The e-Magazine of the British Interplanetary Society Worlds Beyond

n this issue, we are pleased to announce and also takes another look at Alex In the next edition, we will have another that Rachel Armstrong FBIS has written Storer’s art. poem from Grant Sorrell, and Richard will Ianother story for us and we have a new be looking into some of the harsh realities author, Grant Sorrell who writes “space” Terry Don discusses a new way forward; of , again delving into both fact poetry from the USA. We don’t get many is NASA going to the or and and fiction to show us some surprising people who write poetry in the realms of will it be a joint venture? John Silvester thoughts in an area close to the heart of and , but saying that, has written a review of a new collection the BIS. We will also have a review from perhaps I can remind you that there was of science fiction stories by scientists John of Ruth Wheeler’s second book in her a lot of poetry in the BIS science fiction themselves – they are, after all, the very trilogy. anthology Visionary, which is still for sale at people who should know what they’re the BIS website. talking about when tackling this subject. So we start of this edition with Rachel Armstrong’s story: Clinic of Cultured Hearts. Also in this issue, our regular contributor John has also written a review of a new and Richard Hayes has written a Radical upcoming Sci-Fi author Ruth Wheeler, who Terry Henley FBIS Vectors article about some of the has written a trilogy and the first book is All Editor Odyssey we may see in fact and fiction, Aliens Like Burgers.

Clinic of Cultured Hearts by Rachel Armstrong FBIS

trung like a marionette, Helena down her left arm and a crushing feeling it had irreparably rotted her muscle and watched the twitching infusion of within her chest – like she’d been caught at another time it would have killed her Scardiac cells empty in pulses from a under a truck. She also thought her whole outright. clear bag. It distorted the apparatus around jaw would explode but that was nothing her like a lens and snaked into an arterial compared to the airlessness and terror she’d But here she was, alive - with nothing shunt somewhere beneath the sheets. experienced in those long moments. Nor did beating on the screen; they’d already she remember whether she’d passed out. digested out the perished old one and It had been chaos of course, but now Just the crushing, brutal, explosive, endless inserted a carbon bio scaffolding frame things were likely on the mend. Although pain from nowhere. around the existing collagen skeleton – an it was daunting that she’d never leave the inviting structural system into which the Moon Base Assisted Living Unit, with all its It was a shock, especially when she’d felt so cardiac stem cells would settle and knit her benefits of reduced on her bones little during the last forty years or so, which a whole new organ. and heart, she could think of worse ways simply compounded the trauma of the than spending however many of her last whole incident. Although she’d exercised Of course, it had been completely different years here. Although frankly, she didn’t feel regularly and eaten sensibly, the detritus for Michael. His entire chest had been old, just a little tired but it was time to face of old age had unavoidably accumulated in cracked opened like a nut when he’d had his facts – despite many advances in longevity her circulation, silted up her arteries until cardiac transplant. How she wished she’d not science, people still got old eventually – but one day, the right coronary artery simply lost him when he was only eighty. The love only if they lived long enough. blocked. of her . They’d met on a correspondence course when she was pushing fifty but At a hundred and twenty, her first heart There it was on the screen, with a bite taken they’d had such incredible times together. attack had been the most painful thing out of it, cupping her vacant heart’s shadow Frankly, they shared the same soul and she had ever experienced. A searing pain like it was examining finely cut glass. But all the differences and life’s complications

Odyssey: The e-Magazine of the British Interplanetary Society: Issue 46 www.bis-space.com 1 simply worked themselves out. Quickly, she stopped herself from thinking about him and his world’s blue gaze. A technique that she’d learned to stop nostalgia and survive advancing age. Forgetting wasn’t the existential poison for immortality, it was all the remembering – regrets, losses, the things that might have been.

Stop.

