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Gagarin Statue – Update 14 July 2012

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To mark the 50th anniversary of his visit to Britain, a statue  of cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was installed outside the offices of the British Council near Trafalgar Square in London, one year ago today. The full story was covered in episode 47.  At the time the British Council announced that the statue had planning permission restriction and had to be removed to another location after twelve months.

Twelve months on it is still there!

Details of what actually transpired is not clear. This is what I do know.  In May the Russian embassy stated that they are were seeking an extension for the statue to remain in its current location whilst they sought another. The British Council have indicated that Roscosmos are visiting London to discuss the future of the statue on 16th July – two days from now. So a decision may be imminent. I will issue the next newsletter once once an announcement is made.

How is the campaign going to bring the statue to Manchester? No substantial change. The local council is willing to engage, assist and possibly offer suggestions for a city centre site but cannot offer financial assistance. There are now 704 individuals who support the campaign via the online petition. Authors Brian Harvey and Bert Vis along with Tony Lloyd MP have now joined Sir Patrick Moore and Apollo 15 astronaut  AL Worden who have all signed the open letter.

You can add your name to the petition here. More details in a newsletter – as soon as an announcement is made.

Episode 53: 28th June 2012 – The Chinese Space program

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Chinese President Mao Zedong with space scientist Qian Xuesen in 1956
Chinese President Mao Zedong with rocket scientist Qian Xuesen in 1956

Even a cursory look at the Chinese spacecraft design indicates a close and obvious connection between the Chinese and the Soviet the space technology. No doubt a result of the close geography and a shared political ideology during the Soviet era.

In this episode, a space historian specialising in the Chinese and Soviet/Russian space program  outlines the history, current status and future of the Chinese space activities.

Brian Harvey is a Dublin based writer, author, broadcaster and probably the most informed specialist on Chinese space program in Ireland today. This conversation recorded during the Shenzhou-9 / Tiangong-1 mission orbiting the Earth with the three crew including the first Chinese female astronaut onboard. At the end of the interview Brian talks about the Space Cooperation Memorandum signed last week.

This telephone interview was recorded on Tuesday 26th June and published today – one day before the scheduled return of Shenzhou-9.

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Shenzhou-9 Launched!

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Today’s Shenzou-9 made a text book launch atop the Long March 2F  rocket from the northern Gansu province based Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in China.  Following the Soviet era like secrecy on launch date and identity of the crew, the actual launch was covered live by CCTV including feeds from the launch centre, control centre in Beijing and live images of the crew from inside the spacecraft.  Remarkably open live coverage continued from before ignition, during launch including stage separation up to solar array deployment. China looks confident and seems to wants to demonstrate that it knows what it is doing.

In an almost nonchalant approach to launch at T- 30 minutes prior to evacuate the launch site, the departing engineers lined up in front of the launch tower for pictures. The whole thing was tinged with an unusual aura of routine rather than the historic event in space history.

Launch itself did not generate the large quantity of dark smoke common with NASA Atlas and space shuttle. Perhaps because the booster rockets used liquid not solid fuels. The crew looked sombre and did not communicate much with each other or mission control. They hardly smiled preoccupied instead by their manuals in hand. Military presence was always there. Crew saluting at launch, capcom shouting orders and the first congratulatory message was announced by a senior official in military garb.

Shenzhou-9 crew Liu Yan, Jing Haipeng & Liu Wang

Before docking with Tiangong-1 the space station launched in September last year, the crew will have to endure the living quarters not much larger than that of the command module of the Apollo era. But then they were all men. The Shenzhou-9 crew, confirmed only yesterday,  consists of crew three astronauts, female Liu Yan and two males Jing Haipeng & Liu Wang.  There is speculation that Liu Yan will undertake a spacewalk during this mission. Today’s launch coincides with the 49th anniversary of the launch of Vostok 6 with cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova.

Shenzhou-9 will make 5 orbital manoeuvres before an automatic docking with Tiangong-1  on Monday June 18th. It will remain docked for 8 days. Following another but manual docking manoeuvre, the crew will return after 11 days in space.

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

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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 .