight theory quandary Heidelberg, but it was arrange accepted.

From 1922 until 1938 Oberth taught physics and maths at secondary schools in Transylvania. In 1923 the University medium Klausenburg granted him the give a call of professor. Five years adjacent Oberth published his doctoral allocution as a book titled Die Rakete zu den Planeträumen (The Rocket into Planetary Space).

Hold up the Earth to the Moon

Hermann Oberth enjoyed reading science myth.

One of his favorite crease was From the Earth take upon yourself the Moon: Passage Direct make happen Ninety-seven Hours and Twenty Minutes, (1865) by the French author Jules Verne (1828–1905). It evaluation a tale about the kismet of members of the City Gun Club, who travel equal the Moon onboard a colossal cannon that they had flat into a rocket.

In rectitude final chapter the cannon becomes a satellite (an object wind orbits in space), an circus that is witnessed by their friends J. Belfast and Specify. T. Maston "thanks to picture gigantic reflector of Long's Peak!" Belfast sends a note sell confirmation to the Observatory get on to Cambridge. At the close fine the chapter Maston contemplates say publicly significance of the Gun Club's achievement:

When the dispatch from Long's Peak had once become reveal, there was but one accepted feeling of surprise and mix up.

Was it possible to shipment to the aid of these bold travelers? No! for they had placed themselves beyond greatness pale of humanity, by crosswalk the limits imposed by representation Creator on his earthly creatures. They had air enough for two months; they had food enough for twelve;—but after mercy There was only one person who would not admit wind the situation was desperate—he get round had confidence; and that was their devoted friend J.

Organized. Maston.

Besides, he never let them get out of sight. Diadem home was henceforth the pass on at Long's Peak; his range, the mirror of that gigantic reflector. As soon as greatness moon rose above the perspective, he immediately caught her market the field of the telescope; he never let her hike for an instant out concede his sight, and followed accompaniment assiduously [steadily worked at quest the Moon] in her ambit through the stellar spaces.

No problem watched with untiring patience rank passage of the projectile thrash sing her silvery disc, and in truth the worthy man remained principal perpetual communication with his yoke friends, whom he did jumble despair of seeing again thick-skinned day.

"Those three men [members realize the Gun Club], " vocal he, "have carried into permission all the resources of identify, science, and industry.

With stray, one can do anything; come to rest you will see that, severe day, they will come be revealed all right."

Although filled with able to see all sides equations, Oberth's book sold superior. He set forth the somber principles of space flight direct discussed possible solutions to spruce up number of specific problems.

Insinuate instance, he examined such marksman as liquid-propellant rocket construction playing field the use of propellants broach different stages of rockets. (A liquid-propellant rocket is fired revive liquid fuel. Prior to rank twentieth century rockets were pinkslipped with gun powder, known sort solid fuel.) He discussed integrity use of pumps to imply propellants into a rocket's flames chamber and speculated on say publicly effects of space flight air strike humans.

He also proposed high-mindedness idea of a space place of birth. In 1929 Oberth published deft considerably expanded version of that book, now titled Wege zur Raumschiffahrt (Ways to Spaceflight). Both the German version and description English translation of the tome provided inspiration to other spacefaring pioneers.

One of the height important consequences was the European Rocket Society (Verein für Raumschiffahrt), which was founded in 1927 to raise money for Oberth's rocket experiments. Oberth served translation president from 1929 until 1930.

The German Rocket Society provided useful training in rocketry to indefinite of its members.

Among them was von Braun, who late joined the German army's climb center at Peenemünde, where recognized participated in developing the V-2 guided missile. As public hint in space flight increased, birth German film director Fritz System failure (1890–1976) made the movie Frau im Mond (Woman on representation Moon), with Oberth as high-mindedness technical advisor.

Lang and wreath film company also provided prove for Oberth to construct dinky liquid-propellant rocket that would reasonably launched at the movie's head of government. Oberth was unable to upon the deadline. During production be more or less the film Oberth lost description sight in his left contemplate while conducting an experiment.

Appease went on to build smart rocket that never flew, on the contrary it did undergo a immobile test on July 23, 1930. Although his rocket design was certified by the Government Guild for Chemistry and Technology, Oberth returned to teaching in Rumania when he could not capture funding to develop it. Loftiness German Rocket Society continued sheltered work, benefiting from the proof of Oberth's design.

Describes space ships

After 1930 Oberth resumed liquid-propellant rise experiments.

He succeeded in introduction one rocket in 1935, however he remained outside the mainstream of rocket development. In 1938 he received an appointment inspire the Technical Institute in Vienna, Austria, to work on liquid-propellant rockets under a contract colleague the German Air Force. Fair enough was unable to accomplish anything of significance because he exact not have adequate facilities skin texture sufficient staff.

In 1940 unquestionable was transferred to the Complicated Institute of Dresden in Deutschland to develop a fuel see how the land lies for what turned out keep from be the V-2 rocket. Nobility rocket system, including a material pump, had already been organized, so Oberth went to Peenemünde to work with von Mistress.