An alarm was sounding. She looked over at the liquid tree of infusions that would follow this one, the current one being on its last few pulses. Sacs of turbid liquids, pauses associated with bad news.” so painful?” digital pulses, bleeps, and thin wires splayed over images from her insides –a theatre “I thought that was supposed to be, well Over the next month’s Helena discovered of anatomy which helped her establish a you know a fairytale.” that she was much less able to suppress new intimacy with her own insides, helping her feelings. Sometimes she’d wake and her medical crew review her outputs and “Naturally, we gave little thought to the hear Michael comforting her, or reading her focusing on staying alive without a heart. endocrine functions of the heart, since poetry. At one point, she’d woken from a Several nurses bounced their way from an we’d got very focused on its mechanics. night terror and saw him sitting on the end observation desk, brachiating as much as Besides, it’s simply easier to study pressure, of the bed. walking over to her cot under the influence flow and mechanical power and much of one-sixth ’s gravity. They appeared harder to measure physical sensations and “Shh!” he put his finger to her lips. “It’s to be at the end of a break, as one of them the emotions that flow in response to the going to be okay.” was still sucking on the end of a drink. world.” Helena realized that she’d have to get used As she was weaned from the drugs that kept to that and she’d quite happily exchange Helena found it odd that a tear involuntarily her stem cells in order and pain at bay, she liquid diets for the prospect of no bedsores. formed in the corner of her eye. learned the art of interoception, where she In fact, it was rather pleasant being in a could monitor the beat of her own heart semi-upright position during recuperation; “So, you’re saying the heart has hormones?” without the need for external apparatus. she could see everything going on, rather With this new skill, she discovered than just the ceiling, which was the view she “Yes, that’s been known for decades. The heightened emotional abilities. No longer remembered from most hospital beds. heart is essential for our emotions and feeling the need to shut out the pain of the works through a whole range of different past, she began to recall her life, magical The staff changed the bags and checked the neuro peptides. We’ve even discovered times, and heartbreak, without the clinic’s various lines, while increasingly irritating that the main Vagus nerve that supplies portfolio of anesthesia – painkillers for the alarms sounded – like enforced ear worm. the heart was also critical in this perceptual body, the mind and soul. Over the next few months Helena began link. Previously we thought it was an to feel decidedly stronger, got used to the “autonomic” system, one that worked In this way, the oldest woman in the solar indignity of regular enemas and felt far less without us being aware of its effects.” system lived a full existence until the grand fatigued. It wasn’t just the lack of gravity; old age of two hundred and ten, when one she’d noticed other things too. Her sense of “Really?” day she told staff nurse Timothy that her smell was stronger, the food tasted better – heart had completed its business – of living and she was becoming more emotional. She “Oh sure, why do you think heart attacks are the world’s accidents. wasn’t sure how she felt about that. Kessler Syndrome Over the last decades, she’d noticed she didn’t have to practice forgetting quite so by Grant Sorrell hard, as she was losing her feelings. She asked Someday satellites and space debris of everything we’ve ever thrown Amanda, her regular staff nurse whether will crash into the finite sky other “clients” had noticed the emotional into each other like a cigarette out the window changes when they grew a new heart. at twenty thousand miles per hour, or a bottle in the ocean. twenty thousand miles above Continue their collisional cascade “Well, of course! While we’ve known for the ground in low earth orbit, until three hundred thousand floating centuries that the heart’s mechanical the beginning of a cosmic cause scraps properties are essential for life, pumping and effect as they divide become double, quadruple, and we’re cast oxygenated blood throughout the body – and fill the void beneath an impassable but what we didn’t know is that it’s also the with pieces of themselves, a growing cloud of their fragments. organ of feelings — from its racing when ripple we think of our loved ones, to the painful

Odyssey: The e-Magazine of the British Interplanetary Society: Issue 46 www.bis-space.com 2 Radical Vectors: Richard Hayes FBIS goes on a tour of Exoplanets

