Det västtysk-zairiska rymdprogrammet
Egentligen är denna historia tämligen häpnadsväckande, rena rama James Bond-grejen. Man kan ju tro att filmen kom först, men...nej, den kommer nu. Verkligheten kom först. Berättelsen om OTRAG, Orbital Transport und Raketen AG, är mycket fascinerande. Saxat från astronautix.com:
In the early 1970's Willy Brandt's Ministry of Science and Technology solicited a contract for demonstration of launch vehicle technology an order of magnitude cheaper and more reliable than existing boosters. Lutz Kayser's research company won the contract and developed a radically new rocket technology, making more than 20 inventions in the process.
Lutz Kayser (1939-2017).
Kayser's concept involved the parallel clustering of large numbers of identical propellant tank and rocket engine modules. This allowed the application of mass production techniques as used in the automobile industry. This in turn resulted in cost reduction by a factor of 10. This breakthrough and the static testing in of prototype modules at Lampoldshausen stirred concern in the competitive aerospace industry. The established space launch companies were accustomed to making easy guaranteed profits through high cost plus fixed fee government contracts.
Wernher von Braun and Kurt Debus, the leading managers of American rocketry, were so enthusiastic about the project that they joined the team after their retirement from NASA. Their contribution was important and helped to introduce lessons learned from earlier programs. Von Braun introduced the concept of parallel clustering of tanks and engines with his Saturn I design. This had shown the way towards the low-cost breakthrough 20 years earlier. However, both rocket pioneers were in doubt whether this technology should be flight tested in developing countries because of the possibility that it would be misused for weapons. Kayser optimistically hoped he would be able to limit the technology to commercial satellite launchings. He was to be proven wrong and suffered heavy financial losses as a result.
In December 1975 OTRAG signed an agreement with the Congolese government to establish a rocket range at Shaba (Katanga).
Here a pad and gantry were erected and flight tests began in 1977. Logistic support was via antique British Argosy transports landing at a dirt strip on a plateau overlooking the jungle.
Dokumentären om det västtysk-zairiska rymdprogrammet heter Fly Rock Fly - Mit Macheten zu den Sternen och titeln är en travestering på en välkänd (tysk) discohit från 1975. Filmen släpps på torsdag den 27 september. Det finns låtar i soundtracket som verkar lovande - här är trailern...
OTRAG flyttade till Libyen, men i slutet av 1982 var det dags att lämna även det landet. Kahdaffi konsfiskerade mer eller mindre rubbet och försökte starta ett raketprogram.
Lutz Kayser gjorde av med 200 miljoner dollar på OTRAG. Kanske skulle han ha satsat på Kiruna redan från början?