Technoscience and Warfare From "Planet Dora" to the moon

Question 1

What was Planet Dora? Who named it so?

Answer 1

A concentration camp for making rocket parts. Named by one of its survivors.

Question 2

When did the greatest technological progress happen?

Answer 2

During WWII, the greatest human suffering in history.

Question 3

What was the German leadership approach to technology/science?

Answer 3

They wanted to use knowledge to destroy inferiors, not to benefit.

Question 4

Who was Albert Speer?

Answer 4

A German architect of buildings and furniture who designed everything, including concentration camps.

Mastermind behind the scenes of the Third Reich.

Question 5

What was unique about Albert Speer as a Nazi?

Answer 5

Only one who ever admitted guilt.

Question 6

What is Technoscience?

Answer 6

“Big science” integration of science, technology, government, universities, private companies into one giant project.

Question 7

What was the fundamental shift from technology to Technoscience?

Answer 7

Technology: to cope with the environment
Technoscience: to destroy/control

Question 8

What are the 5 biggest examples of Technoscience at work?

Answer 8

• Atomic Energy
• Modern computers
• Television
• First guided missiles
• Modern design, such as furniture

Question 9

What were the first modern computers?

Answer 9

• Z3, memory of 60 words

- Z4, first commercial

Question 10

What was the name of the first guided missile?

Answer 10

V1.

Question 11

What war machine was Hitler obsessed with? What were some examples of these that were made under his instruction and ambition?

Answer 11

Tanks.

• Mouse Porsche
• Rat
• Gott

^All in ascending order of size

Question 12

What was the world’s fastest plane at the time of WWII? What was an issue with it?

Answer 12

Me 163.

Too dangerous to fly, pilots would die.

Question 13

What was the Ju 287?

Answer 13

Jet bomber.

Had 4 jet and 4 rocket engines.

Question 14

What was the Silver Bird?

Answer 14

A space shuttle introduced by Germans at the late stages of WWII.

Question 15

What was the US designed fastest and most advanced jet introduced after WWII called? What was this believed to achieve?

Answer 15

F-86.

Believed that it would beat the Russians almost instantly.

Question 16

What was the Russian designed fastest and most advanced jet introduced after WWII called? What was this believed to achieve?

Answer 16

Mig-15.

Believed that it would beat the US almost instantly.

Question 17

What is noticed when comparing the Russian flagship jet and the US flagship jet? Why is this so? Where did they first meet?

Answer 17

They looked almost identical. Both designed by Messerschmidt, a German.

Met in Korean war.

Question 18

Who was Kazimierz Siemienowicz?

Answer 18

Polish guy who wrote the first book on rocketry, multi-stage rockets.

Question 19

Who was Konstantin Zilkowski? What are two things he conceptualized?

Answer 19

Polish guy who wrote the first book on space travel and use of rockets for space travel.

Conceptualized Space stations and rocket boosters.

Question 20

Who was Robert Goddard?

Answer 20

Wrote a book on mathematical theory and the moon. “Method for reaching extreme altitudes”

Question 21

Who was Hermann Oberth?

Answer 21

Wrote his PhD thesis “By Rocket into Planetary Space”

Question 22

Who was Wenher Magnus Maximillian von Braun? Give 6 facts.

Answer 22

• Oberth’s student
• Part of German and US rocket program
• SS officer
• Involved in concentration camps
• has all Nazi records wiped out
• At time of war was leading scientist of German rocket program.

Question 23

What was the world’s first man-made object in space? What happened to it?

Answer 23

A4 (V2) rocket, German. Did not remain in orbit, did not go high enough into space.

Question 24

How many advanced rockets did von Braun build for Hitler? How many did he design? What were they called?

Answer 24

Built 10, designed 12. A1-A12

Question 25

What is significant about A10?

Answer 25

It was an intercontinental ballistic missile which became the US Redstone rocket after WWII.

Question 26

What is significant about A12?

Answer 26

The 1969 Saturn rocket moon, most advanced, unstoppable, went 4 times the speed of sound.

Question 27

What did von Braun argue for in terms of engineers and scientists and their designs?

Answer 27

Engineers and scientists are not responsible for what is done with their designs.

Question 28

What technology signified start of the space race?

Answer 28

“Vostok” (R7) rocket, USSR.

Question 29

What was Sputnik I? What was it an experiment for?

Answer 29

A metal sphere with a radio transmitter in it. Sent up into space by USSR and stayed in orbit.

Experiment to see how warheads would reach the USA via space.

Question 30

Why was NASA formed? Who became the director of NASA?

Answer 30

Formed in direct response to Sputnik. von Braun became director.

Question 31

What was significant about Sputnik 2?

Answer 31

Carried Laika the dog, first animal in space.

Question 32

What was significant about Vostok 1?

Answer 32

Carried first human into space, Yuri Gagarin.

Question 33

What was significant about Luna 9?

Answer 33

It was a manmade object/capsule that landed on the moon.

Question 34

What was significant about Venera 3?

Answer 34

First manmade object to reach another planet (Venus).

Question 35

What was significant about Zond 5?

Answer 35

First to orbit the moon and return to earth.

Question 36

What was Neil Armstrong’s rocket called?

Answer 36

Apollo 11.

Question 37

What was a controversial quote of Albert Speer’s?

Answer 37

That “in the end my feelings about it are highly skeptical”, it being the technology he created.

Question 38

What was unique about Speer at Nuremburg?

Answer 38

He was one of only 3 major Nazis that did not get executed.