cience fiction tempts us to imagine can endure. Just consider a that many exoplanets, orbiting such as COROT-7b (not fiction this time – it Sother than the , will be similar to really exists in orbit around a just under Earth and habitable by humans, at least 500 light years from us) – a rocky planet after suitable modifications to either the a few times the mass of the Earth, but so planet or the people concerned. Sadly, the close to its star that its “year” is only 20 evidence so far suggests otherwise, though hours long and the surface is that could be due largely to the detection over 2500 degrees Centigrade. Having said methods available. Big close to their that, it may well be tidally locked to the star, parent stars – the so-called “hot Jupiters” – in which case the dark side of the planet have been more easily detected, at least in might be accessible after all. these early days of -hunting. The race can be highly inventive in Even so, broadly Earth-like planets have overcoming obstacles, but there are likely been found. One bearing a fairly strong to be some planetary environments which resemblance orbits the star Gliese 667C, remain forever closed to a human presence. around 23 light years distant in our We will then have to remain content with constellation of Scorpius, as part of a visiting them, at best, solely by proxy. planetary system of at least seven planets. It lies within the star’s habitable zone and There’s another side to this, though. At receives almost as much light as we do from the other extreme, given the vast number our own Sun, but would be rather warmer of exoplanets which are likely to exist, we than Earth. Coping with a dangerous planet. Published may well find which are more by Penguin Books 1966. Cover shows Citron comfortable for human life than we actually by Pavel Tchelitchew, from the collection of Further away at around 1400 light years, find on Earth. This idea goes against the Giuseppe Russo. Kepler 452b again lies within its sun’s grain. We’re encouraged to think that Earth habitable zone but is around 60% larger than Even so, humans will no doubt prove is the best we could find, not least the Earth. In his 2015 lecture to the Society remarkably adaptable to hostile environments, because we have specifically evolved over Exoplanets: Where Are Our Neighbours, either through or with millions of years to live here. But it’s not Don Pollacco referred to this world, a rocky technical support. In Brian Aldiss’ Helliconia that good when you think about it. Earth’s planet with an orbital period of 385 days, science fiction trilogy, a humanoid species has climate is distinctly unfriendly at times as probably the best candidate then found adapted to a planet with seasons which last – storms, tornadoes, floods, heatwaves, for what we might think of as “another” for centuries, with extreme conditions to go extreme cold – and it only seems to be Earth. Others he mentioned would not be so along with them. Even on the planet of Harry getting worse. Just think of the range of favourable; Kepler 22b, for example, is again Harrison’s Deathworld stories, humans find natural disasters – earthquakes, volcanoes, in its star’s habitable zone but more like a a way of surviving the savage weather, active tsunamis, pandemic diseases. gas planet such as Neptune. However, all of volcanoes, extreme radiation and a range these sound quite friendly in comparison with of lethal predators when the inducement Add to that being regularly blasted with certain other planets that have been detected. to colonise (profit, needless to say) is strong radiation from space, the potential for enough. impact and so on, and you start Some of the very earliest exoplanets found to question whether it’s a very nice place actually orbited one of the most fearsome When describing the planet, one of the at all. Indeed, as a character in Deathworld types of star – a rotating over 160 characters in Harrison’s original 1960 novel comments to an Earthman: “Because you times every second. In A Planetary System in the series doubts “if there is one off-world were born in this kind of environment, around the Millisecond Pulsar PSR1257+12 species that would live a minute. and you accept it as right and natural. You (, 9 January 1992), Wolszczan and on Pyrrus are tough. They fight the take it for granted that metals corrode, Frail described two planets, around four world and they fight each other. Hundreds coastlines change, and storms interfere times the mass of the Earth, in orbits of thousands of years of genetic weeding- with communications. These are normal that place them about the distance of out have produced things that would occurrences on -water worlds.” from our Sun. Later, a third planet give even an electronic brain nightmares. comparable in size to our Moon was also Armour-plated, poisonous, claw-tipped and Identifying planets which could actually be discovered. The lethal radiation blasting fang-mouthed. That describes everything an improvement on Earth, from the human out from a rotating neutron star would that walks, flaps or just sits and grows. Ever point of view, could be quite encouraging make such planetary surfaces about as seen a with teeth – that bite? I don’t for the possibility of , as uninhabitable as could be imagined, though think you want to.” well as our own long-term future. We know it turns out that planets orbiting that finding the perfect exoplanet readily seem to be very rare. Overall, there must be a limit to what available, with exactly the right gravity,

