Apollo program director Sam Phillips was quoted as saying that he did not think that the United States would have reached the Moon as quickly as it did without von Braun's help. In March 1970 Braun was transferred to NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C., as deputy associate administrator for planning. He also emphasized the innate impartiality of scientific research, which in itself, he said, has no moral dimensions until its products are put to use by the larger society. But as the country and the world celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing a feat that might not have been possible without von Brauns contributions his image, as Cold War hero, whitewashed Nazi villain or something in between, is being debated more fiercely than ever, as is the extent of Americas moral bargaining in using him to propel its otherworldly ambitions. The German engineers and scientists who developed the V-2 came to the United States at the end of World War II and continued rockeMore, In this 1959 photo, taken at Cape Canaveral, Florida, Dr. von Braun (2nd from left) Director of the U.S. Army Ballistic Missile Agency's (ABMA) Development Operations Division, is shown conferring with Air ForcMore, Dr. Wernher von Braun, Director of the Army Ballistic Missile Agency's (ABMA) Development Operations Division, poses with the original Mercury astronauts in ABMA's Fabrication Laboratory during a 1959 visit. The Nazis supported Wernher von Braun with gigantic sums of money and so he developed the liquid rocket A 4, which was the forerunner of the infamous V2 rocket and thus one of Hitler's "wonder weapons". All Rights Reserved. Wernher von Braun's Tombstone - Psalm 19:1 Claim: The fact that Von Braun had the Psalm inscribed on his tombstone is taken as an admission that he thought the "firmament" meant the earth is flat and domed. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. In one of the boldest decisions of the Apollo program, Von Braun signed off on the NASA request to send the Apollo 8 crew of Frank Borman, William Anders, and Jim Lovell to the Moon. The conMore. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. But his past wasnt completely hidden. degree in mechanical engineering and entered the University of Berlin. Also another cool thing is when i was a kid Project Paperclip was a conspiracy theory. However I did find this very interesting considering, edit on 18-2-2019 by toysforadults because: (no reason given). The civilian victims were more than 12,000 prisoners who died under miserable working conditions during the construction of the V2. So the implication is , if he does believe in christ , an the firmament sheweth . At the age of 16, he joined the "Verein fr Raumschiffahrt" in 1928, where he established contacts with rocket engineers like Hermann Oberth (1894-1989). Governor of Alabama George Wallace (left), NASA Administrator James Webb and Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Director Dr. von Braun during a tour of MSFC on June 8, 1965. Later renamed the V-2 (Vengeance Wea Wernher von Braun with Associate Administrator Robert Seamans. There is NO other name by which you can be saved! The skies display his craftsmanship. In the 1950s, Dr. The development of missiles for military use was placed under the command of the Air Force under Hermann Gring. In this photograph, Guenter Ogger of Capitol Magazine, West Germany, greets Marshall Space Flight Center Director, Dr. Wernher von Braun. Liquid-fueled rocket aircraft and jet-assisted takeoffs were successfully demonstrated, and the long-range ballistic missile A-4 and the supersonic antiaircraft missile Wasserfall were developed. He also argues that von Brauns membership in the SS, which was classified information in the U.S., was at least somewhat coerced. Wernher von Braun in the Launch Complex Control Center during the laun Wernher von Braun is driving a small vehicle used in the studies of m Wernher von Braun in Mechanical Engineering Laboratory, Wernher von Braun poses a question to a technician, Wernher von Braun leaving the suiting-up van wearing a pressure suit, Saturn Apollo Program, America Space Program, Wernher von Braun with members of his management team. During the 1950s Braun became a national and international focal point for the promotion of space flight. Truth in plain sight. All rights reserved worldwide. Out of all the verses, he chose one of the few verses talking about the firmament. It was here that he provided the decisive impetus for the development of the "Saturn V." launch vehicle. The Soviet Union also took German scientists for similar reasons, foreshadowing the superpower showdown that was