On the 70th Anniversary of Carl Sagan’s Birth

[Sir Ulli]

In the 1970’s, two soon-to-be-world-renowned popularizers of science crossed paths at Cornell University — where Carl Sagan was a professor of astronomy and Bill Nye was an engineering student. From his class with Carl, Bill came away with an abiding passion for planetary exploration. Two decades later, that passion led him to join the Board of Directors of The Planetary Society. Today, as we announce the launch date for the Cosmos 1 solar sail, Bill remembers Carl and his influence.

http://www.planetary.org/news/2004/nye_sagan.html

Most Visible Member of the Scientific Community of the Planet Earth

Carl Sagan is certainly the most visible spokesman of the scientific community of the planet Earth. Through the device they call television, fully five percent of the planet's four and one-half billion humans have actually seen his face and heard his words describing the nature of the Cosmos. His book relating these lectures is the best selling book on science in English, the planet's major language for such discussions.

Professor Sagan's efforts to sensitize his fellow Earthlings to the nature of their cosmic condition, coupled with the psychological relationship inspired by television, have given him unprecedented influence. He has used this influence to catalyze and disseminate a major study warning that warfare might produce totally disastrous climatic and ecological conditions even if a fraction of stockpiled atomic weapons were used. He has championed efforts to prevent the militarization of the near space area around the planet.

http://www.fas.org/sagan.htm

more Info to Carl Sagan who that not knows

http://www.bigear.org/vol1no2/sagan.htm

http://planetary.org/html/society/tributes/

http://www.csicop.org/si/2003-11/ann-druyan.html

http://www.carlsagan.com/

http://www.skeptic.com/04.4.sagan-tribute.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Sagan

http://contact-themovie.warnerbros.com/cmp/int-druyan.html

Sir Ulli

 

[Sir Ulli]

Launch Date Set for Cosmos 1, The World's First Solar Sail Spacecraft

Announcement Coincides with the 70th Anniversary of the Birth of Carl Sagan, Co-Founder of The Planetary Society
By Susan Lendroth

Image: The Planetary Society (C)

November 9, 2004

The Cosmos 1 team announced today that the world’s first solar sail spacecraft will be set for launch on March 1, 2005 from a submerged submarine in the Barents Sea. Cosmos 1 – a project of The Planetary Society – is sponsored by Cosmos Studios.

“With the spacecraft now built and undergoing its final checkout, we are ready to set our launch date,” said Louis Friedman, Executive Director of The Planetary Society and Project Director of Cosmos 1. “The precedent-setting development of the first solar sail spacecraft has had its ups and downs like a roller coaster ride, but now the real excitement begins.”

Cosmos 1’s mission goal is to perform the first controlled solar sail flight as the spacecraft is propelled by photons from sunlight. The Cosmos 1 launch period will extend from March 1 to April 7, 2005. The actual launch date will be determined by the Russian Navy, which directs the launch on the Volna rocket – a rocket taken from the operational intercontinental ballistic missile inventory.
...

more Info

http://www.planetary.org/news/2004/ss_launch_set_1109.html

http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/cosmos-1_update_041109.html

http://www.planetary.org/solarsail/

Sagan’s dream

The announcement today of the Cosmos 1 launch date coincided with the birthday of Carl Sagan, a co-founder of The Planetary Society. He served as President of the group until his death in 1996 and would have been 70 years old today.

Ann Druyan, head of Cosmos Studios, was Sagan’s professional collaborator and widow. As Cosmos 1 Program Director, she said that her husband would have been pleased regarding the upcoming solar sail mission.

In particular, using a converted weapon of mass destruction as a means to explore the Universe is a dream of Sagan, "that we would not be just cleaver with our science and technology, but that we would be wise too," Druyan related.

"Happy birthday Carl," Druyan said as she threw the switch that began the Cosmos 1 countdown clock.

Sir Ulli

 

[Berserker]

Let's just hope Cosmos 1 launches OK after all the trouble they had with getting a launch vehicle for it.