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Journal of Space Flight, v. 2, issue 9, November 1950

Page 13

THE ROCKET NEWS LETTER

rocket societies, was behind the writing of Section H, Article II. Since the beginning, rocketry proponents had found skepticism about the safety and the practicability of rockets -- and ignorance of the laws of gravity and space -- a major hurdle to public acceptance of their ideas.

Today, the situation is radically different -- for the public of 1950 accepts the idea that rockets can conquer space! Read the newspapers, listen to the radio, look at the articles and stories in popular magazines. You'll find news reports of Army rocket flights; speculative feature write-ups on plans for space conquest; fiction based on trips to the moon or into the upper reaches of our atmosphere, encounters with beings from other worlds. Entertainment based on acceptance of rockets and space flight is increasingly popular fare.

In other words, it is no longer necessary for amateur rocket societies to sell the public on the possibilities of rockets. This job has been done by the armed forces to the point where movies are now hopping on the bandwagon.

This demonstrates conclusively another fallacy in Grant's fundamental premise, that the Society must adopt the task of selling the public on space flight, as its major function. W. Proell, too, in agreeing with this reasoning, is in error. For how could -- or why should -- the SOCIETY compete with the far more powerful publicity organizations already doing such effective work?

The effect of this present status of rocketry in the public mind upon the SOCIETY, as regards SOCIETY publicity, is to make its task easier. With the people receptive to news about rocketry, and rocket scientists, SOCIETY publicity has a far better chance of accomplishing its objectives.

SOCIETY PUBLICITY OBJECTIVES AS RELATED TO SOCIETY AIMS

The task of any publicity program is to gain favorable public notice which will help promote the aims of its sponsor. In preparing such a program for the SOCIETY, we must determine first exactly what is the immediate objectives of the Society -- as shown by the policies it is following; second, in what manner favorable public mention can contribute to the attainment of that aim.

There is no doubt as to the SOCIETY objective at this time. It is to promote all activities leading toward design, construction and successful flight of a rocket to go to the moon and return. While there is no expectation that our group can participate in the actual building of the rocket, we have long operated on the principle that the contributions of original thought, if published and circulated, will be valuable to rocketry; since any sound ideas will eventually reach those persons who can put them into effect.

Further, bringing together amateur rocket enthusiasts stimulates the interest of others; increases the knowledge of members through exchange of theories and experiences and provides a means through which the government or private industry could quickly and easily contact individuals with specialized rocketry background. Too, there must eventually be some public organization to represent rocketry intelligently and effectively in civic and social groups; and rocket societies will provide the core for such a large, articulate body at some future date.

By building a group as strong as we can make it, as well as by preparing technical reports on aspects of space flight to the moon and back, we are working toward our immediate objective. The point is, how can we use publicity to further this work. In this writer's opinion, by issuing news material which, when published, is likely

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THE ROCKET NEWS LETTER rocket societies, was behind the writing of Section H, Article II. Since the beginning, rocketry proponents had found skepticism about the safety and the practicability of rockets -- and ignorance of the laws of gravity and space -- a major hurdle to public acceptance of their ideas. Today, the situation is radically different -- for the public of 1950 accepts the idea that rockets can conquer space! Read the newspapers, listen to the radio, look at the articles and stories in popular magazines. You'll find news reports of Army rocket flights; speculative feature write-ups on plans for space conquest; fiction based on trips to the moon or into the upper reaches of our atmosphere, encounters with beings from other worlds. Entertainment based on acceptance of rockets and space flight is increasingly popular fare. In other words, it is no longer necessary for amateur rocket societies to sell the public on the possibilities of rockets. This job has been done by the armed forces to the point where movies are now hopping on the bandwagon. This demonstrates conclusively another fallacy in Grant's fundamental premise, that the Society must adopt the task of selling the public on space flight, as its major function. W. Proell, too, in agreeing with this reasoning, is in error. For how could -- or why should -- the SOCIETY compete with the far more powerful publicity organizations already doing such effective work? The effect of this present status of rocketry in the public mind upon the SOCIETY, as regards SOCIETY publicity, is to make its task easier. With the people receptive to news about rocketry, and rocket scientists, SOCIETY publicity has a far better chance of accomplishing its objectives. SOCIETY PUBLICITY OBJECTIVES AS RELATED TO SOCIETY AIMS The task of any publicity program is to gain favorable public notice which will help promote the aims of its sponsor. In preparing such a program for the SOCIETY, we must determine first exactly what is the immediate objectives of the Society -- as shown by the policies it is following; second, in what manner favorable public mention can contribute to the attainment of that aim. There is no doubt as to the SOCIETY objective at this time. It is to promote all activities leading toward design, construction and successful flight of a rocket to go to the moon and return. While there is no expectation that our group can participate in the actual building of the rocket, we have long operated on the principle that the contributions of original thought, if published and circulated, will be valuable to rocketry; since any sound ideas will eventually reach those persons who can put them into effect. Further, bringing together amateur rocket enthusiasts stimulates the interest of others; increases the knowledge of members through exchange of theories and experiences and provides a means through which the government or private industry could quickly and easily contact individuals with specialized rocketry background. Too, there must eventually be some public organization to represent rocketry intelligently and effectively in civic and social groups; and rocket societies will provide the core for such a large, articulate body at some future date. By building a group as strong as we can make it, as well as by preparing technical reports on aspects of space flight to the moon and back, we are working toward our immediate objective. The point is, how can we use publicity to further this work. In this writer's opinion, by issuing news material which, when published, is likely