to come. And God called the firmament Heaven. Dr. von Braun and Professor Hermann Oberth are honored by the Berlin Technical University. The first Saturn 5 launched was SA-501, Apollo 4, on November 9, 1967. Jesus Christ is the Light that came into the world. edit on 18-2-2019 by toysforadults There are many useless debates over it. NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. There is NO other name by which you can be saved! The German rocket team chose to stay together, although some did accept offers from US businesses. By the later stages of the war, when von Brauns missiles began to rain down on London, Nazi propaganda had given them a new name: the Vengeance Weapon Two, or V-2, so named because they were intended as retribution for Allied bombings of German cities. Actually he ripped the page out of the bible and attached it to his will with a paperclip. as Psalm 19 proclaims. He was not ideologically very interested in Nazi ideas, says Nuefeld. WERNHER VON BRAUN, 1912-1977 Psalms: 19:1. The Bible verse on Wernher von Braun's tombstone. Coincidence? Confronted with the growing power of Stalins U.S.S.R., the U.S. Government sanitized von Braun and other German scientists images in order to use their skills; to a large extent, the American public went along with it. XRP CAPTAIN on Twitter: "RT @JoelKatz: In September of 1945, Wernher Once again, von Braun was in the right place at the right time. The Mars Project (German: Das Marsprojekt) is a 1952 non-fiction scientific book by the German (later German-American) rocket physicist, astronautics engineer and space architect, Wernher von Braun.It was translated from the original German by Henry J. January 7, 1967. cleanse thou me from secret faults. TIME noted in 1958 that, to some, Von Brauns transfer of loyalty from Nazi Germany to the U.S. seemed to come too fast, too easy. That sentiment was echoed in a 1967 song by satirist Tom Lehrer: Once the rockets are up, who cares where they come down? Von Braun was encouraged by the formation of NASA in 1958. It speaks volumes about the reconciliation he achieved between his science and faith. Two years later, von Braun and his team received another transfer, this time to the newly formed Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. Brauns early interest in astronomy and the realm of space never left him thereafter. With the July 20, 1969 moon landing, the Apollo 11 mission fulfilled both Kennedy's mission and Dr. The trial caught Hitlers attention, and the Reich began to mass produce the rockets at a feverish pace, often using slave labor. He was admired and loved by many he worked with during projects Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo, yet vilified by others because of his wartime efforts developing the V-2 for the Third Reich. thereof. Read full chapter. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. Von Braun left the space agency in June 1972 to accept a position as vice president of Fairchild Industries. Dr. Wernher von Braun, Director of the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), during his tour of the Space information Division of North American Aviation (NAA) in Downey, California, where the Saturn SII stage wMore. And we're sending a probe there. Braun was born into a prosperous aristocratic family. Von Braun, a life-long Lutheran, was a believer in intelligent design in the Universe long before it became a catch phrase and a lightning rod of debate. Digital 30 Apr 2023 19:00:00 . General Medaris, (left) was a Commander of the Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) in Redstone ArsenalMore, Dr. Wernher von Braun, Director of the U.S. Army Ballistic Missile Agency's (ABMA) Development Operations Division, talks to Huntsville Mayor R. B. For those who argue against the flat earth theory: what is your opinion about Pslams 19:1? Among other things, they had the remaining V2 rockets, rocket parts and plans collected from Peenemnde and transported to the USA. Although technically a Lutheran, he clearly worshiped science. Wernher von Braun in his MSFC office, with models of the rockets he helped develop in the background. Must mean that Wernher von Braun wished to understand his errors and be cleansed of secret faults. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) director, Dr. Wernher von Braun, poses a question to a technician during a visit to one of the branches of MSFCs Space Sciences Laboratory. On March 1, he married in a Lutheran church in Landshut. During a medical examination in 1973, an X-ray revealed abnormalities next to his left kidney. Eventually, all the German rocket team members became US citizens. However polics was not of his interest. