Croatian Space Pioneer - Herman Potočnik Noordung

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OverTheTop

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Herman Potočnik Noordung
Herman_Potocnik_Noordung.jpg
"Often eclipsed in modern memory by the achievements of the American space programme, the first astronaut in space was actually Russian Yuri Gagarin . He completed one orbit of Earth on 12 April 1961. Yet his achievements perhaps help eclipse that of a Pula-born Croatian pioneer who was concerned with space travel some three decades earlier. Way back in 1928, Herman Potočnik Noordung published his sole book, Das Problem der Befahrung des Weltraums - der Roketen-Motor (The Problem of Space Travel - The Rocket Motor) in which, over 188 pages and 100 handmade illustrations, Potočnik set out a plan for a breakthrough into space and the establishment of a permanent human presence there. He conceived a detailed design for a space station, regarded by Russian and American historians of space flight to be the first architecture in space, described the potential use of orbiting spacecraft for detailed observation of the ground and how the special conditions of space could be useful for scientific experiments."

Original article with many other Croatian pioneers (including Nikola Tesla, of course!) here: https://www.total-croatia-news.com/made-in-croatia/50483-croatian-pioneers
 
Herman Potočnik Noordung
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"Often eclipsed in modern memory by the achievements of the American space programme, the first astronaut in space was actually Russian Yuri Gagarin . He completed one orbit of Earth on 12 April 1961. Yet his achievements perhaps help eclipse that of a Pula-born Croatian pioneer who was concerned with space travel some three decades earlier. Way back in 1928, Herman Potočnik Noordung published his sole book, Das Problem der Befahrung des Weltraums - der Roketen-Motor (The Problem of Space Travel - The Rocket Motor) in which, over 188 pages and 100 handmade illustrations, Potočnik set out a plan for a breakthrough into space and the establishment of a permanent human presence there. He conceived a detailed design for a space station, regarded by Russian and American historians of space flight to be the first architecture in space, described the potential use of orbiting spacecraft for detailed observation of the ground and how the special conditions of space could be useful for scientific experiments."

Original article with many other Croatian pioneers (including Nikola Tesla, of course!) here: https://www.total-croatia-news.com/made-in-croatia/50483-croatian-pioneers
I am sure his contributions are significant.

I am somewhat relieved however that he didn’t become too well known.

somehow something referred to as the “Noordung Rocket” sounds like it should be launched from atop Bandini Mountain.

And I don’t event want to think about the “Noordungian Space Station”

his middle name DOES sound vaguely Klingon....

(and yes, I am sure my last name probably sounds humorous in other languages too. And they are welcome to tease me about it. It’s all in fun.)
 
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