Herman Potocnik
Prominent Istrians
Herman Potocnik Prominent Istrians |
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Wohnrad - Habitat Wheel
The Wohnrad had an outer diameter of 50 metres (164 feet), and rotated about an axis in order to create artificial gravity in the inhabitable outer ring (Radkranz). This contained cabins, laboratories, workshops, kitchen, and bathroom. There was also a circular gallery (Gang, rundum laufend). There were potholes (Luken) used for observing the Earth and the stars. There was also a lift shaft and two staircases leading to the "hub" (Achskörper), with a rotating airlock (Drehscleuse). The station's energy would be provided by two large concave mirrors to focus solar radiation onto heat pipes (Verdampfungsrohre) containing a liquid wich would vapourise and operate turbines to produce a continuous electrical current. The vapour would condense in other pipes (Kondensatorrohre) shaded from the Sun (Deutsches Museum, München). |
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This page is compliments of Marisa Ciceran Created: Wednesday, March
26, 2003; Last Updated:
Friday, January 25, 2008
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In 1929, an Austro-Hungarian
Slovene called Herman Potocnik published a book under pseudonym of "Noordung".
The book was Das Problem der Befahrung des Weltraums (The Problem of Space
Travel). It was the first book to devote most of its pages to space stations.
Potocnik proposed the Wohnrad (inhabitable or habitat wheel) design. This strongly
influenced the work of technicians and researchers, as well as of science
fiction authors. It inspired many space station designs during the 1950s,
even the one appearing in the science fiction film, 2001 - A Space Odyssey.