Odyssey: The e-Magazine of the British Interplanetary Society: Issue 46 www.bis-space.com 3 temperature, atmospheric pressure etc., will conducive to life than our own Earth, even be phenomenally unlikely, but with a little though they may not be perfect for human tweaking of the human genetic structure life as it is. and a bit of , who knows what might be possible. He concludes that such worlds would tend to be slightly larger than Earth – a higher Science fiction writers have tried to depict surface gravity would provide a thicker air ideal worlds. In the episode Shore Leave and flatter surface topography. Shallow from the original Star Trek series in 1966, seas around archipelagos would encourage our heroes encounter a seemingly perfect and could proceed world which actually turns out to be a quickly. They would orbit stars a bit dimmer sophisticated playground for an advanced and smaller than our Sun – perhaps K-class alien species. The point being that the dwarfs – which, with their longer lifespans, only way any species, extraterrestrial or could provide extended longevity and otherwise, is ever likely to find its perfect stability for any . And in 2016, planet is by building it themselves. a planet 1.3 times Earth’s mass was found within the habitable zone of Proxima And if isn’t suitable, the Centauri – a red dwarf that is our closest planet-builders of Magrathea, in Douglas neighbour. Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, were always available to provide a custom- Surveys so far suggest that potential super- made luxury planet to any sufficiently Build your own planet. This edition published orbiting such smaller stars are more wealthy customer’s specific requirements! by Picador 2002. Cover design by Storm abundant than planets similar to Earth Thorgerson, Peter Curzon & Jessica Chaney. Perhaps it’s not such a silly idea if one looks itself orbiting stars like the Sun. But we Photography by Rupert Truman. at the very long term – why shouldn’t a truly come back to the old question posed by the advanced do precisely that? Fermi Paradox – if superhabitable planets January 2015), René Heller of the Origins and their favourable biospheres have been In reality, we don’t have evidence of any Institute of McMaster University in around for a long time, probably even actual improvements on Earth amongst Ontario describes the search for so-called longer than the Earth, why hasn’t evolution the exoplanets detected so far. However, “superhabitable” worlds – planets, or there produced advanced that in Better Than Earth (Scientific American, of gas giants, which are more are all too obvious to us now? John Silvester FBIS reviews All Aliens Like Burgers by Ruth Wheeler

ake a simple idea, someone applying Ruth Wheeler is clearly an author who is to the Job Centre for a basic position not afraid to, in fact delights in letting her Tin a fast food restaurant, translate it huge imagination flow, Terry Pratchett style. into a science fiction format and combine She does this confidently and consistently it with humour and you get a rather page after page. The book is full of fresh unusual story. However, if you are used thinking, ideas seem to compete with each to serious, solid, science fiction which other to be original. Basic everyday aspects follows a preconceived format, you will of life on Earth re-emerge in highly original need to suspend your preconceptions and formats. prejudices for a while. In this case you may be glad you did so. Tom Bowler ‘s supervisor is Miss Lolah, a bronze metallic-cased poorly constructed This is the story of the rather parochial robot that is surrounded by a pheromone young man Tom Bowler from a small town field that makes her highly sexually in Worcestershire who applies for a job in attractive. He goes for a restaurant meal a burger bar. However, the job turns out where the shellfish, served alive, crawl out to be on the planetoid Truxxe in a nearby of their shells and immolate themselves galaxy. Undaunted, he decides to take up the in the sauce. Perhaps the best idea is the www.truxxetrilogy.com position. He tells his parents he is going to holoceiver, a means whereby he can get work in Exeter. There are tongue-in-cheek in touch with his parents on Earth as a This book does not stand alone. Tom touches of humour as he prepares to go. He hologram, but first has to be absorbed Bowler continues his strange existence on decides to take two peach-coloured toilet into the body of a bubble creature to be Truxx. If you develop an appetite for Ruth rolls with him, but leaves his electric razor transmitted. Most repulsive perhaps is Wheeler’s style of science fiction you’ll behind because he doesn’t think he will be “Spotoon” the game of darts Truxxian style, need to read the next instalment. Both are able to charge it anywhere, or use his parents’ which leads me to think that the author has available from the author’s website, www. international connectors in outer space. something against the Earthly equivalent. truxxe.com.

Odyssey: The e-Magazine of the British Interplanetary Society: Issue 46 www.bis-space.com 4 A New Way Forward? by Terry Don

he recent US Presidential election may well change the direction Tof NASA’s plans for future space exploration. The existing plan was pointing to travelling to Mars sometime in the 2030s but the new President’s space advisors may have something else in mind due to a combination of budgetary pressures and their different ideas of the immediate goal.

