Author
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Topic: Space scientist Fred I. Ordway III (1927-2014)
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Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 07-01-2014 10:15 AM
Jackie Dannenberg, widow of German rocket pioneer Konrad Dannenberg, shared the sad news that space scientist and author Fred Ordway has died.The following biography was prepared by the National Space Society: Frederick Ira Ordway III [was] an educator, consultant, researcher, and author on space flight and energy programs. His career began in various geological and engineering positions for Mene Grande Oil Company in San Tome, Venezuela in 1949. Five years later he was in the guided missiles division of the Republic Aviation Corporation. Throughout the 1950's and 60's he held positions with the General Aeronautics Research Corporation, the National Research and Development Corporation, and Saturn Systems office at the Army Ballistic Missile Agency in Huntsville. It was in Texas, where he developed an association with Wernher von Braun. From 1960-64 he was Chief of Space Information Systems at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. Next came a period of consulting: 1965-66 for Paramount Pictures "The Adventurer's"; and 1968-69 for the Encyclopedia Britannica, the American College Dictionary of the English Language, and Stanley Kubrick at MGM for "2001: A Space Odyssey." Throughout the 1970's he was in various positions at the Department of Energy; 1975-77 he was Assistant to the Administrator of ERDA and 1977-1994 Policy and International Affairs director in the special projects office. Credit: CG PublishingOrdway [was] the author of numerous books including "Visions of Spaceflight: Images from the Ordway Collection," "The Rocket Team: From the V-2 to the Saturn Moon Rocket," and (with Wernher von Braun) "History of Rocketry and Space Travel." I first met Fred nearly 20 years ago when I was working as an intern at the National Space Society's headquarters in Washington, D.C. He extended his friendship, and in the years since, we have stayed in touch, discussing his extensive collection of space books and often seeing each other at space conferences and events across the country. I will miss being greeted by his warm smile and handshake, and hearing his always fascinating stories about working with von Braun. My condolences to his family and friends. |
cspg Member Posts: 6210 From: Geneva, Switzerland Registered: May 2006
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posted 07-01-2014 10:21 AM
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minipci Member Posts: 365 From: London, UK Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 07-01-2014 10:49 AM
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apolloprojeckt Member Posts: 1447 From: Arnhem, Netherlands Registered: Feb 2009
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posted 07-01-2014 10:56 AM
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Cozmosis22 Member Posts: 968 From: Texas * Earth Registered: Apr 2011
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posted 07-01-2014 12:01 PM
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sts205cdr Member Posts: 649 From: Sacramento, CA Registered: Jun 2001
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posted 07-01-2014 12:03 PM
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Jeff Member Posts: 474 From: Fayetteville, NC, USA Registered: May 2009
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posted 07-01-2014 12:22 PM
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ringo67 Member Posts: 179 From: Seekonk, Mass., USA Registered: May 2003
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posted 07-01-2014 12:29 PM
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fredtrav Member Posts: 1673 From: Birmingham AL Registered: Aug 2010
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posted 07-01-2014 12:40 PM
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David Carey Member Posts: 782 From: Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 07-01-2014 12:53 PM
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dom Member Posts: 855 From: Registered: Aug 2001
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posted 07-01-2014 01:12 PM
Very sad to hear this. Ordway was responsible for saving much of the early history of spaceflight by interviewing most of the Germans who went to America - not to forget his work as a technical advisor on 2001: A Space Odyssey. RIP. |
GACspaceguy Member Posts: 2476 From: Guyton, GA Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 07-01-2014 01:41 PM
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Gilbert Member Posts: 1328 From: Carrollton, GA USA Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 07-01-2014 01:44 PM
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Shuttle Endeavour Member Posts: 234 From: Freehold, NJ, USA Registered: Aug 2013
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posted 07-01-2014 01:53 PM
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capoetc Member Posts: 2169 From: McKinney TX (USA) Registered: Aug 2005
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posted 07-01-2014 02:04 PM
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ea757grrl Member Posts: 729 From: South Carolina Registered: Jul 2006
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posted 07-01-2014 02:29 PM
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Kite Member Posts: 831 From: Northampton UK Registered: Nov 2009
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posted 07-01-2014 02:38 PM
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Michael Davis Member Posts: 528 From: Houston, Texas Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 07-01-2014 03:17 PM
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David C Member Posts: 1015 From: Lausanne Registered: Apr 2012
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posted 07-01-2014 04:43 PM
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mode1charlie Member Posts: 1169 From: Honolulu, HI Registered: Sep 2010
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posted 07-01-2014 04:49 PM
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lordolsen Member Posts: 112 From: Denmark Registered: Jun 2010
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posted 07-01-2014 05:37 PM
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Mike Isbell Member Posts: 551 From: Silver Spring, Maryland USA Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 07-01-2014 06:10 PM
