Hermann-Oberth-Gesellschaft
Encyclopedia
The Hermann Oberth society is an association named after Hermann Oberth
, the German
astronautics pioneer, which develops and builds rockets and trains engineers in space technology
.
It was created in 1952 by Karl Poggensee in Bremen as the German Agency for Affairs of Space Travel
(DAFRA), tasked to develop civilian rockets. Early on in Hespenbusch
, near Großenkneten
, various prototype rockets were developed, which soon reached heights of a few kilometers. The available area in Hespenbusch quickly became too small to continue to conduct rocket tests there.
In 1957 the rocket experiments of DAFRA, which was renamed the DRG (German rocket company), moved to Cuxhaven, where rocket tests were resumed in 1959. On December 15, 1960, the first launch of the Kumulus
, which had a maximum height of 20 kilometres, took place and on September 16, 1961, the first launch of the Cirrus, which had a maximum height of 50 kilometers, took place.
At this time Berthold Seliger began to build rockets in this society, which was renamed the Hermann Oberth society. In 1961 Berthold Seliger created his own company, the Seliger Forschungs- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH
, which cooperated with the Hermann Oberth society. The Seliger Forschungs- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH developed several two and three stage rockets, which could reach heights of up to 150 kilometers, between 1962 and 1963. After a disputed flight demonstration of the Seliger Forschungs- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH militarily usable rockets before military representatives from non-NATO states at Cuxhaven on December 5, 1963, a break between the Seliger Forschungs- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH and the Hermann Oberth society occurred. The latter continued to make rocket launches until June 1964.
After the termination of rocket launches in the Cuxhaven area the Hermann Oberth society put its emphasis on the education of future space technology engineers. In 1993 the Hermann Oberth society and the Otto Lilienthal society united to form the German Society for Air and Space Technology, DGLR.
Hermann Oberth
Hermann Julius Oberth was an Austro-Hungarian-born German physicist and engineer. He is considered one of the founding fathers of rocketry and astronautics.- Early life :...
, the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
astronautics pioneer, which develops and builds rockets and trains engineers in space technology
Space technology
Space technology is technology that is related to entering, and retrieving objects or life forms from space."Every day" technologies such as weather forecasting, remote sensing, GPS systems, satellite television, and some long distance communications systems critically rely on space infrastructure...
.
It was created in 1952 by Karl Poggensee in Bremen as the German Agency for Affairs of Space Travel
Spaceflight
Spaceflight is the act of travelling into or through outer space. Spaceflight can occur with spacecraft which may, or may not, have humans on board. Examples of human spaceflight include the Russian Soyuz program, the U.S. Space shuttle program, as well as the ongoing International Space Station...
(DAFRA), tasked to develop civilian rockets. Early on in Hespenbusch
Hespenbusch
Hespenbusch is a farm, which belongs to the municipality of Grossenkneten. Karl Poggensee and the Hermann Oberth society operated between 1952 and 1957 a launch site for small rockets with a maximum flight level of some kilometers, close to this farm...
, near Großenkneten
Großenkneten
Großenkneten is a municipality in the district of Oldenburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany.-Geography:Großenkneten is one of the largest municipalities in Germany, in terms of its area, and is situated between the rivers Hunte and Lethe, in the landscape called Wildeshauser Geest...
, various prototype rockets were developed, which soon reached heights of a few kilometers. The available area in Hespenbusch quickly became too small to continue to conduct rocket tests there.
In 1957 the rocket experiments of DAFRA, which was renamed the DRG (German rocket company), moved to Cuxhaven, where rocket tests were resumed in 1959. On December 15, 1960, the first launch of the Kumulus
Kumulus (rocket)
Kumulus is the name of a rocket of the "Hermann-Oberth-Gesellschaft e.V.". The first Kumulus rocket was launched on December 20, 1960 near Cuxhaven...
, which had a maximum height of 20 kilometres, took place and on September 16, 1961, the first launch of the Cirrus, which had a maximum height of 50 kilometers, took place.
At this time Berthold Seliger began to build rockets in this society, which was renamed the Hermann Oberth society. In 1961 Berthold Seliger created his own company, the Seliger Forschungs- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH
Seliger Forschungs- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH
The Berthold Seliger Forschungs- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH was a company founded by German rocket technical designer Berthold Seliger in 1961. Seliger was a former assistant theoretician professor Dr. Eugen Sänger. The company developed and built prototypes of sounding rockets and launched...
, which cooperated with the Hermann Oberth society. The Seliger Forschungs- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH developed several two and three stage rockets, which could reach heights of up to 150 kilometers, between 1962 and 1963. After a disputed flight demonstration of the Seliger Forschungs- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH militarily usable rockets before military representatives from non-NATO states at Cuxhaven on December 5, 1963, a break between the Seliger Forschungs- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH and the Hermann Oberth society occurred. The latter continued to make rocket launches until June 1964.
After the termination of rocket launches in the Cuxhaven area the Hermann Oberth society put its emphasis on the education of future space technology engineers. In 1993 the Hermann Oberth society and the Otto Lilienthal society united to form the German Society for Air and Space Technology, DGLR.