Money Although NASA has received a fairly generous hearing for the past several budgets, this has only allowed them to work at a slow pace on the Space Launch System (SLS) and its associated Orion crewed vehicle. There is still no concrete plan for the Mars project despite the best efforts of a vociferous lobby from such bodies as . Because a key part of the In addition, both Boeing and Lockheed what is known as the Commercial Crew new Administration’s election pledges was have fielded their own plans for a cis- Programme (CPP) which, due to political to reduce the US budget deficit and National lunar space station that would make it pressure from supporters of SLS and Debt, it is likely that NASA will not receive even easier to integrate Russian/European Orion, has been underfunded by Congress. any increase, and may well see a reduction elements, as in the International Space However both should still fly with Crews to in funding. Station (ISS). A further plus is that relatively the ISS by the end of 2018 or beginning of short flights within cis-lunar space will 2019, well before any crewed mission for This is because NASA funding is part of reduce the, so far unquantifiable, risks of Orion. In fact because of the lateness of what is called discretionary spending and radiation, zero gravity and reliability issues the CPP, NASA may have to purchase extra not protected as is the non-discretionary during a potential 3 years round trip Mars seats in the Russian Soyuz which would be part of the budget (which includes such mission. an embarrassment to the new President’s items as pensions). Because the SLS has “America First” slogan. There is also the strong Congressional support as a jobs A return to the Moon for longer stays possibility of competition to SLS from the programme in certain States, it may well would enable experience to be gained of recently announced heavy lift launchers survive the worst of any budget cuts, which the effects of the 16% of Earth’s gravity of New Glenn from Blue Origin and the will probably fall on any environmental on humans whilst minimising radiation Interplanetary Transport System (ITS) from programmes that have anything to do with exposure. As the ISS demonstrates, at SpaceX, although these are much further global warming – a particular bête noir of present space habitats need continual away from flying. We must not forget also the new Administration. maintenance and supply. For example, a the Falcon 9 Heavy from SpaceX which recent BIS Spaceflight issue noted that the should fly in 2017 and will lift 2/3 the The Goal ISS toilet needs a new pump to be fitted weight of SLS in its initial configuration. Some of the space advisors to the new every 6 months – not ideal for a 3 year Mars This is not to say that the SLS is dead, it has President also seem to be more interested mission! a lot of Congressional support and many in the Moon or cis-Lunar space as the highly skilled jobs depend on it, but it may immediate primary goal for NASA rather than Competition now have a fight on its hands with the Mars. This has the advantage of costing less NASA has recently issued a Request for newcomers. than a grandiose Mars plan and fits in with Information (RFI) for both the SLS and the what Europe and Russia have been saying Orion crew capsule. These RFIs for SLS A new Administration looking for budgetary for the past couple of years. A Russian or and Orion are interesting in that they may savings may well look favourably on European presence, in designing a lunar signify a more pragmatic approach to future private industry providing launch vehicles lander or for example, would funding and seem to be requesting ideas and crewed capsules for a cis-lunar reduce budgetary pressures on NASA and on how to cut production and operating space exploration policy. With possible allow it to complete development of SLS/ costs. Boeing and SpaceX will be pushing international cooperation providing savings Orion. Jan Woerner, Director General of ESA, forward their own Starliner and Dragon to the US side, the new President may find has already promoted the idea of a “Moon capsules which will be much cheaper to the case compelling. Although there would Village” which he sees as a diverse community produce and can accomplish much the be strong political opposition from vested of public and private organisations that work same beyond Earth mission as Orion.These interests in the states that manufacture SLS on the Moon together. two capsules are being produced under and Orion, stranger things have happened.

Odyssey: The e-Magazine of the British Interplanetary Society: Issue 46 www.bis-space.com 5 Terminal: Richard Hayes FBIS examines the Art of Alex Storer

cience fiction films often provide bring perils of its own. us with images of vast spaceships In this powerful artwork from Alex, a huge Stravelling between the stars. spacecraft hovers above a landing site. Compared with their immensity, human It is bulky and seems cumbersome – its beings seem puny and fragile – it is the complex construction shows us that this is that is dominant. a transport vessel, designed to move large quantities of freight, or possibly people, But even so, it is that very technology, between the planets and the stars. It may and the reassurance that comes from its be arriving, or possibly leaving – we cannot strength and stability, that will enable be sure, but the large number of people the expansion of those same humans waiting at this terminal implies that they are throughout the cosmos. At times, it may anticipating its arrival, and what it brings. be seen as a threat, but it will also be their hope – and on alien worlds it may Torrential rain and grim clouds tell us that Alex Storer speaking at the Novacon science sometimes be their only chance of salvation. the weather system on this planet is not fiction convention 2016. Photograph by Al attractive for humans like ourselves. It Johnston. The sense of safety and security that comes may the norm on this world, or perhaps it from space travel may represent a lifeline represents a rapid deterioration in what was balcony. He is not part of this mass reaction – possibly the only effective lifeline – for once a pleasant and idyllic land, and many to events, but calmly observes the flow of colonists of a distant planet. The regular are trying to escape it while they can. Now humanity. Does he know something they arrival and departure of vessels will provide they eagerly await their chance of rescue don’t? Or maybe he has simply accepted a dependable link to the rest of civilization. from an impending catastrophe. that life on this world is more acceptable Without this means of , they may than the alternative that may be found well be lost, and isolation from others can Yet a lone figure watches the scene from a elsewhere.

