Space Race

[cheesesteak]

I've found Space Race on National Geographic to be facinating. It's about the US/Soviet competition for space flight from the defeat of the Nazis to the moon landings. A lot of the "unwritten" information has trickled out over the past few years, especially about the Soviet disasters, but it's still nice to see all of the history reported in one documentary series.

I know I couldn't work with the guy whose lies had me sent to the gulag without going upside his head a couple of times.

[Steveknj]

I have this recorded for a night's viewing down the road as it looked very interesting. Summer tends to be documentary time for me. I have 3 or 4 American Experiences to go through too. I'll definitely watch this based on your recommendations. Thanks

[Jonathan_S]

That was pretty interesting. I knew most of the 'secret' stuff, but as you said it was nice to see it all in one documentary.

[IJustLikeTivo]

I've found Space Race on National Geographic to be facinating. It's about the US/Soviet competition for space flight from the defeat of the Nazis to the moon landings. A lot of the "unwritten" information has trickled out over the past few years, especially about the Soviet disasters, but it's still nice to see all of the history reported in one documentary series.

I know I couldn't work with the guy whose lies had me sent to the gulag without going upside his head a couple of times.

Situational ethics abound. Both the soviets and the US got to the moon by using nazi scientists. We would have been no where without the rockets we captured and the Werner Von Braun crowd who surrendered to us.

[philw1776]

Yes, thus we got "I aimed for the stars but hit London" satire.
Guten Tag

[Marco]

I think a few liberties are being taken with the facts in this otherwise entertaining show.

In one scene, Von Braun demonstrates testing the heat shield of a rocket's nose cone by firing a rocket engine directly at it, to simulate the extreme heat of re-entry. He and the other engineers are just standing there, oh maybe 20 feet away.

Mmmmmmmkay. There are lots of scenes of rocket engines malfunctioning amid spectacular explosions at other parts of the program. Does anybody REALLY think a bunch of engineers would stand anywhere near a 'live' engine given the consequences if it fails?

[Lee L]

IS this a multi-part series or a one shot deal?

[jschuur]

Two part mini series. Both have already aired.

http://www.ngcspacerace.com/

[sieglinde]

My stupid joke about the V-2 is.

Hitler - "We need a rocket that can hit London"

Von Braun - " But, sir, London has already been explored."

[Crow159]

I know I couldn't work with the guy whose lies had me sent to the gulag without going upside his head a couple of times.



4 or 5 times?

[Philly Bill]

I think a few liberties are being taken with the facts in this otherwise entertaining show.

In one scene, Von Braun demonstrates testing the heat shield of a rocket's nose cone by firing a rocket engine directly at it, to simulate the extreme heat of re-entry. He and the other engineers are just standing there, oh maybe 20 feet away.

Mmmmmmmkay. There are lots of scenes of rocket engines malfunctioning amid spectacular explosions at other parts of the program. Does anybody REALLY think a bunch of engineers would stand anywhere near a 'live' engine given the consequences if it fails?


Sure.

Those 'disasters' were from when the engines were first being developed and tested. I'd say that they were quite confident that the engines that they were firing to test the heat shield had been tested quite thoroughly.

[Philly Bill]

Two part mini series. Both have already aired.

http://www.ngcspacerace.com/

They are reshowing both of them on the 11th and on the 15th or 16th I believe. I missed the first time but just rescheduled them to TIVO on the 11th (I think). I think I have the dates right, but not sure.. they ARE both being replayed twice each though.


This afternoon I took a drive over to the IMAX theater at the Pink Palace and caught "Magnificent Desolation" the IMAX film of the Apollo program (actually it dealt with the moon landings only... it was awesome. Tom Hanks narrated it... and they used the actual photographs taken on the moon using 70mm film (same as IMAX I believe) pieced together to create the backgrounds for the actors walking on the moon.

“It was very realistic,” said Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke, “It felt like you were on the Moon driving a rover with those guys. It brought me right back onto the lunar surface.”

It really gave you the feeling you were standing on Hadley Rille. It showed quite well how the lack of trees, houses and other familiar landmarks - plus poor lighting - cause them to not even be able to see that they were standing right on the edge of the mile wide, 50 mile long canyon. :eek:
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/expmoon/Apollo15/A15_Lsite.Approach.gif

It also showed a simulated emergency of an accident in the lunar rover that required them to hike 3k back to the LEM.

I think its shown in 3D in some places. Memphis doesn't have 3D equipment.

Magnificent Desolation (www.imax.com/magnificentdesolation)

[landrumdh]

I saw both parts of this series and really liked it. I knew we got most of Space pogram from the Germans but I didn't relize how much of it.

[Philly Bill]

Von Braun was a god.

When I worked for NASA in Huntsville... everything in the city was named for him. Dude was a hero. I would have liked to have met him one day. I have some great books he wrote and still read.

[murgatroyd]

All space race fans should know about:

Apogee Books (http://www.cgpublishing.com/)

(von Braun fans especially check out the book on the Saturn V)

Spacecraft Films (http://www.spacecraftfilms.com/)

Hours and hours of space geekery on DVD.

And if you haven't read it, Homer Hickam's October Sky is just terrific.

P.S. with all the V-2 jokes, I'm surprised no one has quoted Tom Lehrer yet:

"Once the rockets go up, who cares where they come down --
"That's not my department," said Werner von Braun

P.P.S. to landrumdh: don't forget the Brits and Canadians --

See Apogee Books' Arrows to the Moon (http://www.cgpublishing.com/Books/Arrows.html) Avro's Engineers and the Space Race byChris Gainor

How the demise of Canada's national dream contributed to one of the greatest triumphs in American history. Tells for the first time the story of the Canadian and British engineers from Avro Canada who played key roles in putting Americans on the Moon and in building today's U.S. space program, including the space shuttle and the International Space Station. Other Canadian contributions to Apollo and a chapter on the Canadian space program are also included.

Jan

[Philly Bill]

And if you haven't read it, Homer Hickam's October Sky is just terrific.

I enjoyed this fictional book about returning to the moon by Hickam as well:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/0440235383/ref=cm_cr_dp_pt/102-1309528-2760101?%5Fencoding=UTF8&n=283155&s=books

[Jonathan_S]

P.S. with all the V-2 jokes, I'm surprised no one has quoted Tom Lehrer yet:
"Once the rockets go up, who cares where they come down --
"That's not my department," said Werner von Braun
They played that song in the 2nd part of the special.