German-US Partnerships in Spaceflight – Past, Present, and Future
Abstract
The lecture discusses the past, present, and future of US space flight including German contributions. Over 1,600 German scientists and engineers were eventually brought to the US. The first group worked to recreate the V2 and test flights from Ft. Bliss, TX and White Sands, NM, eventually being relocated in 1950 to Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama as part of the US Army Ballistic Missile Effort. The author is convinced, we need to continue and even enhance meaningful and purposeful dialog and conversation, especially when times are difficult.
Full text
German-US Partnerships in Spaceflight Past, Present, and Future John M. Horack, Ph.D. Vice President for Research Professor and Neil Armstrong Chair in Aerospace Policy College of Engineering and John H. Glenn College of Public Affairs The Ohio State University [email protected] Hamburg Aerospace Lecture Series Hamburg University of Applied Sciences Hamburg, Germany, October 16, 2025
2 Können Sie sich ein Leben ohne vorstellen? Wie oft haben Sie heute den Weltraum genutzt?
3 Der Weltraum ist eine wichtige nationale Entscheidung Space: A Vital National Choice Develop the economy Fortify high-technology industry Educate for human-capital competitiveness Solve regional and global challenges Project strength, power, and capability Inspire citizens, promote positive morale Promote peaceful cooperation Enable productive collaboration Agriculture Environment Security
4 Die Geschichte der Raumfahrt beginnt mit Deutschland Hermann Oberth 1929 - Advisor to the Movie by Fritz Lang Oberth’s Popular Press Publication 1923 - Based on his (rejected) PhD Thesis “Verein für Raumschifffahrt” - 5 July 1927 Largely starting from science, experimentation, and public enthusiasm.
5 Raumfahrt begeistert Menschen – damals wie heute ..including a young Wernher von Braun and Col. Walter Dornberger.
6 Sie kommen nach Amerika 6 •Over 1,600 German scientists and engineers eventually brought to the US •The first group worked to recreate the V2 and test flights from Ft. Bliss, TX and White Sands, NM •Relocated in 1950 to Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama as part of the US Army Ballistic Missile Effort
7 US Army Ballistic Missile Agency 7 REDSTONE MISSILE “Direct Descendent” of V2 2,860 kg payload capacity Ethyl Alcohol, LOX, H2O2 Range: ~60 - 200 miles Max Altitude: ~60 miles REDSTONE / JUPITER C MISSILE Added third stage 31 January 1958, launches the first US Satellite (following Sputnik) Explorer 1 Discovered the Van Allen Radiation Belts
8 “Und der Rest ist Geschichte” Saturn V Apollo 11 Kennedy NASA Yuri Gagarin Von Braun
9 But it is not ANCIENT history… Von Braun Team Members Charlie Duke - Apollo 16 eine andere zufällige Person
16 Der Weltraum ist ein bewährtes Forschungslabor • Pharmaceuticals • Medical Devices • Household Products • Advanced Materials •Semiconductors • Plant and Agriculture • Advanced Communications • BioManufacturing • Life Sciences and Human Health
17 KeytrudaTM im Weltraum “…widen the drug delivery options to improve the safety, adherence, and quality-of-life for patients and caregivers.” Ground (left) and Space (right) -based crystallization of Pembrolizumab. Learnings from spaceflight transformed ground-based processing, enabled a patent renewal, and boosted clinical outcomes of this ~$28B per year cancer medicine (4x Q1-2024 reported sales).
18 Empfehlungen – zusätzliche Brückenpfeiler: Continue (Enhance!) meaningful and purposeful dialog and conversation, especially when it is difficult. Set and pursue common goals. Doing small things is more important than talking about big things. Wherever there is a chance to “do,” make it happen! Education, Education, Education (…and Education). Connect our young people and encourage meaningful personal relationships. Engage in person wherever possible. Travel is hard, but face-to-face collaboration is essential. Nurture the emergence of new space-related companies and industries.
19 Von Bremen aus fanden die Menschen eine neue Welt [email protected]
20 Aber wir haben nur diese Welt [email protected] Mars ist nicht unsere Hoffnung.
21 Hoffnung für die Zukunft, aus der Vergangenheit “…large areas of land could be utilized far better if efficient methods of watershed control, fertilizer use, weather forecasting, fertility assessment, plantation programming, field selection, planting habits, timing of cultivation, crop survey and harvest planning were applied. The best tool for the improvement of all these functions, undoubtedly, is the artificial Earth satellite.” “…Efficient relief from hunger, I am afraid, will not come before the boundaries between nations have become less divisive than they are today. I do not believe that space flight will accomplish this miracle over night. However, the space program is certainly among the most promising and powerful agents working in this direction.” “…As a stimulant and catalyst for the development of new technologies, and for research in the basic sciences, it is unparalleled by any other activity. In this respect, we may even say that the space program is taking over a function which for three or four thousand years has been the sad prerogative of wars. “…I believe that none of these celestial objects will find as much attention and study by space scientists as our Earth. It will become a better Earth, not only because of all the new technological and scientific knowledge which we will apply to the betterment of life, but also because we are developing a far deeper appreciation of our Earth, of life, and of man.” Dr Ernst Stuhlinger
22 Danke! Vielen Dank für die Einladung!
23 Meine Weltraum-Geschichte beginnt in 1987 VP for Research, Tenured Professor of Physics 5 colleges, 14 centers, sponsored programs, research security. $65M -> ~$100M Carnegie “Tier 1 research ranking Vice President, Space Systems Payloads, flight hardware, ISS commercial imaging. $48M -> ~$70M Reversed 7-year revenue decline. Vice President, Technical One of twelve, two Americans. Largest global group of space professionals. Technical content and Congress Evolution Advisor to President High Energy Astrophysics Research Compton Gamma Ray Observatory Burst and Transient Source Experiment Gamma-ray bursts are cosmological Gamma-ray flashes from thunderstorms GRBs most consistent with accelerating universe Government 2005-2009 Academia 2009-2012 Private Sector 2012-2015 Not-for-Profit 2006 - Co-founder and President Financial Services, Compliance S/W Product design, coding. Raised the 1st Deutsche-Banc private equity investment in AL, (US$5M in 2000). Entrepreneur 2000-2005 Senior Executive Service Director, Science & Mission Systems All science and nonlaunch vehicle programs/projects and hardware ~$300M portfolio, >300 CS/Contractor team. Government 1987-2000