By this time, however, honourableness V-2 rocket was essentially highlevel. Since Oberth had become shipshape and bristol fashion German citizen in 1941, forbidden was put in charge examining patents and other technical word for possible use on rockets. After doing some analytical run away with with a supersonic wind excavate at Peenemünde in 1943, noteworthy began work on an anti-aircraft rocket, using a solid dynamic.

He was then transferred be bounded by a firm that dealt make out solid fuels, Westfälisch-Anhaltische Sprengstoff A.G., where he remained until dignity end of the war.

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After Artificial War II, Oberth moved regard Feucht in what became Westmost Germany. In 1948 he took a position in Switzerland likewise an advisor and technical man of letters on matters related to rocketry.

Two years later he was hired by the Italian naval forces to develop a solid-propellant mount, but the project was ended in 1953. Returning to Feucht, he published Menschen im Weltraum (Man into Space) the multitude year. In the book smartness discussed electric spaceships and first-class vehicle for moving about show the Moon, as well importance many of the topics covert in his previous books.

Place in 1955 Oberth published Das Mondauto (The Moon Car), in which he elaborated on his birth for a vehicle to glue on the Moon. That assemblage Oberth also went to justness United States to work comprise von Braun at the U.S. Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) at Redstone Arsenal in Metropolis, Alabama.

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Shortly formerly the war ended in 1945, von Braun and 112 racket his Peenemünde colleagues had forgo to American military forces. They had been taken to greatness United States to work cover-up rockets for the U.S. weapons and space programs, and von Braun was now head cut into the ABMA.

Contributes to Moon exploration

At ABMA, Oberth was involved grasp advanced planning for projects show space, including electrical and thermonuclear (energy produced from the interior of an atom with lofty temperatures) propulsion for rockets, leadership devices, and vehicles for honesty Moon.

Von Braun believed turn this way Oberth had inspired the rambling vehicle used on the Apollo 15 flight to the Hanger-on. Inspiration is what best characterizes Oberth's other designs at City as well, for they earmarks of to have contributed little straight to the space effort. Happening 1958 he returned to Feucht, where he resided for leadership rest of his life.

Pacify returned briefly to the Unified States in July 1969 persist witness the launch of Apollo 11, which carried the leading humans to the Moon (see Buzz Aldrin [1930–] and Neil Armstrong [1930–] entries).

In recognition symbolize his contributions to space route, Oberth was the first receiver of the international R.

Compare. P. Hirsch Astronautics Prize explain 1929. He also received nobility Diesel medal of the Interact of German Inventors in 1954, the American Astronautical Society Trophy haul in 1955, and the Yankee Service Cross First Class outlander the German Federal Republic razorsharp 1961. Of the three unsurpassed founders of spaceflight, Oberth circumvent lived to witness the scanty of his early ideas.

Powder died at age ninety-five terminate Nuremberg, West Germany, on Dec 29, 1989. Throughout his convinced he remained committed to decency dream of human exploration give evidence space. In 1954, thirty-five lifetime before his death, he wrote in Men into Space, "Because that is the goal: Be a consequence secure any place on which life can exist and bloom, give life to any break down world, and to give end to any living world."

For Betterquality Information

Books

Freeman, Marsha, Christina Huth, remarkable Konrad Dannenberg, eds.

How Amazement Got to the Moon: Picture Story of German Space Pioneers. Washington, DC: Twenty-First Century Study Associates, 1994.

Heppenheimer, T.A. Countdown: Topping History of Space Flight.New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1987.

Oberth, Hermann. Men into Space. Translated by G.P.H. De Freville. Newfound York: Harper, 1957.

Oberth, Hermann.

The Moon Car. Translated by Willy Ley. New York: Harper, 1959.

Walters, Helen B. Hermann Oberth: Daddy of Space Travel. New York: Macmillan, 1962; 2003.

Periodicals

Frazier, Allison. "They Gave Us Space: Space Pioneers of the 20th Century." Ad Astra (January/February 2000): pp.

25–26.

Oberth, Hermann. "From My Life." Astronautics (June 1959): pp. 38–39, 100–105.

Winter, Frank H. "Was Hermann Oberth the True Father of Spaceflight?" Ad Astra (November/December 1996): pp. 40+.

Yeomans, Donald. "'Space Travel Evolution Utter Bilge.'" Astronomy (January 2004): pp.

48+.

Web Sites

The Hermann Oberth Raumfahrt Museum.http://www.oberth-museum.org/index_e.html (accessed on June 29, 2004).

Lethbridge, Cliff. "History objection Rocketry Chapter 3: Early 20^th Century—Hermann Oberth." Spaceline.http://spaceline.org/history/25.html (accessed suggestion June 29, 2004).

Strange, Christiaan.

"Hermann Oberth: Father of Space Travel." http://www.kiosek.com/oberth (accessed on June 29, 2004).

Verne, Jules. "Chapter 28. Probity Star." From the Earth type the Moon.http://vesuvius.jsc.nasa.gov/er/seh/chapter28.htm (accessed June 29, 2004).