Terminal by Alex Storer; www.thelightdream.net

Odyssey: The e-Magazine of the British Interplanetary Society: Issue 46 www.bis-space.com 6 John Silvester FBIS reviews Science Fiction by Scientists

here can be no doubt that a fertile My favourite story however has to be “Fixed imagination that knows no bounds Upper” by aerospace engineer Eric Choi. Tis an excellent pre-requisite for the Again a story about the ISS, it concerns its writing of good science fiction. Therefore, strange reoccupation by Chinese taikonauts is it possible that scientists, whose horizons after abandonment for a number of years. might be limited by their calling, can write The expedition is accompanied and narrated good science fiction? If you read the new by one of the last American astronauts anthology Science Fiction by Scientists, to occupy the station in its glory days. A written by active research scientists and mission to de-orbit the ISS had originally other writers trained in science, you’ll been countermanded at the last minute almost certainly conclude that the answer by Russia and the USA, and instead it was must be yes. As the editor of the collection, thrust into a higher orbit. The Chinese are Michael Brotherton, says “The people able to bring it partially back to life, and who do science and love science best are attempt to move it into Lunar orbit, with scientists”. disastrous results. Eric Choi is an aerospace engineer who has worked on a number of Dipping into the book at random, space projects, including the ISS. “Betelgeuse” is a story of this famously volatile star. It is written by J. Craig One reason why this anthology is appealing Wheeler, a professor of at The is that the individual authors seem to University of Texas. “Down and Out” has have developed the skill to blend into the ISBN No: 9783319411019 intelligent creatures inhabiting an ocean plot just the right amount of technical Publisher: Springer world inside . The author is Ken knowledge to enable their story to have Wharton, a physics professor at San Jose an edge of professionalism without State University. Stephanie Osborne’s week. Deliberate sabotage is suspected, drowning out the storyline. There are a contribution is “Sticks and Stones”, which but everything that can go wrong does go total of fourteen, and each has a very useful takes place on the International Space wrong, ending in the Space station’s demise. afterword by the author explaining the Station where a crew member is suddenly The author is described as a 20+ year space background to his or her thinking. This is taken ill after being on the ISS for only a program veteran. certainly a book that can be recommended.

Richard Hayes FBIS considers the implications of Nazi science

n Fly Me to the Moon (History Today, The V2 rocket, along with many of the December 2013), Spaceflight’s Editor scientists and technicians who designed IDavid Baker gives an account of how and built it, became a cornerstone of rocket the US Air Force managed to change research in the West after the Second World NASA’s management approach in the War. But it was built using slave labour which 1960s to ensure the eventual success worked literally at gunpoint. Some background of the Apollo project in putting men on is given in Alan Marlow’s recent paper the Moon. It was essential even given Operation Backfire: Britain’s V2 Launches the extensive involvement of German (Space Chronicle, Suppl 1, 2015), which scientists, so well known for their outlines how Britain also took advantage of the efficiency, at the time. availability of V2 rockets after the War.

That starts a worrying train of thought. We In his 2003 book Hitler’s Scientists, John occasionally hear the assertion that we Cornwell describes how Wernher von should have little pride in the achievements Braun, who went on the lead American of the American space programme because space research after the War, worked it was based on technology developed by enthusiastically for the German Army’s one of the most odious regimes in history rocket programme at Peenemunde, though The transformation of armed conflict in the – Nazi Germany. Sadly, it’s a subject that he had the good sense to refuse Heinrich twentieth century. Published by Viking/Penguin needs serious consideration by anyone Himmler’s personal invitation to move his Books 2003. Cover illustration by Marc Yankus, interested in the history of spaceflight. rocket research to the SS. photos AKG, Corbis, Getty Images.

