OBERTH, HERMANN JULIUS. 1894-1989. Typed Letter Signed ("H. Oberth"), 4½ pp recto only, Mediaş, Romania, September 1, 1930, to fellow rocket pioneer Rudolf Nebel, punch-holes, the final page trimmed down, bottom edges repaired. EARLY LETTER FROM THE ROCKETRY PIONEER, WITH EXTENSIVE TECHNICAL CONTENT. In 1928, the film director Fritz Lang hired Oberth as technical consultant for his forthcoming movie Frau im Mond ("Woman in the Moon") and Oberth promised to launch a liquid-fueled rocket at the premiere to publicize the film. He hired as his assistant Rudolf Nebel, a World War I pilot who exaggerated his engineering qualifications. Only Robert Goddard had succeeded in building a liquid-fueled rocket at that time, and Oberth struggled in vain to get the rocket ready for the premiere in October 1929. Crestfallen, he returned to Mediaş in Romania where he was teaching basic engineering at the local high school. Nebel remained in Berlin, working with Wernher von Braun, Klaus Riedel, and other members of the Verein für Raumschiffahrt, an amateur rocketry group. They developed the "Mirak," short for Minimumrakete, and, after two explosions, successfully launched a third prototype in May of 1931. At the time of the present letter, Nebel was working on the second Mirak and was about to establish the Raketenflugplatz (rocket aerodrome) near Berlin. Away from the excitement in Berlin, Oberth repeats some earlier advice: "Send me the whole Minimumrakete as soon as possible, you will not have any luck working on it alone. I noticed from your letter that you haven't seriously tested the ammonium nitrate cartridge that I recommended." He provides detailed criticisms of Nebel's prototype, and remarks "I also believe the man who is operating the detonator is playing with his life.... I took everything needed for the first gasoline tests when I left Berlin, with the exception of the ammonium nitrate cartridges, because I thought that you would not have the patience and time." After several more paragraphs of technical suggestions, Oberth suggests Nebel find another job for the next year while he addresses the remaining issues with pressure and the nozzles, for "I am truly of the opinion that we are not able to generate enough propaganda for our Minimumrakete, even if everything is successful, since the altitude is too low." Oberth would end up working for von Braun in Huntsville, Alabama, while Nebel faded into relative obscurity. (French, Into that Silent Sea, 2007, pp 62-67.)
OBERTH, HERMANN JULIUS. 1894-1989. Typed Letter Signed ("H. Oberth"), 4½ pp recto only, Mediaş, Romania, September 1, 1930, to fellow rocket pioneer Rudolf Nebel, punch-holes, the final page trimmed down, bottom edges repaired. EARLY LETTER FROM THE ROCKETRY PIONEER, WITH EXTENSIVE TECHNICAL CONTENT. In 1928, the film director Fritz Lang hired Oberth as technical consultant for his forthcoming movie Frau im Mond ("Woman in the Moon") and Oberth promised to launch a liquid-fueled rocket at the premiere to publicize the film. He hired as his assistant Rudolf Nebel, a World War I pilot who exaggerated his engineering qualifications. Only Robert Goddard had succeeded in building a liquid-fueled rocket at that time, and Oberth struggled in vain to get the rocket ready for the premiere in October 1929. Crestfallen, he returned to Mediaş in Romania where he was teaching basic engineering at the local high school. Nebel remained in Berlin, working with Wernher von Braun, Klaus Riedel, and other members of the Verein für Raumschiffahrt, an amateur rocketry group. They developed the "Mirak," short for Minimumrakete, and, after two explosions, successfully launched a third prototype in May of 1931. At the time of the present letter, Nebel was working on the second Mirak and was about to establish the Raketenflugplatz (rocket aerodrome) near Berlin. Away from the excitement in Berlin, Oberth repeats some earlier advice: "Send me the whole Minimumrakete as soon as possible, you will not have any luck working on it alone. I noticed from your letter that you haven't seriously tested the ammonium nitrate cartridge that I recommended." He provides detailed criticisms of Nebel's prototype, and remarks "I also believe the man who is operating the detonator is playing with his life.... I took everything needed for the first gasoline tests when I left Berlin, with the exception of the ammonium nitrate cartridges, because I thought that you would not have the patience and time." After several more paragraphs of technical suggestions, Oberth suggests Nebel find another job for the next year while he addresses the remaining issues with pressure and the nozzles, for "I am truly of the opinion that we are not able to generate enough propaganda for our Minimumrakete, even if everything is successful, since the altitude is too low." Oberth would end up working for von Braun in Huntsville, Alabama, while Nebel faded into relative obscurity. (French, Into that Silent Sea, 2007, pp 62-67.)
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.jpg?w=400?width=1600&quality=70 "Quelle: Christie's")
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