1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient's Catalog No. NASA TT F-664 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date November 1976 MAX VALIER A PIONEER OF SPACE TRAVEL - 6. Performing Organization Code 7. Author(s1 8. Performing Organ~zationReport No. I. Essers 10. Work Unit No. 9. Performing Organization Name and Address Agence Tunisienne de Public-Relations - 11. Contract or Grant No. Tunis - Tunisia 13. Type of Report and Period Covered A 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address Translation National Aeronautics & Space Administration and National Science Foundation 14. Sponsoring Agency Code Washington, D.C. 15. Supplementary Notes Translation of "Max Valier. Ein Vorkampfer der Weltraumfahrt. 1895 - 1930," VDI-Verlag GMBH, Dusseldorf, 1968, Technikgeschichte in Einzeldarstellungen, NR. 5, pp. 1-314 16. Abstract This is a biography of Max Valier, who is credited with popularizing interest in space travel and rocket research in Germany in the 1920's and 1930's. He died in an accident involving the testing of liquid rocket fuel propellants. 17. Key Words (Suggested by Author(s)) 18. Distribution Statement Unclassified - Unlimited Subject Category 99 19. Security Classif. (of this report) 20. Security Classif. (of this page) 21. No. of Pages 22. Price' Unclassified Unclassified 274 $8.50 *For sale by the National Technical Information Service. Springfield. Virginia 22161 DR.-ING. I. ESSERS .51 AACHEN 11.1.1973. ALTE MAASTRICHTER STR. 9 - TEL. 304! Declaration This is to authorize the National Aeronautics and Space Administration publication as a NASA Technical Translation of an english 1anguage.version of the book: "Max Valier, ein ~orkgmpferder Weltraumfahrt 1895 - 1930" by I. Essers, published by VDI-Verlag GmbH, ~Gsseldorf,1968. We waive all rights to royalties or costs for this permis- sion. This waiver is valid only for the publication of the translation by NASA and does not include any commercial rights or sales other than through the normal NASA channels. (I. Essers) Holder of author's rights iii Max Valier, A Pioneer of Space Travel, 1895-1930 by I. Essers, Aachen PREFACE * Max Valier studied astronomy. During the war, in the aviation corps, he reached the boundaries gf high-altitude flights aboard propeller-driven aircraft. In 1924 he was the first to consider seriously Hermann Oberth's rocket theory. In many publications and lectures he stated that Oberth made possible the penetration into space. Valier planned the technical development of the rocket by stages: first, measurements without motion, then ground vehicles and aircraft propelled by powder rockets, then the development of the reaction engine operation by liquid fuel for rapid transportation through the stratosphere (jet engine), then further steps towards space travel. In 1930 Valier constructed the first small combustion chamber for liquid fuel and reached 28 kg thrust for any length of time (exhibited for the press on April 17, 1930). On May 17, 1930 an explosion occurred while he was experimenting with various fuels. Hit by a component of the exploded chamber, Max Valier died, becoming the first casualty of space travel. *Editor's note: This preface was especially prepared by I. Essers for the English translation edition. flax Valier Valier differs basically from the other people concerned with rockets in that he was an astronomer. He has never worked on the rocket for a Ministry of War nor for war purposes. He believed that he was serving peace on earth whilst directing people's gaze into the vastness of the universe. In this way he hoped that they would forget quarrels and wars. In his very active idealism, like Otto Lilienthal, he died for the great idea to which he had dedicated his life. -. Walter Boeltz :ii i! VDI - Verlag GmbH, ~iisseldorf A11 rights reserved, even of reproduction in extracts, of photomechanical reproduction of the whole or of extracts (photocopy, microcopy) and of translation. Printed in Germany. Figure 1.: Max Valier 1895 - 1930 (Photograph from the year 1927) "In order to fully appreciate the importance of Valier one must remember that, up to the publication of the trailblazing document of Hermann Oberth "The Rocket Into Interplanetary Space" (Die Rakete zu den ~lanetenrhmen)in the year 1923 there already existed first- class researchers in space travel and rockets in Ganswindt, Ziolkowski, Esnault-Pelterie and Goddard, but that they all could not initially strike any response in the scientific world nor with the public with their work. Only in Germany was there an astonishing development in the field of rockets and astronautics subsequent to Oberth 's document. The lasting merit of having started it off 2s attributed to Max Valier." 6 Alfred Fritz 1960. The completion of the study on Max Valier was sponsored by the Georg - Agricola - Society for the promotion of the history of the Sciences and Technology. CONTENTS -Year Page Early years in Bozen 1 High school scholar with his telescope. Astronomical journal. School magazine "Mentor". "The Sun". Rotating celestial chart. Valier ancestors. Final examination. Mountain trips. Studies in Innsbruck Astronomy, mathematics, physics, meteorology. Model airplane, rocket-driven. Literary activity. In the War From March 15, Imperial and Royal Rifle Regiment, Bozen 11. At the Italian front. 