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E2M Lem Man Member Posts: 846 From: Los Angeles CA. USA Registered: Jan 2005
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posted 07-01-2014 06:44 PM
.We will miss you Fred! — Jim |
randy Member Posts: 2176 From: West Jordan, Utah USA Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 07-01-2014 08:29 PM
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Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 07-01-2014 10:01 PM
The Huntsville Times has published an obituary: Fred Ordway III, key technical consultant for the sci-fi masterpiece "2001: A Space Odyssey" a former NASA scientist for Saturn V rocket died Tuesday at his home on Monte Sano.The 87-year-old Harvard graduate had an unquenchable thirst for learning about the universe and excelled as an educator, researcher, consultant and author. |
Ronpur Member Posts: 1211 From: Brandon, Fl Registered: May 2012
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posted 07-02-2014 05:12 AM
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mach3valkyrie Member Posts: 719 From: Albany, Oregon Registered: Jul 2006
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posted 07-02-2014 10:01 AM
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sikotic19 Member Posts: 80 From: Chattanooga, TN, USA Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 07-02-2014 11:47 AM
I went to the Saturn reunion in 2005 in Huntsville. I was sitting at a table by myself when an older couple walked by looking for somewhere to sit. I invited them to sit with me. It turned out to be Fred Ordway and his wife. I spent a very enjoyable afternoon speaking with him and his family. He even basically ordered Dick Gordon to come over to the table so he could introduce us. It was truly a memorable day for me. My sincerest condolences to his family. |
DG27 Member Posts: 173 From: USA Registered: Nov 2010
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posted 07-02-2014 11:13 PM
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Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 07-03-2014 06:52 AM
From the National Space Society's tribute to Fred Ordway: Frederick I. Ordway III, 87, of Huntsville, AL, passed away Tuesday. Fred was an icon of the space community. He joined with the L5 Society and the National Space Institute which later became today's National Space Society. He served on the NSS Board of Directors and then on the Board of Governors. Fred was one of the most active Governors, making nearly every meeting and participating in many NSS International Space Development Conferences (ISDCs) as a speaker and panelist. The members of the National Space Society will miss him greatly. National Space Society Vice President Karen Mermel said, "Fred was always willing to help and was one of the friendliest men I knew." Fred Ordway was awarded the 2012 NSS Space Pioneer Award for a Lifetime of Service to the Space Community. The award honors him for his many contributions to the advancement of space technology and to the space community, which include working extensively with Dr. Wernher von Braun, and being the lead science advisor on the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, about which he wrote a retrospective. Fred showed the video 2001: Making of a Myth to the NSS Huntsville chapter, HAL5, just a couple of months ago. It does feature him... |
dss65 Member Posts: 1156 From: Sandpoint, ID, USA Registered: Mar 2003
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posted 07-03-2014 09:19 PM
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Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 07-04-2014 01:26 AM
Senior aeronautics curator Tom Crouch has penned the National Air and Space Museum's tribute to Fred Ordway: Fred Ordway passed away in Huntsville, Alabama, on the morning of Tuesday July 1. We were friends for 40 years, but then I can’t think of anyone in the aerospace community with a wider circle of friends than Fred. We have a tradition at the Museum of honoring deceased aerospace leaders with a short obituary and photo posted near the information desk in our south lobby. My colleagues offered me the honor of preparing such a farewell for Fred....Ordway donated the collection of science fiction and pulp magazines he had begun as a youngster to Harvard University. His impressive library of books on the history of space flight went to the University of Alabama, Huntsville. A collection of space art, focusing on the work of Chesley Bonestell, formed the basis for his 1992 travelling exhibition, Blueprint for Space: Science Fiction to Science Fact. For those of us who knew him, and millions of space enthusiasts around the globe, the world will be a less interesting and entertaining place without Fred Ordway. |
hlbjr Member Posts: 475 From: Delray Beach Florida USA Registered: Mar 2006
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posted 07-04-2014 03:57 PM
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uk spacefan Member Posts: 168 From: London Registered: Jan 2007
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posted 07-04-2014 06:19 PM
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Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 07-14-2014 08:42 AM
The New York Times has published an obituary: Although Mr. Ordway had expertise in aeronautics, his work on “2001” highlighted what might have been his most lasting contribution: as documentarian, historian and enthusiast. He wrote more than two dozen books. With Mr. von Braun, he wrote “History of Rocketry and Space Travel” (1975). Four years later, with Mitchell R. Sharpe, he wrote “The Rocket Team,” an account of early rocketry and advances made during and after World War II, including Mr. von Braun’s contributions for Germany, his home country, and the United States. |
Joel Katzowitz Member Posts: 808 From: Marietta GA USA Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 07-14-2014 04:15 PM
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Lunar rock nut Member Posts: 911 From: Oklahoma city, Oklahoma U.S.A. Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 07-16-2014 10:48 AM
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Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 09-15-2014 10:20 PM
The Canadian Space Society will pay tribute to Fred Ordway on Oct. 2 during the International Astronautical Congress in Toronto, Ontario (Canada). |
alanh_7 Member Posts: 1252 From: Ajax, Ontario, Canada Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 09-16-2014 07:52 AM
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