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. For the director of music. Explore. Later, he sold the U.S. Army a vision of intercontinental nuclear dominance. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Sporting a gray double-breasted suit, slicked-back curls and a slide rule, rocket engineer Wernher von Braun cuts a suave, authoritative figure in Disneys 1955 television special Man and the Moon. Aug 20, 2020 - Werner Von Braun's tomb has this inscription. Were it not for Wernher von Brauns rational persuasion and quick actions to surrender his group to American forces in 1945 at the close of World War 2, there might have been no space race at all. He delivered. The biggest community of Pynchon fans discussing literature on the internet; r/ThomasPynchon is a sub for all things related to America's pre-eminent postmodern author, Thomas Pynchon, (and a few things that aren't related at all). He profoundly influenced the course of history in Europe and America, and was instrumental in the United States achieving the greatest engineering, scientific and geopolitical accomplishment of the 20th century. That scripture is: The heavens are telling the glory of God and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.. Wernher Von Braun Tombstone; Psalm 19-1, page 3 - AboveTopSecret.com In 1932, the 20-year-old wunderkind became the top civilian specialist at the German armys Kummersdorf rocket station, south of Berlin. It was probably taken in the late 1960s. Wernher Von Braun /psalms 19:1.Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handyworkSource: "sanjasantrich 11"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThvmX0SU2sM..-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.Note: These are not necessarily the beliefs of the uploader. This flight and the next, Apollo 6, were unmanned. That was true in the past as well as today. And while he was undeniably an engineering genius, that this onetime cog in the Wehrmacht died a largely unquestioned American hero speaks to what was perhaps his greatest skill: salesmanship. He will hold a place in the timeline of humanity as a great engineer. Von Braun remained director of MSFC until March 1970. His mother encouraged young Wernher's curiosity by . Until 1936, said Braun, Goddard was ahead of us all. At the end of World War II, Braun, his younger brother Magnus, Dornberger, and the entire German rocket-development team surrendered to U.S. troops. WERNHER VON BRAUN (PSALMS 19:1) 999 views Apr 7, 2021 29 Dislike Share Save GMS AHPARYAM 5 34 subscribers Subscribe Comments 10 Add a comment. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Already in his youth von Braun had experimented with rockets and various other missiles. The KC-135 provide NASA's Reduced-Gravity Program the unique weightlessness or zero-g environment of space flight for testing and training of human and hardware reactiMore, This drawing illustrates the vital dimensions of the A-4 (Aggregate-4). Wernher von Braun was born on March 23, 1912 in Wirsitz (today Wyrzysk, Poland) as the son of a bank director and Reich Minister. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Wernher von Braun's memorial marker - collectSPACE: Messages It's a virtual home for weirdos and others; a gathering place to keep cool, but care. Facebook Within a few months Braun and about 100 members of his group were at the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps test site at White Sands, New Mexico, where they tested, assembled, and supervised the launching of captured V-2s for high-altitude research purposes. Psalm 19[ a] For the director of music. So he and his team went to America and received massive support for his further rocket projects. Her husband, Wernher, who led America to the Moon, served as MSFCs first director froMore, A V-2 rocket takes flight at White Sands, New Mexico, in 1946. (From left to right) Karl L. Heimburg, Director of the Test Laboratory; Dr. Wernher von Braun, Director of the Development Operation Division; and Major General John B. Medaris with the model of S-1B Test StandMore. There was public protest in early 1947 over the importation of the Germans, explains Nuefeld. On his tombstone there is a reference to Psalm 19:1: "The heavens tell of the glory of God; and the firmament declareeth the work of his hands.". He can't really be blamed for that. The Mars Project is a technical specification for a human . But the moon, we've simply lost the technology. The launch vehicle is the Braun-designed Saturn V. Unfortunately, John F. Kennedy did not live to see it, as he was murdered in Dallas on November 22, 1963. Scriptures is translated as "firmament") "in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the water. The Jupiter-C, a modified version of the Redstone, launched the United States first satellite, Explorer 1, in 1958 a full year after the Soviets launched their first satellite, Sputnik 1. You have reached your limit of free articles. 