Von Braun "Baby Satellite"

**umtutsut** · #1 10-30-2010, 05:38 PM

Hot off the workbench! My interpretation of Joy Cohn's "Baby Satellite," a 1953 Wernher von Braun concept from the groundbreaking series of space articles in Collier's magazine.

!cid__1030001921 by sonofkong, on Flickr

The solar reflecting mirrors are printed on Red River metallic paper. The red structures are mercury boiler tubes made from coated wire. The base features a pic of the Collier's cover and a von Braun sketch of the mirror configuration.

Mucho thanx to Joy for designing a most excellent model! More pix tomorrow; stay tooned!

Les (Friendly Airplane Asylum & ex-NASA flack)

**Retired_for_now** · #2 10-30-2010, 08:14 PM

Really nice "might have been." It's always interesting to think in terms of the technology of the day ... no practical solar cells so a solar heat engine is called for. We seem to have chickened (ignoranced?) out on space nuclear so solar photovoltaic rules today - but what will tomorrow bring?

Yogi

BTW - Efficiency of a heat engine (Stirling Cycle at a practical 40% efficiency) exceeds that of solar cells (30% max theoretical for silicon based cells). Solar cells only win (so far) with a lighter overall system and no moving parts.

**Rocky** · #3 10-30-2010, 11:15 PM

Now that is the compleat package! model,display and history,brillant execuation.
Thats what it's all about! Bravo!

**Paperwarrior** · #4 10-31-2010, 04:45 AM

Excellent!
I really like the model, historical reference all in one.
Great work!

**umtutsut** · #5 10-31-2010, 01:16 PM

One more pic: A close-up of the solar collectors. Enjoy!

Les (Friendly Airplane Asylum & ex-NASA flack)

**jparenti** · #6 10-31-2010, 01:26 PM

Nice! I especially like the mercury tubes and solar collectors. I have this model waiting in the "to-build" pile, and I never thought about how to represent them accurately. You've done a great job with it.

**Skycop 1** · #7 05-26-2011, 09:27 PM

So where can one get the Von Braun Baby Satellite?

**Diderick A. den Bakker** · #8 05-27-2011, 01:51 AM

Lovely model - would like to build it for my collection of early SF. In the meantime, would you allow me to put your pictures on my webpage - perhaps you have more? Of course with your name and link (See www.zeistbouwplaten.nl, >Aviaion, >SF).

**umtutsut** · #9 05-27-2011, 07:34 AM

Diderick: You're welcome to use my model on your site.

Skycop: I thought it was in the files section of the space-paper-models Yahoo group, but hava-no. Also checked the archives with the same result.

Not sure whether I still have the original model sheet. I'll check.

Les (Friendly Airplane Asylum & ex-NASA flack)

**thorst** · #10 05-27-2011, 09:04 AM

Hello,

This model was designed by a member of the Yahoo-space-paper-modelers group, but he didn't release it yet as far as I know. He asked some time ago who wants to build a Beta and I jumped in, too. But if I understood him right, the model is not finished yet and should not be dispersed into the web until he does so.

Thorsten