60 Years Later: The V2 And The Space Race

securitas writes "In a two-part feature written sixty years after the V2 rocket was first launched on London, BBC News Online's Paul Rincon describes the Soviet-American space race, German V2 rocket technology and how the USSR and USA divided Germany's best scientists between them. The second part addresses the technological lineage of both space programs, the creation of NASA, intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) development and the V2's legacy. Another feature provides some context, following the history of the development of the V2 rocket from its precursors that began with space flight enthusiasts like Wernher von Braun and Walter Riedel, through its use as a terrifying weapon in the London Blitz, to the recruitment drive by the Americans and Soviets. Today the V2 rocket is being used as the basis for the Canadian Arrow X Prize team. The Arrow team has some pages on V2 history and the main engine thrust chamber. For those interested you can read more at the A4 / V2 Rocket Resource site."

Comments

Nazi Germany

[u-238]

and the births of (von Braun, Riedel, etc.) its ethos single handedly launched the world into the space age.

Never forget that.

Re:Nazi Germany

[jolyonr]

The only thing Nazi Germany wanted to do was build new technical devices to kill people - the fact that their ballistic missies had peaceful applications is space flight was noted by the scientists at the time, and much theoretical work was done by German scientists in the war (eg Sanger), but it remained in their minds and on paper. All the Nazis wanted were devices capable of killing more people at a greater distance. That was their ethos.

Re:Nazi Germany

[Trurl's Machine]

The only thing Nazi Germany wanted to do was build new technical devices to kill people

Antropomorphisms like this are dangerous. It's so tempting to say "Russia wants to conquer Tschetschenya" or "USA want to justify Guantanamo to the public opinion", but you should always remember there is no such person as Uncle Sam or Mother Russia. Whatever George W. Bush wants or needs, it's not necessarily what every American or even majority of Americans want or need. It's also dangerous when you talk about dictatorship, as there was more in Third Reich than just Hitler and his crazy followers. What we know about Werner von Braun is that he was interested in rocket science "as such" - his lifelong dream was a manned mission to Mars. He worked for Hitler not because he loved him, but simply because for a German rocket scientist in 1940's there weren't really any other options. When you say "That was their ethos" you should consider who do you mean by "they". Them-Nazis? Sure, you're right. Them-German scientitst? You are obviously wrong.

Re:Does it mention

[donscarletti]

I think the article is about the scientific development, not the actual construction. And I think the fact that they were constructed with slave labour is fairly irrelivant since they would have been evil weapons even if they were created by well-payed union workers with health benifits, dental care and 8 weeks holiday a year.

Canadian content

[Easy2RememberNick]

Don't forget the Avro Arrow, which the Canadian entry is named after, was a jet fighter that was very advanced for its time. The program was cancelled by the Canadian government due to pressure from the US government.

Most of the engineers who worked at Avro went to work for the US space program. Yet again picking the best scientists from the spoils of, this time, a political war.

It boggles the mind all those connections.

If you're in Canada visiting mention "Avro Arrow" and see what reaction you get even now all these years later.

Arrow info

Re:The best Germans

[mikrorechner]

They might be a bit deluded when they think of themselves as a master race (well, only some of them do)

Next time, will you please write a sentence like that in the past tense? Thank you very much.

I assure you, right now there are no more people in Germany thinking of themselves as the "master race" than there are people in the US thinking of their nation as superior to others.

Oh, wait...

Re:Sub launched V2?

[Waffle Iron]

I can't find in the several article where it mentions improved accuracy. However, von Braun's next project, the US Redstone missile, had an accuracy of 300m at a similar range as the V2. Although measured in "meters", this accuracy is just about totally useless for conventional weapons targeting.

High altitude bombers had similar accuracy, and it usually took countless thousands of bombs per raid to effectively destroy major targets. Each large bomber raid carried more explosive power than the all V2s combined delivered over the entire life of the program.

Moreover, submarine-based launches would have lacked the frame-of-reference required to accurately aim the missiles even if they had perfect guidance.