1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. In October 1949, the Secretary of the Army approved the transfer of von Braun and his team from Ft. Bliss to Redstone Arsenal, Alabama the following yeara move welcomed by practically all the Germans. Today. From the predecessor organization NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) about 8000 employees were taken over. After the first V2 was fired at the British capital on September 7, 1944, over 3,000 rockets were launched by the end of March 1945 with targets in England, Belgium and France. Wernher Von Braun was a. Dr. von Braun appears to be in the launch control facilities at the Kennedy Space Center. Early Rockets - A-4 (Aggregate-4) rocket. Professor Hermann Oberth and Dr. von Braun are briefed on satellite orbits by Dr. Charles A. Lundquist at Army Ballistic Missile Agency, Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama. ", Psalm 19:12 "Who can understand his errors? The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. innocent from the great transgression. As a young man, he launched primitive rockets with other enthusiasts at an abandoned ammunition dump in suburban Berlin. Weighted to a neutralMore, This photograph depicts Dr. von Braun (at right, showing his back) and other NASA officials surveying the deep-sea research submarine "Ben Franklin." He died on June 16, 1977, only 65 years old. Copyright 2019 by Zondervan. Von Braun later became director of NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center, developing the behemoth Saturn V rocket, which 50 years ago this week carried Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to the moons surface, while Michael Collins waited in lunar orbit. Dr. von Braun and party look at a laser beam component during a visit at the Marshall Space Flight Center Space Science Laboratory on August 28, 1967. Dr. von Braun received a federal civilian service award from President Dwight Eisenhower on January 21, 1959. Guilty conscience? Wernher von Braun submerges after spending some time under water in th Wernher von Braun fitted with suit and diving equipment, Wernher von Braun applauds President Lyndon Johnson's remarks. InMore, Dr. von Braun, Director of the Development Operations Divisons, and Dr. Debus, Director of the Missile Firing Laboratory; Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA), in the blockhouse during the launch of the PioneerMore. But after he came to America, von Braun's attitude began to change. He was the author or coauthor of popular articles and books and made addresses on the subject. Speaking with a German accent, the then-director of development at the U.S. Army Ballistic Missile Agency in Huntsville, Ala., uses a series of models and illustrations to explain how America will reach the moon with the aid of an enormous nuclear-powered space station, of course. Now why would the ex-head of NASA have a Bible verse on his headstone, let alone one describing the solid dome firmament of the . [Von Braun] was brought over originally to milk his knowledge, says Biddle. For his part, von Braun, who was apparently still interested in space travel, is said to have remarked that the rockets worked perfectly, except for landing on the wrong planet a line that, at best, paints him as detached from the consequences of his work. Wernher Von Braun Tombstone; Psalm 19-1, page 1 - AboveTopSecret.com He also echoes Nuefelds characterization of von Braun as career-obsessed. I guess he didn't use -that- interpretation of "firmament". Firmament is just a general synonym for 'sky. Repent, be baptized and Born Again!.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.Subscribe to other channels:.Telegram Channel: "Blocked & Banned"https://t.me/BlockedAndBanned=> Group chat added where everyone can comment!.Free You Mind Documentarieshttps://rumble.com/c/c-1330192.Christian Teachings And Documentarieshttps://rumble.com/c/c-1328393.Sound The Trumpet Ministries:https://rumble.com/c/c-1123613.Bitchute Channelhttps://www.bitchute.com/channel/ThkAWbd3XR2T/.Praise & Worship Music:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7xzU1qn2yxn9jzjol54j_w. April: After the successful launch of an A3 rocket, Braun became head of the newly founded Army Experimental Station in Peenemnde (Usedom). His health began to decline in 1976 and was finally hospitalized later that year. He