SalonSlovenija_zdruzeno_ZA TISK_01.indd

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Legenda | A legend
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Rodil se je 22. decembra leta 1892 v Pulju v Istri (takratni
Avstro-Ogrski, današnji Hrvaški). Oče, mornariški štabni častnik
v avstro-ogrski mornarici, je umrl, ko je bilo Hermanu komaj 2
leti. Takrat se je njegova mati z otroki preselila najprej v domače
Vitanje na Štajersko in nato v Maribor, kjer je Herman preživel
večji del otroštva. Sledila je vojaška tehniška akademija v
Mödlingu pri Dunaju. Vojskovanje na moriščih 1. svetovne vojne
mu je močno načelo zdravje, zbolel je namreč za jetiko. Po vojni
je na dunajski univerzi vpisal študij strojništva in elektrotehnike
in se po diplomi popolnoma posvetil raketni tehnologiji ter
načrtovanju prodora v vesolje. A bolezen je terjala svoj davek;
Herman je umrl zaradi pljučnice, star komaj 37 let.
Leta 2006 so v Vitanju na Štajerskem, kjer je Potočnik preživel nekaj otroških let, odprli spominsko središče
In 2006 a memorial centre was opened in Vitanje, Styria, where Potočnik had spent some of his childhood years
Malo pred smrtjo, leta 1928, je dokončal svojo edino knjigo
»Problem vožnje po vesolju – raketni motor« z originalnim
naslovom »Das Problem der Befahrung des Weltraums
– der Raketen motor«, ki mu je zaradi vizionarskih idej in
znanstvenega dela prinesla nesmrtnost. Knjiga, katero je izdal
pod psevdonimom Herman Noordung, obsega 188 strani in
vsebuje 100 avtorjevih ilustracij ter predstavlja eno temeljnih
del pionirske astronavtike.
V knjigi je Potočnik podrobno predstavil načrt prodora v
vesolje vključno z geostacionarnim satelitom, vesoljskim
stanovanjskim kolesom, valjastim observatorijem in sončno
toplotno-mehansko-električno energetsko centralo. Poleg
načrta stalno naseljene vesoljske postaje, ki je takrat med
množicami veljala za znanstveno fantastiko, je obravnaval tudi
obletavanja Zemlje po breztežnostni krožnici, problem bivanja
v vesolju, izstrelitev, polet in vrnitev vesoljske rakete. Tako je
pravilno izračunal in predvidel vse faze poleta okrog Zemlje
več kot 30 let pred prvim poletom človeka v vesolje. Pravilnost
Potočnikovih izračunov potrjujejo tudi besede ruskega
astronavta in trojnega doktorja znanosti Jurija Baturina, ki je
dejal: »Točno tako kot Potočnik opisuje polet, sem sam poletel v
vesolje dvakrat.«
Herman Potočnik was born on 22 December 1892 in Pulj, Istria (then
Austrian-Hungarian Empire, present Croatia). His father, a naval officer
in the Austrian-Hungarian navy, died when Herman was but two years
old. Herman’s mother took the children first to her home village of Vitanje,
Styria, and then to Maribor, where Herman spent the greater part of his
childhood. His next stop was the Technical Military Academy at Mödling
near Vienna. Fighting in the battlefields of World War I severely degraded
his health and he was soon diagnosed with consumption. After the war
he studied mechanical and electrical engineering at the Vienna university.
After graduation he completely devoted himself to rocket science and
pioneering work in space travel. Unfortunately, his poor health took its toll
and Herman died of pneumonia at 37.
Shortly before his death, in 1928 he outlined his visionary ideas and
backed them up by science in his only book, “The Problem of Space
Travel – The Rocket Motor” (originally published under the pseudonym
Herman Noordung under the title “Das Problem der Befahrung
des Weltraums – der Raketen Motor”), which basically ensured his
immortality. The 188-page book, which features 100 illustrations
by the author, is considered one of the fundamental works
in early astronautics.
In the book Potočnik outlined a detailed plan of setting out into space
complete with geostationary satellite, space residential module,
cylindrical observatory, and solar thermal-mechanical-electrical power
station. In addition to proposing the design for a permanently manned
space station, which the masses at the time regarded as pure science
fiction, he also addressed weightless travel in orbit around the Earth,
the problem of residing in space as well as the launch, travel and
return to Earth of a space rocket. He produced exact calculations and
flawlessly envisaged all stages of a flight around the Earth more than
30 years ahead of man’s first voyage into space. The accuracy of
Potočnik’s calculations has also been confirmed by Russian astronaut
and triple PhD Yuri Baturin, who has stated, “I have flown into space
twice myself exactly as described by Potočnik.”