1916, at an army weather station at the German-Russian front. 1917, at the Fewesta of the Imperial qnd Royal Air Force troops at the Rumanian .front. 19 18, training as an airplane-observer. Crash with burning airplane. After the War Astronomy studies in Vienna. Lectures and publications for ~Grbiger' s theory of Glacial Cosmogony. Utopian novel with an atom bomb. Hedwig Valier. Writings on metaphysical problems . Munich becomes his adopted home town Astronomy with Professor von Seeliger. Literary works and lectures. 1924, Valier's astronomical masterpiece "Orbit and Nature of the Stars" (Der Sterne Bahn und Wesen) . Collaboration with Professor Oberth Correspondence with Oberth. Propaganda for Oberth's space rocket. Valier's plan: Progressive technical development. Observation of Mars. Manuscript: "Advance into space, a technical possibility" (Vorstoss in den Weltenraum, eine technische ~'dglichkeit). viii -Year March Valier 's expos6 to Oberth : Development of 1925 the space ship from an airplane with reaction drive ("intermediate type"), propellant: gasoline and atmospheric oxygen, the air being precompressed. Sept. Discussion in the Junkers office: Could 1925 rocket motors be of advantage, economically, for the airliner (Ju-G 23)? Several attempts to obtain financial aid for the planned technical development fail. Accounts of Max Valier and his plans H. And B. von ~Gmer,Th. von K6rm6n, R. M. Wallisfurth and others. Valier's lecture to the "Scientific Society of Aeronautics (WGL), four-stage plan: 1;- Fritz von Opel finances Valier ' s project Systematic investigation and further development of powder rockets. Rocket vehicle. Rocket flight. Rocket-driven rail vehicle Test runs of "Opel Rak 3" and "Rak 4". Valier's preliminary tests with small rail vehicles and Eisfeld rockets. Test runs of "Eisfeld-Valier-Rak 1" and "Eisfeld- Valier Rak 2-Halberstadt-Blankenburger-Railway". Valier alone "~aketenfahrt"(5th ed. of "Vorstoss in den Weltenraum") . "Auf ~GhnerFahrt zum Mars, eine kosmische Phantasie". Packard. Rocket-driven model aircraft tests. Rocket-driven sleds Valier in the industrial region Steam-jet reaction engine: Construction of an experimental vehicle. With Espenlaub, Valier plans a long-fuselage rocket plane and begins laboratory tests on a liquid-propellant rocket motor; both ventures fail for lack of funds. Demonstration runs with the steam-jet reaction vehicle. Opel flies a rocket plane. Junkers W 33 uses rockets for boosting at takeoff. Valier writes a new edition of "Raketenfahrt". Lecture evening at the Urania in Berlin. 1930 Rocket engine with liquid fuel With the financial backing of Dr. H. C. Heylandt, Valier develops the liquid-propellant rocket motor. Reaction force increased by means of systematic testing work. Valier negotiates with Deterding for financial aid. Deterding keeps him waiting. The small Rak motor is assembled in the reaction-driven test vehicle; test runs; then demonstration before the press. Reaction force of the small combustion chamber increased to 28 kg. Deterding's condition for financial aid: the fuel used must be Shell oil (kerosene). Difficult adaptation; emulsion chamber. May 17: Explosion of the combustion chamber; struck by a steel sglinter, Max Valier dies at the' rocket test stand. 1930 After his death Press reports. Walter Riedel on the cause of the explosion. Ceremony in the Berlin crematorium. Funeral service at the urn grave in Munich. Retrospect. Appendix 1 "Die Sonnet' (The Sun) Essay in the school magazine "Mentor" 1913 Appendix 2 Rotating celestial chart Appendix 3 Hans ~Zrbigerand Philipp Fauth Appendix 4 From "Der Sterne Bahn und Wesen" (Orbit and nature of the stars) Appendix 5 Hermann Ganswindt's interplanetary vehicle Appendix 6 Important newspaper articles by Valier "Der Vorstoss in den Weltenraum" MNN April 7, 1925 "Vom Flugzeug zum Weltraumschiff" ~iinchnerIllus tr. Presse 1926 "Die geschichtliche Entwicklung des Raumf ahrtgedankens" MNN February 10, 1926 Page Appendix 7 Abstract from "Russlands W~Pzum Mond" 240 by R. M. Wallisfurth Appendix 8 Lecture program (pages 2 and 3) Appendix 9 Other designs by Max Valier drawn by H. and B. von ~Grner Appendix 10 Valier was quickly forgotten List of sources Bibliopraphy A (Valier' s writings) Bibliography B (Books containing information on Max Valier) List of illustrations Index Early Years in Bozen Max Valier was born on Febru ry 9. 1895, in Bozen in the Southern Tirol. Ris grandfather Gotthardt Valierf7 was a native of ~gfleutennear ~iissenin the Algau. There he learnt the baker's trade, then, in accordance with the old cus- tom of the guild he went abroad, worked for a long time in Paris and in many foreign towns and learnt a great deal. He then returned to his home town Bozen. He remained there and married Maria Rotter. Then both moved to Vienna for a couple of years.