UFO Norr - 1994 Temanummer 2

Magazine Overview

This is a special themed issue of the Swedish UFO magazine 'UFO Norr', titled 'Rymd-Historia' (Space History), published in December 1994 as 'Temanummer 2' (Themed Issue 2) and part of Volume 2. The magazine is published by Föreningen UFO-Skellefteå and aims to create a forum for the organization and its members.

Editorial and Content

The issue begins with a 'Ledare' (Editorial) reflecting on the connection between UFOs and the broader human aspiration for space exploration. It posits that humanity's drive to explore space is an inevitable part of development, comparing the progress made in just over 200 years since James Watt to the potential of a civilization millions of years old. The editorial emphasizes that while current technology might seem limited, the inherent drive for progress will likely lead humanity to become a multi-planetary species.

The main content of the magazine is dedicated to a historical overview of space exploration, divided into several sections:

Historik (History)

This section, written by Jörgen Sandström, traces the dream of space travel from ancient times to the dawn of the space age. It mentions early science fiction like Jules Verne's 'Journey to the Moon' (1865) and highlights the historical use of rockets by the Chinese as early as the 12th century, primarily as weapons. The development of rockets in Europe and by figures like Sir William Congreve is discussed, along with the underlying principle of Newton's third law.

Raketpionjärer (Rocket Pioneers)

This part focuses on the key figures who laid the groundwork for rocketry and spaceflight. Konstantin Tsiolkovskij is credited as the 'father of spaceflight' for his theoretical work on rocket propulsion and the possibility of reaching space. Robert Goddard, an American, is noted for conducting early experiments and launching the first liquid-fueled rocket in 1926. The text also mentions the contributions of Wernher von Braun in Germany and Sergej Korolev in the Soviet Union, whose work was crucial during World War II and the subsequent space race.

Ut i rymden (Into Space)

This section details the beginning of the space age with the Soviet launch of Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957. It describes Sputnik 1 as an 83.6 kg aluminum sphere and explains the speed and altitude required to achieve orbit. The subsequent launch of Sputnik 2 with the dog Laika is mentioned, followed by the first American satellite, Explorer 1, in 1958, which led to the discovery of the Van Allen radiation belts.

#### Satelliter i jordbana (Satellites in Earth Orbit)

This subsection provides a broader overview of satellite technology, noting launches by various countries including the USA, former Soviet Union, France, UK, China, Japan, India, and Sweden (Viking, Tele-X). It explains that satellites are used for studying Earth's magnetic field, radiation, photography, weather forecasting, military surveillance, and communication. Geostationary satellites and their role in maintaining continuous contact are also discussed, as are the use of solar cells for power and small rocket engines for orbital adjustments.

Rymdkapplöpningen (The Space Race)

This section covers the intense competition between the USA and the Soviet Union. It highlights early Soviet successes with the Luna probes, which provided images of the Moon's far side. The race to put a human in space is detailed, starting with Yuri Gagarin's Vostok 1 flight in 1961 and followed by the first American in space, Alan Shepard. The first woman in space, Valentina Tereshkova, is also mentioned.

Mot månen (To the Moon)

This part details the US goal, set by President John F. Kennedy, to land a man on the Moon before the end of the 1960s. It recounts the Soviet Union's early lead in multi-person missions (Voschod 1 and 2, including the first spacewalk by Alexej Leonov) and the US Gemini program, which also featured spacewalks by Edward White. The role of lunar probes like Luna 9 in mapping the Moon for landing sites is discussed, leading up to the Apollo program and the development of the Saturn V rocket.

Människan på månen (Man on the Moon)

This section recounts the historic Apollo 11 mission, with Neil Armstrong's famous quote, "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." It describes the roles of Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins. Soviet efforts to explore the Moon with automated probes like Luna 16 are also noted.

Rymdfärjan (The Space Shuttle)

This section explains the development of the Space Shuttle as a reusable spacecraft to reduce the cost of space missions. It describes its vertical launch, horizontal landing, and its capabilities for deploying, repairing, and retrieving satellites, as well as its potential for building space stations. The first shuttle flight on April 12, 1981, is mentioned.

