Technically possible orbital flight in late 30s?

[darkenfast]

This reply to the thread in general. While of course this is not exactly a new idea in fiction, I've been playing with an idea for a story (graphic novel), regarding a world settled by humans who've been struggling ever since. Not exactly original (Darkover, et. al.), but I've found some literary tricks to keep the technology at about a 1930's level. If the story idea works out, there will be some spaceflight later on. It's a fun idea to work on. <br /><br />Regarding "Sky Captain": in spite of the beautiful artwork, that has to be the stupidest movie I have seen in a long time. Even old "Flash Gordon" serials are much better written. The continuity was terrible, the dialogue was appalling, and by the end, I couldn't care less if the characters lived or died.<br /><br />Did I mention that I didn't like it?<br />

 

[kmarinas86]

Alternative history "does not exist".

 

[carp]

I agree:Orbital manned flight in late 30s would not have been possible (perhaps suborbital Shepard's style).But an "1938-39 "sputnik" yes.

 

[dobbins]

"If you had gone to any of the rocket societies then and said "Put something up, and only call me when it is done: here is the blank checkbook and a pass to keep the fire marshall off your back," they would have jumped at the chance.<br /><br />What happened, everywhere, was that governments got involved and the restrictions of paperwork easily added ten years to the problem. A Goddard or von Braun could have had a Redstone clone flying ten years from the go ahead if there were no 'rules' to play under."<br /><br />Having the funds is just part of the equation, managing them requires a whole different set of skills. This is where Von Braun differed from Goddard, Von Braun had the management skills to navigate the bureaucracy from Hell that existed in Nazi Germany. Goddard didn't have these skills, his widow once commented that the funding they received was adequate for his needs for most of the time he was doing research, and that greater funding would have just gotten in the way by taking him away from hands on work into management.<br /><br />Von Braun and Korolev are the only two rocket pioneers who had both the techincal knowledge and the management skills needed to manage a really large program. Korolev was just 20 years old in 1926 and Von Brauun was only 16. Too young for anyone to hand them a blank check.<br /><br />

 

[mlorrey]

You are forgetting Von Braun's predecessor.