Ghost of a flea: Von Braun

February 16, 2004

Von Braun

This is the first I have read about Von Braun's Mars novel or his plans for a Mars expedition. Does anyone know anything more about the novel? This NASA biography makes passing mention that Von Braun's rocket team "found themselves" developing Hitler's vengeance weapons and subsequent arrest by the SS... The space station illustration looks remarkably like the one in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Perhaps the Colliers article had a bigger influence on Kubrick than Von Braun's sketch.

In 1948, with the US Army's V-2 test project winding down, Wernher Von Braun was ensconced in isolated Fort Bliss. He had, unusually, some time on his hands. He occupied himself by writing a novel concerning an expedition to Mars, grounded on accurate engineering estimates. As an appendix to the novel he documented his calculations. The novel was reportedly awful and has never surfaced.

Posted by Ghost of a flea at February 16, 2004 09:46 AM

Comments

"'Once the rockets go up,
Who cares where they come down?
That's not my department,'
Says Wernher Von Braun."

-- Tom Lehrer

Posted by: *** Dave at February 16, 2004 12:21 PM

"I Aim For The Stars" - Von Braun's autobiography.
"But Sometimes I Hit London" - Mort Sahl's suggested subtitle.

Posted by: Ted at February 16, 2004 07:30 PM

Ha! "It's funny because it's true," as Homer once observed.

Posted by: Flea at February 16, 2004 07:32 PM

Kubrick. Kubrick. Kubrick.

Von Braun wrote two SF novels, one taking an expedition to the Moon, one with the same characters, to Mars. They are hilariously expensive to purchase as beat-up, ex-library editions from various book dealers, alas.

I have most of the Von Braun/Ley/Bonestell "space program" books in pretty good condition. Oddly, they are somewhat easier to find than the two SF books.

You might want to look for his book "The Mars Project", still in print from the University of Illinois Press for many decades. The current edition features a very nice Ron Miller recreation of a famous Bonestell painting.

And...sometime in June, will come the release of the "Tomorrowland" collection from Disney, featuring the Disney version of the Von Braun Collier's space program.

And if you really want your jollies...imagine the Von Braun/Bonestell program as a film--there's a guy in Australia who is working on it (alas, the website is done--either for the moment or for other reasons).

Posted by: FredKiesche at February 16, 2004 08:43 PM

Thanks for catching the typo... and for what must be the definitive word on Von Braun's writing!

Posted by: Flea at February 16, 2004 08:58 PM

I'd bet the long-lost novel will surface eventually. I know that his papers ended up in some archive, so just wait for a "discovery".

And try this website (up and down, if it doesn't work, do a Google search on "Man Conquers Space"):

http://users.bigpond.net.au/surfacesrendered/MCSHomepage.html

Posted by: FredKiesche at February 17, 2004 06:08 AM

"Definitive word"? Thanks for the compliment! We aim to please, at The Eternal Golden Braid!

Posted by: FredKiesche at February 17, 2004 06:13 AM