AstrotalkUK

Not for profit website/blog on astronomy, space and my writing

Episode 61: Reg Turnill on Wernher von Braun

By 2 Comments

Reg Turnill wit von Braun
Reg Turnill with Wernher von Braun 1977

Like so many in the “space community” I was saddened to hear of the passing of Reg Turnill. He was  the BBC’s aerospace correspondent but is  best known  for covering the American Space program  throughout the 60s and 70s that he documents so well in his book Moonlandings: An eye witness account.

He was the BBC’s representative in Moscow at Gagarin’s post flight press conference and told me in episode 41 of his experience when I went to meet him in January 2011.

Reg captures the ambiguity of the brilliant Wernher von Braun who he got to know so well that he called him a friend and yet believed that he was a war criminal and should have been hanged.

In this 30 minute podcast , the first a six minutes is  telephone conversation recorded on 3rd November 2011 followed by extracts from his talk at the UK Space Conference 5th July 2011 “The von Braun that I knew”. Reg shares three of his audio interviews with von Braun, the audio quality of the 2nd and 3rd is better than the first.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (0.0KB) | Embed

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS | More

Episode 58: Astronauts Joe Engle and Ron Garan

By Leave a Comment

Joe EngleThe first  interview in this episode is with astronaut Joe Engle was recorded during his visit to the UK in 2008.   Joe Engle was at the front of the queue  to go to the Moon when NASA cut its Apollo program. His place was taken by the geologist Harrison Schmitt on Apollo 17 – the last manned mission to the Moon. In this interview Joe talk about his work before and after Apollo – on the X-15 and Space Shuttle programs.

The second short interview with astronaut Ron Garan was recorded at TedXSalford in January 2012 (unfortunately the recording stopped prematurely).  You can see more about the online community offering a “unique orbital perspective of men and women who live and work in Space” online at Fragile Oasis.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (0.5KB) | Embed

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS | More

 

You can see the video of his talk  on this link http://youtu.be/lJNbjSLvtpI

Episode 54: 23 July 2012 – Manchester Interplanetary Society and Stanley Davis

By 1 Comment

Stanley Davis

The August 2012 edition of Spaceflight, the monthly magazine from the British Interplanetary Society carried an article where I discuss the Northwest of England’s contribution in Rocketry during the 1930s. An extended version of that article is available for free download on Astrotalkuk.org – here.

So on to today’ episode.

In 1937, two teenagers Harry and Stanley with an outrageous ambition to design and build rockets for space travel joined a newly formed group with a name to match – the Manchester Interplanetary Society. Soon each met a girl, fell in love, exchanged wedding rings and got married. They went off on their separate ways but pledged to stay stay in touch. In addition to his interest in rockets he had a strong interest in science. In the late 1930’s he went by train to London to hear a talk from H.G. Wells. Had he not died prematurely, he like Harry would have immersed himself in the sci-fi fandom movement that blossoming in Britain from the early 1930s.

Wooden Statue of Abraham Lincoln. Carved by Stanley Davis
Members of the Manchester Interplanetary Society. Harry Turner is 1st on the left

Two years later began the ferocious and violent events of World War Two that would shatter  their dreams and lives along with millions of others around the world. Harry Turner spent much of the War in India and following his return enjoyed a successful career as an artist. Stanley Davies died in August 1941 from injuries he endured at Dunkirk.

Recently this shared story brought together Harry’s son Philip and Stanley’s daughter Ann.  In episode 50 Philip recalled the memories of his father and in this episode Ann Sutcliffe remembers her father Stanley Davies.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 7:11 — 6.6MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS | More

Chinese Soviet Forum:British Interplanetary Society – London 9th June 2012

By Leave a Comment

Chinese Soviet Forum - British Interplanetary Society. London 9th July 2012. Photo - Alistair Scott

I attended the BIS Chinese Soviet Forum lat weekend, organised by Dave Shayler and Bert Vis. With 12 (yes -12!) speakers it was a cram packed day with each speaker’s talk full of meticulous detail in a topic in which they were thoroughly experienced. Throughout the day, amongst their other duties, Steve Salmon, Suzann Parry, Mary Todd and Alistair Scott ensured all attendees had lots to eat and drink. Alan Marlow from Delta Vee recorded the whole day. Thanks to all who signed the petition to bring the Gagarin statue from London to Manchester.

There was so much content throughout the day it is impossible to to include it all in a single blog post. Here is a flavour.

Major Wang Yaping

Pat Norris (who received an Apollo Individual Achievement Award from Neil Armstrong in August 1969 whilst working at NASA)  provided an expert analysis of an official paper published by the Chinese authorities in 2011. The paper discusses the Chinese achievements in the previous five years and outlines the plan for the next five.

Brian Harvey, who has written several books and is working on another about the Chinese space program, provided a summary of China’s space program from origins to the present. Tony Quine, an active space sleuth, explained how he uncovers the details the Chinese authorities do not like to publish.  He predicted that the first Chinese female astronaut will be Major Wang Yaping.

William Carey and Jacqueline Myrrh highlighted a not for profit website specialising in news about the Chinese space program called http://go-taikonauts.com/en/.

Bart Hendrickx provided a fascinating insight into the NK-33 engines from the early Soviet era which may come into active use once more. George Spiteri reminisced by replaying actual recordings from short wave radio broadcasts clips of the Soviet Space era. At a time before the internet that was the only way to get to this type of information.

David Shayler and Bert Vis
David Shayler and Bert Vis

Bert Vis provided an update about the Yuri Gagarin Space Centre that he has frequently visited and where he will be going again this summer. David Shayler, spoke about the Russian ISS segment in so much detail, you would think he has been there!

Two topics that were pretty much new to me. Fritz Muse introduced Soviet RORSATS and Richard Williams provided a rich illustration of early Soviet philatelic items.

Dominic Phelan spoke about a new book he is editing. It is  not available until 2013 but just looking at the contributors – this should be compulsive reading.

Cold War Space Sleuths: The Untold Secrets of the Soviet Space Program

Cold War Space Sleuths: The Untold Secrets of the Soviet Space Program
Edited by Dominic Phelan.

  • Editor Dominic Phelan, giving an overall history of the Cold War hunt for Soviet space secrets.
  • Space writer Brian Harvey reveals his own personal search through official Soviet radio and magazines to find out what they were (and weren’t) revealing to the outside world at the height of the space race.
  • Robert Christy gives a firsthand account of the famed Kettering Group.
  • Sven Grahn from Sweden details his own 40 year quest to understand what was happening on the other side of the Iron Curtain.
  • Professional American historian Asif Siddiqi explores his own adventures in the once secret Russian archives – often seeing documents never before read by Westerners.
  • Dutch cosmonaut researcher Bert Vis provides an inside account of the Yuri Gagarin training center in Moscow.
  • Belgian researcher Bart Hendrickx’s details his important translation of the 1960s’ diaries of cosmonaut team leader General Kamanin.
  • Pioneer space sleuth James Oberg’s shares his memories of his own notable ‘scoops’ – including revelations about missing cosmonauts, the Nedelin rocket explosion and his trips to previously secret facilities after the fall of the USSR.
  • Paris-based writer Christian Lardier recounts the efforts of French space sleuths – whose work was frequently overlooked in the USA and Britain because of the language barrier.
  • As “one of the original” space sleuths, UK’s David Shayler will write about his experience of recording the Soviet programme in the 1970s and 1980s .