In the Name of Science

In Chapter 4, You Go First, Mary Roach discusses the first experiments with gravity in space travel.  Roach begins this chapter with information on Albert, the first living creature to be launched on a rocket into space.  The rocket used was the V-2, built by the Nazis and originally used to drop warheads on London and other Allied cities during World War II (82).  The United States had taken possession of the V-2s.  In 1948, as scientist David Simons and his boss, James Henry discussed the possibility of man going to the moon, Dr. Henry proposed sending a monkey into space in the V-2 in order to measure the, “physiological responses to weightlessness” (82).  Roach states that to her, this signaled the birth of American space exploration.  The chapter goes on to give information about Project Albert.  In the project, monkeys were placed on stretchers in the nose cones of the V-2s where the warheads traditionally were placed and then blasted into space.  There were six monkeys in all.  All were killed.  Finally, in 1952, two other monkeys successfully returned alive. 

However, it was determined that monkeys were not humans and so could not be interviewed about the effects of weightlessness.  A team of aerospace medicine pioneers, Fritz and Heinz Haber developed a technique called parabolic flight where human beings could be monitored during weightlessness.  Many other tests were conducted.  Parabolic flights are still being used today by space agencies to test equipment.

In this chapter, Roach also gives information on gravity.  She states that, “Gravity is the pull, measurable and predictable, that one mass exerts on another” (85).  Roach explains gravity and gives examples in a way that is easy to understand.  She also discusses weightlessness and how there is no such thing as a real weight, only real mass.  She says that weight is determined by gravity.  The chapter also talks about zero gravity and why the term is misleading. 

This was an interesting chapter with some good information on gravity and the beginning of the space program.  Roach’s graphic description of helpless monkeys being blasted into space in a warhead built by the Nazis made me question what we do in the name of science.