Izjemnost Potočnikovega dela in
njegov vpliv na razvoj astronavtike
Njegova knjiga je ena izmed
osnovnih referenc doktorata
nemškega pionirja astronavtike
Werneherja von Brauna iz leta
1934. Von Braun je bil kasneje
ključna oseba razvoja nemške
raketne tehnologije pred in med
drugo svetovno vojno ter glavni
kreator prvih ameriških korakov
pri osvajanju vesolja. Von Braun,
ki je leta 1958 tudi vodil izstrelitev
prvega umetnega (ameriškega)
satelita, je o knjigi zapisal, da je
bila »učbenik graditeljem vesoljskih
vozil« in »prelomnica v svetovni
vesoljski raketni tehniki«. Potočnika
je hkrati uvrstil »med pionirje, ki so
prispevali levji delež k realizaciji
vesoljskega programa«.
Potočnikovi načrti so bili tudi navdih pri
oblikovanju številnih konceptov vesoljskih
postaj, predvsem v petdesetih in
šestdesetih letih. Med njimi tudi ene izmed
ikon znanstvene fantastike filma Odiseja
2001 (2001: A Space Odyssey) iz leta
1968, režiserja Stanleya Kubricka, po
scenariju Kubricka in Arthurja C. Clarkea.
Potočnik’s models also proved a source
of inspiration to numerous space station
conceptual designs, in particular in the
1950s and 1960s, including the one used
in the legendary Sci-Fi film, 2001: A Space
Odyssey from 1968 directed by Stanley
Kubric and written by Kubric and
Arthur C. Clarke.
The uniqueness of Potočnik’s work
and his impact on the development
of astronautics
His book is quoted as a basic
reference in the 1934 PhD thesis of
the German pioneer in astronautics,
Wernher von Braun. Later on,
Von Braun played a crucial role in
the development of the German
rocket technology before and
during World War II, and was the
principal creator of the first US
steps towards conquering space.
Von Braun, who was in charge of
the launch of the first manmade
(US) satellite in 1958, described
Potočnik’s work as “a textbook
for the builders of space vehicles”
and “a milestone in the world
space rocket science”. He counted
Potočnik “among the pioneers who
have contributed a lion’s share
towards the realisation of the
space programme.”
Legendarni pisatelj znanstvene fantastike
Arthur C. Clarke, ki je leta 1945 prvi
predlagal uporabo geostacionarnih
satelitov za komunikacijske namene, je
prav tako potrdil, da je prve inženirske
načrte vesoljske postaje na breztežnostni
krožnici izdelal prav Potočnik.
Legendary science fiction writer Arthur
C. Clarke, who was the first to propose
the use of geostationary satellites for
communication purposes in 1950, likewise
confirmed that it was Potočnik who had
produced the first orbiting space station
engineering designs.
To je samo nekaj navedb, ki opisujejo delo in dosežke tega dolgo
prezrtega moža iz zgodovine znanosti, po katerem so poimenovali
tudi enega izmed asteroidov. Žal ni uspela pobuda, da bi po njem
poimenovali mednarodno vesoljsko postajo. S prevodom svoje knjige v
angleščino, s strani ameriške vesoljske agencije NASA, leta 1995, pa je
dobil tudi zaslužen poklon s strani mednarodne javnosti. Leta 2006 so v
Vitanju na Štajerskem, kjer je Potočnik preživel nekaj otroških let, odprli
spominsko središče.
These are just a few examples illustrating the work and achievements
of the man long overlooked by the history of science, whose name also
graces one of the asteroids. Unfortunately, the initiative for a space
station to be named after Potočnik, did not succeed. By translating
his book into English in 1995, however, the US space agency NASA
acknowledged his contribution and gave it due recognition in the
international arena. In 2006 a memorial centre was opened in Vitanje,
Styria, where Potočnik had spent some of his childhood years.
Revija Salon Slovenija Magazine
Noordungova ilustracija vesoljske postaje
Noordung's illustration of a space station