Page 15 - (DK) Eyewitness - Mars

WERNHER VON BRAUN Gondola for
(1912–1977) passengers
U.S. space-flight programs
were directed by Wernher von
Braun, a former German
military rocket designer.
Von Braun and other
German scientists came to
America after World War
II to work in the space
program. In 1960, Von
Braun became the first
director of NASA’s
Marshall Space
Flight Center in
Alabama. During
his 10 years as
director, the first
manned mission
to the Moon
took place.

Model based on the V-2
rocket of World War II
AUDOUIN DOLLFUS (1924–)
To reduce atmospheric interference, French astronomer Audouin Dollfus went up
in balloons in the 1950s and 1960s. From six miles (10 km) high, Dollfus used
scientific instruments to study Mars, finding the planet had very little water. After
1958, the new National Air and Space Administration (NASA) began launching
satellites that carried cameras and scientific instruments.
Chesley Bonestell’s Mars

Before his friendship with Wernher von Braun
inspired him to visualize Mars in colorful A VISION OF MARS
paintings, Chesley Bonestell was both an architect To create this scene, “The Exploration of
and a motion-picture designer. Bonestell’s passion Mars,” Bonestell discussed the latest
for science fiction was expressed in sets for space- rockets and equipment with Wernher
von Braun. Von Braun’s writings on
adventure movies. His illustrations of Martian vistas flying to Mars inspired younger
with astronaut colonizers were imaginary, but they scientists as well as painter Bonestell.
stimulated many young people to take an interest in
Chesley Bonestell space exploration and astronomy.