was accompanied More, The members of the House Committee on Science and Astronautics visited the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) on March 9, 1962 to gather firsthand information of the nation's space exploration program. In the years since the original Space Race has ended, historians have begun to reassess von Brauns legacy. The Nazis recognized early on the potential of rockets for military use. They passed on their rocket engineering know-how to the American military and tested some of the V2 rockets brought from Germany in White Sands (New Mexico). Marshall Space Flight Centers (MSFC) Director, Dr. Wernher von Braun (left), studies charts depicting the status of an experiment conducted in MSFCs Space Sciences Laboratory during a tour on August 28, 1967. All Rights Reserved. RAKIAH", that is, "an expanse", (which in certain texts of the. Born to an aristocratic Prussian family, Wernher von Braun became obsessed with space travel early in life, studying fields like physics and mathematics in order to grasp the fundamentals of rocketry. Braun always recognized the value of the work of American rocket pioneer Robert H. Goddard. The mockup would be used as an engineerinMore. Von Braun was a German who had worked [] Permission for use, re-use, or additional use of the content is not required. In Germany, the memory of Werner von Braun is not held in high esteem. Wernher Von Braun's Gravestone. Please try again later. The United States eventually planted a flag on the lunar surface, though without the help of any orbital reactors. Wernher von Braun became engaged in writing at the end of 1946 to his cousin Maria von Quistorp, 16 years younger than him. Copyright 2023 Timeline of Humanity - All rights reserved. Following World WaMore. In Hebrew texts 19:1-14 is numbered 19:2-15. The fact that so many forced laborers lost their lives during the production of the V2 can only be blamed on him to a limited extent. He resigned from the agency in 1972 to become vice president at Fairchild Industries, Inc., an aerospace company. Von Braun was appointed its first director. The Truest Statement Nasa Ever Made Was a Deathbed Confession Psalm 19:1 "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork." . He is shown second from right in this photo. This photograph, dated October 14, 1964, was taken at the Marned Spacecraft Center, now the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The culturally illiterate can be forgiven if they believe the group of German engineers and scientists who came to America as part of Operation Paperclip comprised the entire braintrust behind the V-2 rocket. Developmental studies were made of advanced ramjet and rocket missiles. NASA officials, (left to right) Charles W. Mathews; Dr. Wernher von Br Wernher von Braun tried out a floating platform in the Marshall Space Wernher von Braun skin diving in Puerto Rico, Wernher von Braun inspecting a mockup of the Skylab Orbital Workshop, Wernher von Braun and Governor of Alabama George Wallace. The situation was changed by the launching of Sputnik 1 by the Soviet Union on October 4, 1957, followed by Sputnik 2 on November 3. Early Rockets: V-2 rocket takes flight at White Sands, New Mexico, in Wernher von Braun with the front page of the Huntsville Times arnounci Saturn C1 - Apollo Program, America Space Program. To survive in Nazi Germany, he sold Hitler a dream of victory through superior technology. The Bible is often allegorical. The History Guy: History Deserves to be Remembered, Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThvmX0SU2sM, https://www.bitchute.com/channel/ThkAWbd3XR2T/, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7xzU1qn2yxn9jzjol54j_w. Dr. Wernher Von Braun, stands in front of a Saturn IB Launch Vehicle at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Magazines, Digital Weighted to a neutrally buoyant condition, Dr. von BraunMore, Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Director, Dr. von Braun, is shown fitted with suit and diving equipment as he prepares for a tryout in the MSFC Neutral Buoyancy Simulator (NBS). More recent examinations of von Brauns life have gained distance from the nationalistic fervor that prevailed at the height of the Space Race. Once he was settled in the U.S., von Brauns career took off, largely fueled by the U.S.