Odyssey: The e-Magazine of the British Interplanetary Society: Issue 46 www.bis-space.com 7 Cornwell also points out that von Braun one example, the pioneering American may have advocated the use of slave labour rocket scientist Frank Malina found himself as part of a productivity calculation, and pursued by the FBI after the Second World whether or not he was aware of the horrors War, and losing his security clearance, of the Mittelwerk facility where V1 and because of his previous links with the V2 missiles were produced, the suffering Communist Party, yet saw von Braun and amongst prisoners set to work there was others, who would normally have been seen unbelievable. And, as Adrian Weale explains as little better than war criminals, being in Science and the Swastikafrom 2001, the accepted and lauded by the establishment. earlier Messerschmitt 163b Komet rocket- powered aircraft could only be flown because If we see the space programme as no more hundreds of concentration camp inmates had than an extension of Nazi rocket work, then been killed in low-pressure experiments. we fall into the trap of thinking that it was only Nazi science that was at the root of one There’s no question that what the Nazis did of the greatest achievements of Western should never be forgotten. But we can’t civilization. If we believe that fallacy, that ignore the fact that their scientists were would surely be their ultimate success. amongst the most proficient in the world, Josef Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda and achieved much. Should that be entirely minister, would have been so proud. thrown out because of the regime they were working for, and the circumstances in But rather than finish with the unpleasant How it went wrong. Published by Channel 4 which they were working? Which raises an thought of Goebbels, we might consider Books/Macmillan 2001. Cover photographs unpleasant thought experiment. some more positive thoughts from von copyright Laguna Design/Science Photo Library, AKG London Braun himself in 1971 shortly after the Some of the worst crimes in the name success of the Apollo 14 landing on of science were carried out in Nazi the Moon. Many felt that he sought to concentration camps. Suppose a disease is applied to the conditions in which the Nazi ingratiate himself with the American today threatening the of large numbers rocket programmes were conducted? If establishment after the War, but there were of people across the world and the only some good could come out of it all, then noble ideals behind what he said: answer can be found in the records of those we’re probably in no position to object. obscene medical experiments. Very few “Some critics are raising the cry of immorality people would insist that we take the moral In any event, perhaps we should not when billions are spent for space in the face high ground and refuse to use those results be too critical of von Braun himself. In of problems such as pollution, poverty and simply because of the method by which such circumstances, can we honestly say peace...Our crowded, dirty, confused and they were obtained. That’s not to say that that most of us would have behaved any sometimes desperate world has much in it was right to carry out those experiments, differently? There’s little doubt that he had common with the world that was Europe and certainly not that they should ever be a deep interest in achieving space travel – before the Renaissance. On the face of it, repeated, but we can’t undo the past and in The New Yorker in 1951, regarding the spaceflight has no more relevance to the now, at least, their outcome could be put to first science fiction story he had read, he world’s problems today than the voyages of some useful purpose. was quoted as saying “it filled me with a Columbus, Magellan or Vasco da Gama had romantic urge – interplanetary travel – here to the ills of medieval Europe. There was Suppose now that it isn’t large numbers was a task worth dedicating one’s life to”. the same sense of something lacking that of lives that are threatened, but just a few, And he found himself in a situation where brought the flowering of the Renaissance or even just one. Could we refuse to save he could work towards those dreams, and the age of discovery...These adventures that one life because of a moral principle? though in a situation none of us would envy. and discoveries, more than anything else, Suppose further that it isn’t a matter of rejuvenated the human spirit and spurred saving a life, but just improving the quality Of course, the American space programme civilization to a great leap forward...When of life – once we go down this route, it involved many more people than just the Apollo 11 landed on the Moon, as hundreds gets increasingly difficult to object to using technicians who left Germany under von of millions watched and listened, probably experimental data solely because of the Braun’s leadership. Indeed, there was for the first time in the history of the Earth means by which it was obtained. And if understandable resentment from many who all mankind smiled and enjoyed a feeling that can apply to the outcome of medical felt their own achievements were being of genuine togetherness – of being true experimentation, is it any different when disregarded at the same time. To take just members of the same spaceship – Earth.”

Editor: Terry J. Henley

Assistant Editors: John Silvester, Terry Don and Richard Hayes

Design and Layout: Ben Jones

Distribution and web support: Ralph Timberlake

Odyssey is published six times a year by the BIS and circulated by email. Feedback on the e-magazine is welcome, including suggestions for future issues, via [email protected]

Odyssey: The e-Magazine of the British Interplanetary Society: Issue 46 www.bis-space.com 8