Bemannade rymdfärder (Manned Spaceflights)

This is a chronological list of significant manned spaceflights from 1961 to 1993, detailing the mission name, country, date, and key achievements or crew members. Notable entries include:

• Vostok 1 (1961): Yuri Gagarin's first human spaceflight.
• Freedom 7 (1961): Alan Shepard's first American spaceflight.
• Vostok 6 (1963): Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space.
• Voschod 2 (1965): Alexej Leonov's first spacewalk.
• Gemini 4 (1965): Edward White's first American spacewalk.
• Apollo 8 (1968): First manned mission to orbit the Moon.
• Apollo 11 (1969): First manned Moon landing.
• Sojus 11 (1971): A tragic mission where the crew died upon re-entry due to depressurization.
• Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (1975): First joint US-Soviet space mission.
• Challenger (1986): The catastrophic explosion during launch.
• Endeavour (1993): Repair of the Hubble Space Telescope.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the historical progression of space exploration, the technological advancements in rocketry and spacecraft, and the human drive to venture beyond Earth. The editorial stance is one of optimism regarding humanity's future in space, viewing space exploration as a natural and inevitable evolutionary step. It acknowledges potential catastrophic threats but emphasizes the long-term necessity for humanity to explore other star systems for survival. The magazine presents a factual, historical account of space achievements, framed within the broader context of human curiosity and progress.

This issue of UFO-NORR, titled 'MOT MÅNEN' (To the Moon), is a thematic number published in December 1994, focusing on lunar exploration missions conducted between 1959 and 1976. It provides a chronological listing and description of both Soviet and American probes and crewed missions aimed at reaching and studying the Moon.

Soviet Moon Missions

The magazine details the Soviet Union's early space endeavors, starting with Sputnik 1 in 1957, the first artificial satellite. The Luna program is extensively covered, highlighting key missions:

• Luna 2 (1959-09-12): The first probe to crash-land on the Moon. Its instruments revealed the Moon's lack of a strong magnetic field and radiation belts. It weighed 390 kg and impacted about 43 miles from the Moon's visible center.
• Luna 3: Followed Luna 2 and captured the first images of the Moon's far side.
• Luna 5 (1965-05-09): Intended as the first soft landing, it crash-landed due to a rocket malfunction.
• Luna 6: Launched a month later, it missed the Moon entirely due to a rocket failure.
• Luna 7 (1965-10-04): Another failed soft landing attempt attributed to rocket problems.
• Luna 8 (1965-12-03): Marked the fifth consecutive failed soft landing attempt by the Soviet Union.
• Luna 9 (1966-01-31): Achieved the first successful soft landing on the Moon. It deployed an egg-shaped capsule that transmitted 27 images over three days.
• Luna 13 (1966-12-21): Deployed a capsule that took images and transmitted information about the lunar soil for six days.
• Luna 15 (1969-07-13): A Soviet attempt to compete with the Apollo program, aiming to collect lunar samples. It launched three days before Apollo 11 but crash-landed while Apollo 11's astronauts were preparing to return to Earth.
• Luna 16 (1970-09-12): Successfully collected lunar soil samples using a robotic arm and returned them to Earth via a rocket launched from the Moon.
• Luna 17 (1970-11-10): Carried Lunokhod 1, the first remote-controlled lunar rover. It was designed for a 90-day mission and became the Soviet Union's biggest success in its lunar program.
• Luna 18 (1971-09-02): Contact was lost with the probe during its landing attempt on September 11, preventing it from collecting lunar samples.
• Luna 20 (1972-02-14): Collected lunar soil samples with a mechanical arm and returned 50 grams to Earth.
• Luna 21 (1973-01-08): Deployed Lunokhod 2, which traveled 37 km over five months, investigating a fault caused by a moonquake.
• Luna 23 (1974-10-28): The drill was damaged upon landing in an uneven area, preventing sample collection.
• Luna 24 (1976-08-09): The last Soviet lunar probe and the final successful lunar landing, returning 170 grams of lunar soil.

American Moon Missions

The magazine also details the US space program's efforts:

