AstrotalkUK

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

Episode 58: Astronauts Joe Engle and Ron Garan

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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.

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

Book about Gagarin’s visit to the UK in 1961

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Yuri Gagarin in London and Manchester

A Smile that Changed the World?

The story of the World’s first spaceman’s five days in the UK 11th – 15th July 1961

 

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Reviews

London Society Journal “This fascinating and well-researched book recounts the legendary Soviet cosmonaut’s visit to the UK in the summer of 1961 at the height of the Cold War, setting it within the context of scientific advance, the political climate in the UK, and Gagarin’s relationship with his political masters in Russia. A timeline is included, as well as much new information from personal interviews with those who met Gagarin, by all accounts a personally charming man who found himself in a difficult and charged political situation.”
Amazon.co.uk “This is a long overdue book.  The memories of the visit to Manchester are great, neighbours of mine were taken by their mother to see Gagarin and that started a wonderful conversation ‘down memory lane’. I am not sure why it has to be ‘London and Manchester’ – better to be Manchester and London. Manchester asked him over, London did not quite know what to do with him as they were in the middle of a cold war with Russia. To the workers over there and here, they were workers and amazed by what Gagarin did…..we had nothing like it here. I think it’s a great book.”

Colin Burgess October 25, 2011. This unpretentious but highly informative book not only reveals details about the hurriedly arranged visit of the world’s first spaceman to England, but gives us a fascinating insight into his personality. Gagarin’s own working life began in a foundry, so he found much in common with the people he wanted to meet, and subsequently got to meet. This was a time clouded in international suspicions, when the Soviet Union was regarded as the philosophical antithesis of the Western world, and yet this remarkably modest and simple man charmed everyone he met with his warm smile and friendly manner. His visit took place in less than a week, and yet this was a truly extraordinary and largely forgotten event that needed to be recorded, and has finally been accomplished in this fine book.”

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Purchase online here. More on  publications@astrotalkuk.org

Episode 45: 4th July 2011: Apollo 15 Command Module Pilot Al Worden

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Probably the most scientifically demanding Apollo mission, Apollo 15 was launched on 26th July 1971 on a two week mission. Al Worden in the command module orbited the Moon for 75 orbits whilst Dave Scott and James Irwin explored the south eastern edge of Mare Imbrium on the Moon’s surface.  Apollo 15 launched with the heaviest payload of all Apollo missions and included the first moon rover, a sub-satellite launched from Apollo 15 in to lunar orbit and a collection of science instruments including a high resolution camera to map the lunar surface.

To coincide with the 40th anniversary, on July 26th 2011, writing with Francis French Al Worden is publishing his autobiography.  In this interview recorded in London on 22nd May, Al talks about his test pilot career before joining NASA, the Apollo 15 mission, the “Covers incident” (these were stamped postal covers franked on the day of launch and again the day of ret urn for subsequent public sale) his post NASA career and his autobiography Falling to Earth.

In addition to bringing back 77kg of Lunar Material, high resolution images of the Moon from lunar orbit and images of the zodiacal light, solar corona and gegenschein, Al Worden conducted a 38 minute space walk a day after they fired the engine for their journey home from Lunar orbit.

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Today’s quote is from Al during this interview. It is a reminder that space exploration is not only about cutting-edge technology and breathtaking adventure but it is above all a human endeavour.

“The story of Apollo 15 is a story of betrayal by people and by the government”

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Episode 40: April 2nd 2011: Gagarin in London : Captain Eric Brown

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On the third of Gagarin’s five days in Britain, immediately following his meeting with Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, on Thursday 13th July 1961,  he had the only private meeting of his visit with Captain Eric Brown where the press was not invited, no photographs were taken and no official record was kept.  During this “test pilot” to “test pilot” meeting, Gagarin clearly told Brown that he had ejected from his spacecraft. Although not in the same league as Brown, Brown considered Gagarin to be a test pilot. The Soviets consistently maintained that he had not but eventually, a decade later they conceded officially that Gagarin had bailed out and landed by parachute. When I asked Captain Brown why he had never published the details of his private meeting before, “no one asked me before” replied.

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At the time Captain Brown was the deputy director of Naval Air Warfare and the meeting took place between him, his deputy and colleague from the Admiralty who could speak Russian but that was kept secret from Gagarin and Belitsky. Brown sought additional confidence that the translator was translating sincerely.

Captain Brown has had a unique career as a test pilot. He had met many of the key players in aviation and rocket design. Hanna Reitsch, Herman Goering and Wernher Von Braun. Brown’s achievements as a test pilot were well established and it is probably with the knowledge of his accomplishments that the Soviets agreed to such a meeting. Brown still holds the world record in deck landings (2407) and the number of aircraft types flown (487). He also has several firsts (first deck landing of a twin-engine aircraft, first deck landing of a jet engine) of which the Russian’s and Gagarin would have known. By 1960, many of his books were available in translation in technical colleges which young aviators like Gagarin would have come across. It is likely that Gagarin knew of Brown and wanted to meet Brown just a much as Brown wanted to meet Gagarin.

Immediately following the war, Brown was inevitably involved in supersonic flight testing and reached speeds up to mach 0.9. He was testing a secret high-performance aircraft designated as the Miles M52 which was suddenly and suspiciously dropped in 1946. Had it not been; it was very likely that Brown would have added first supersonic flight to his collections of firsts. In the event Chuck Jaeger in USA claimed that achievement in 1947.

He is considered to be the greatest ever test pilot by some within the aviation industry.

An extensive interview, recorded in his home on 19th January two days before his 92nd birthday, is edited specifically for his recollections about Yuri Gagarin.