-Soviet technological rivalry that would develop into the Space Race. Germany launched more than 3,000 missiles of his design against Britain and other countries, indiscriminately killing approximately 5,000 people, while as many as 20,000 concentration camp prisoners died assembling the weapons. Wernher von Braun, (born March 23, 1912, Wirsitz, Germany [now Wyrzysk, Poland]died June 16, 1977, Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.), German engineer who played a prominent role in all aspects of rocketry and space exploration, first in Germany and after World War II in the United States. The More, The members of the House Committee on Science and Astronautics visited the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) on March 9, 1962 to gather firsthand information of the nations space exploration program. Over the next few years, up to 20,000 people worked there on the development of launchers. Wernher von Braun presents Lady Bird Johnson with an inscribed hard ha Wernher von Braun and U.S. https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/jvVRHDIQNfIjmCdtY53TtYJoj3YLSGlQ4w4Yxxu8zWhH94veo9xuObInbwEMu9FvHg. Braun was born into a prosperous aristocratic family. In 1932 he graduated from the Technical Institute with a B.S. However, Get Archive LLC does not own each component of the compilation displayed and accessible on the PICRYL website and applications. Pinterest. Von Braun was already familiar to the many readers of Colliers magazine which published a fascinating series on space exploration several years before. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Director, Dr. von Braun, is shown leaving the suiting-up van wearing a pressure suit prepared for a tryout in the MSFC Neutral Buoyancy Simulator (NBS). In 1920 his family moved to the seat of government, Berlin. Von Braun was one of about 120 German scientists who, in a then-secret U.S. project known as Operation Paperclip, were taken to the U.S. to develop military technology. At the end of the year he retired and died on June 16, 1977 in Alexandria, Virginia. Dr. von Braun and Don Ostrander, head of the Launch Vehicle Program of the NASA Headquarters look at a model of the Saturn I launch complex 34. A psalm of David. Braun became SS-Sturmbannfhrer. But by this time there was no longer a German rocket society; rocket tests had been forbidden by decree, and the only way open to such research was through the military forces. In 1958, the Jupiter C rocket was completed under his leadership, and in the same year the "Explorer I. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! / Thats not my department, says Wernher von Braun.. For the first time in human history, rockets were used for military purposes. By signing up you are agreeing to our, Here's Every Single Mission to the Moon in One Chart, The 25 Defining Works of the Black Renaissance. tag, edit on 18-2-2019 by andy06shake because: (no reason given), edit on 2019/2/18 by Box of Rain because: (no reason given), edit on 2019/2/19 by Box of Rain because: (no reason given), edit on 2/22/2019 by SayonaraJupiter because: edit to add link, The Above Top Secret Web site is a wholly owned social content community of, Psalm 19:1 "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. 3:35 Wernher Von Braun's Legacy. This Saturn V vehicle is an actual test vehicle which has been displayed at the U.S. Space RockMore, Progress in the Saturn program, depicted below, was described by Dr. Wernher von Braun, Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Director, in an appearance before the Senate Committee of Aeronautical and Space ScienMore, Dr. Wernher von Braun, Director of the Marshall Space Flight Center (right), listens to an explanation of an advanced orbiting observatory concept from MSFC employees Ted Carey, Vehicle and Mission Analysis OffMore. Wernher von Braun and Alabama Congressman Robert Jones. A few years later he joined the NSDAP. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Dr. von Braun is presented with the front page of the Huntsville Times arnouncing the launch of Explorer I, the first U.S. Earth satellite, which was boosted by the Jupiter-C launch vehicle developed by Army BaMore, A pioneer of America's space program, Dr. von Braun stands by the five F-1 engines of the Saturn V launch vehicle. Early Rockets V2 static test. Marshall Space Flight Center Director Wernher von Braun presents General J.B. Medaris with a new golf bag. Looking back on the father of the American lunar program, there are few easy answers. I will admit the passage piques my interest, but not enough to buy the theory of a flat earth. Von Braun was among a famous group of rocket experimenters in Germany in the 1930s. The company was a complete success: Commander Neil Armstrong was the first man to set foot on the moon on July 21, 1969. Walter R. Dornberger (later major general) was in charge of solid-fuel rocket research and development in the Ordnance Department of Germanys 100,000-man armed forces, the Reichswehr.