• Pioneer Program: Early US attempts, including Pioneer 0 to 3, failed to leave Earth, and Pioneer 4 missed the Moon by 59,000 km. Pioneer 5 exploded during ground tests.
• Ranger Program: This program aimed to send images before impact.
• Ranger 4 (1962-04-23): The first American probe to crash-land on the Moon, but a computer error sent it off course to the far side, resulting in a partial success.
• Ranger 6 (1964-01-30): Landed successfully but cameras were damaged.
• Ranger 7 (1964-07-28): Transmitted over 4,000 TV images.
• Ranger 8 (1965-02-17): Sent over 7,000 images.
• Ranger 9 (1965-03-21): Sent 5,814 photos, with the last at 0.3-meter resolution.
• Surveyor Program: Focused on soft landings and surface analysis.
• Surveyor 1 (1966-05-30): Achieved the first US soft landing, sending over 11,000 images.
• Surveyor 2 (1966-09-20): Crash-landed due to a rocket malfunction.
• Surveyor 3 (1967-04-17): Sent 6,315 images and studied the lunar surface.
• Surveyor 4 (1967-07-14): A failed soft landing attempt.
• Surveyor 5 (1967-09-08): Transmitted over 18,000 images and performed the first chemical analysis of lunar soil.
• Surveyor 6 (1967-11-07): Sent over 30,000 images and studied the Moon, Earth, Jupiter, and stars.
• Surveyor 7 (1968-01-07): Conducted scientific research, taking 21,000 images and analyzing the lunar soil.
• Apollo Program: Crewed missions to the Moon.
• Apollo 11 (1969-07-16): The first human landing on the Moon on July 20, 1969. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the surface, while Michael Collins orbited in the command module.
• Apollo 12 (1969-11-14): Pete Conrad and Alan Bean landed, bringing a nuclear generator and collecting lunar samples, including parts of Surveyor 3.
• Apollo 14 (1971-01-31): Alan Shephard and Ed Mitchell landed, carrying scientific instruments and a mortar for deeper soil analysis.
• Apollo 15 (1971-07-26): The lunar module landed near a crater. David Scott and James Irwin drove the first manned lunar rover and found the Genesis stone, the oldest known moon rock.
• Apollo 16 (1972-04-16): Charles Duke and John Young discovered magnetic moonstones and areas rich in aluminum.
• Apollo 17 (1972-12-07): Included Jack Schmitt, the first professional geologist on the Moon. Five mice and five brown mice were part of the mission to study cosmic radiation effects.

Facts About the Moon

A dedicated section provides key data about the Moon:

• Distance from Earth: Minimum 356,399 km, maximum 406,699 km, average 384,403 km.
• Diameter: 3,476 km.
• Age: 4.6 billion years.
• Circumference: 10,927 km.
• Rotation Period: 27 days, 7 hours, 43 minutes (axial and orbital).
• Length of Day and Night: 15 Earth days each.
• Gravitation: 1/6 of Earth's.
• Mass: 1/81 of Earth's.
• Volume: 1/50 of Earth's.
• Temperature: +127°C (sunlit), -173°C (night).
• Atmosphere: None.

Important Satellites

Another section lists significant satellites, starting with Sputnik 1 in 1957. It includes:

• Sputnik 1 (1957-10-04): First satellite, transmitted data on cosmic radiation, meteorites, and temperature.
• Sputnik 2 (1957-11-03): Carried the dog Laika, the first living creature in space.
• Explorer 1 (1958-01-31): USA's first satellite, discovered the Van Allen radiation belts.
• Project Score (1958-12-18): First satellite to transmit a voice message from space.
• Vanguard 2 (1959-02-17): First satellite to transmit weather information.
• Tiros 1 (1960-04-01): Took the first detailed weather images.
• TRANSIT 1B (1960-04-13): First navigation satellite.
• TRANSIT 4A (1961-06-29): First satellite to use nuclear power.
• OSO-1 (1962-03-07): Solar observatory.
• Ariel (1962-04-26): First international satellite (USA & UK).
• Telstar 1 (1962-07-10): Linked the first TV broadcast between the USA and Europe.
• Explorer 17 (1963-04-04): Studied the atmosphere.
• Early Bird (1965-04-06): First commercial communications satellite.
• INTELSAT 2B (1967-01-11): First geostationary satellite, used for TV broadcasts.
• Biosatellite 2 (1969-09-07): Carried living cells, plants, and animals for study.
• CS (1977-12-14): Japan's first communications satellite.
• IRAS (1983-01-25): Investigated infrared radiation from stars and galaxies.
• AMPTE (1984-08-16): Studied solar winds and the magnetosphere.
• Pan American Satellite (1988-06-15): First privately owned international telecommunications satellite.
• Hubble Space Telescope (1990-04-24): The first optical telescope in Earth orbit, initially with a flawed mirror that was later repaired.
• Gamma Ray Observatory (1991-04-05): Telescope for studying the universe at short wavelengths.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine clearly focuses on the historical achievements and technical details of space exploration, particularly lunar missions. The editorial stance appears to be one of documenting and celebrating these milestones, presenting factual information about the probes, their objectives, successes, and failures. There is a strong emphasis on the space race between the Soviet Union and the USA, highlighting the competitive nature of these endeavors. The inclusion of 'Facts About the Moon' and 'Important Satellites' suggests a desire to provide comprehensive background information for readers interested in space and technology.