The Sex-Cult “Antichrist” Who Rocketed Us to Space (part 1)

The Disappearing Spoon: a science history podcast with Sam Kean

Sam Kean

Arts, Books, History

4 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 12 March 2024

⏱️ 22 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Jack Parsons was a devil-worshiping FBI rat who led a sex cult and was bosom buddies with L. Ron Hubbard. He was also one of the most important rocket scientists in history. (Episode 1 of 2)

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Transcript

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0:00.0	The sauce of destiny!
0:03.4	Yes!
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0:24.6	McDonald's.
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0:28.2	I participate in McDonald's for limited time while supplies last.
0:31.7	In 1938 the US Army approached scientists at MIT with an offer.
0:37.0	The Army had a pot of money to fund two research projects, and MIT would get first choice. Which project did they want? The first choice
0:47.4	involved de-icing airplanes. Plains often fly through clouds in cold and wet conditions.
0:54.0	So what's the best way to keep them ice free?
0:57.0	The second project involved rocketry.
1:00.0	The Army wanted to strap rocket engines to planes to boost their speed and shorten
1:05.6	take-off times. And who knows, maybe even send rockets into space one day.
1:12.2	For MIT, it was an easy choice. They picked de-icing planes. Why? Because
1:19.7	rockets were cheesy science fiction prep, a Buck Rogers fantasy.
1:25.3	No one took Rocketry seriously except for foolish dreamers and scruffy Pulp Fiction writers.
1:31.7	Army officials nodded. They understood. They had
1:35.3	figured MIT would never risk its reputation on something as wild as rockets. Still
1:41.0	the Army did want to fund some rocket research.
	...

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