Stories from the stores

The other day I caught part of a short play on the radio. Prospero, Ariel, Reith and Gill told the story – partly imagined – of sculptor Eric Gill’s contretemps with BBC Director General John Reith in 1932. The occasion was the unveiling of Gill’s Ariel and Prospero on the edifice of Broadcasting House, the BBC’s newly built headquarters.

Prospero and Ariel, Broadcasting House, London (Doug Millard, 2010).

Prospero and Ariel are leading characters in Shakespeare’s The Tempest but their names were also used for two of Britain’s earliest satellites. Ariel 1 was launched in 1962 as the world’s first international spacecraft: the United States provided the satellite structures and launching rocket, Britain designed the on-board experiments. A further five Ariel satellites were launched with Ariel V one of the most successful early X-ray observatories.

Ariel 1 flight spare (now at the Royal Society) in the Science Museum, 1990 (Science Museum/Science & Society)

The Prospero satellite, on the other hand, was an entirely British affair with Britain also providing the launch vehicle – Black Arrow – to boost it into orbit in 1971. Its successor – Miranda (daughter of Prospero) – was launched in 1974 by a US Scout rocket, Black Arrow having been cancelled.

Prospero satellite flight spare on its Black Arrow third stage motor, 2000 (Science Museum/Science & Society)

Shakespeare’s original characters endure turbulent times before Prospero renounces sorcery and releases the spirit Ariel from the magical bondage he had cast it into.

Britain’s Ariel 1 satellite did not enjoy quite such a happy outcome as much of its successful scientific capability was lost just three months after launch following the test detonation of a high-altitude nuclear bomb.

Prospero, which will continue to orbit throughout the century – may yet exhibit a flicker of life when scientists attempt to make contact with it next year during its 40^th anniversary.

Office move time again: sorting, listing, boxing, chucking… all a bit of a chore. But then you come across something a little out of the ordinary – like a Destination Mars Regenerative Life Support Challenge.

Destination Mars Kit (Doug Millard)

This is a school kit put together by the Museum of Science in Boston, Lockheed Martin and NASA back in 1998. It contains all sorts of goodies to teach youngsters about how people might survive on Mars. It even includes a pack of seeds flown on Shuttle mission STS-86 in 2007.

There was a time when such items would not be considered for the Science Museum’s Collections: they would have been classed as ephemera and used only in support activities like talks and workshops. But Destination Mars should be formally accessioned now because  it can tell stories about current and future space exploration, the scientific and technological challenges of going to Mars, space education and, of course, a specific Shuttle mission (that also happened to return a British born astronaut – Michael Foale – from the Mir space station in 1997).

Shuttle orbiter Atlantis completes mission STS-86, 1997 (Nasa)

We are told we live in a digital world (this blog does support the argument) but I think there will long be a role for physical things like the Destination Mars kit. There’s something about the artefact that appeals, and particularly to the young as they explore and make their way in life. Sometimes it stimulates a life-long interest, maybe points towards a future career.

Finding the kit reminded me of something else in the office that should also go into the collections: Touchdown on the Moon.

Touchdown on the Moon pack (Doug Millard)

I remember buying one of these packs from North Finchley WHSmiths in 1969. ‘This Spacecraft Commander’s Kit puts you inside Apollo to share every hour of flight and lunar exploration’, it says. It did that and - come to think of it -  help steer me towards that office which is now, just about, cleared and ready for the next occupant.