Tracy McGrady used determination to make the world a better place by using his fame to give people in Africa a better life.  “McGrady got kicked off the basketball team after his junior year”(“Tracy Biography”).  McGrady transferred schools from Florida to North Carolina but during the summer in between he went to a basketball camp.  “Mcgrady demanded to play against one of the nation’s best high school players, Lamar Odem, at a summer camp and beat him”(“Tracy Biography”). When McGrady arrived in North Carolina, he was determined to make this team the best it could be.  “McGrady devoted himself to an aggressive conditioning program and followed all the instructions given to him by his new coach”(“Tracy Biography”).  McGrady led his North Caroline team to the number two spot in the nation.

            McGrady was a top player in all of the nation and had offers from many colleges.  “His AAU coach and high school coach advised McGrady to skip college, he decided to try his luck in the draft”(“Tracy Biography”).  Mcgrady was drafted by the Toronto Raptors. He played with the Raptors for a couple of years and through the NBA lockout.  “During the lockout, which dragged into the winter of 1998, Mcgrady

worked out with a personal trainer”(“Tracy” hoop).  McGrady became a free agent and signed with the Orlando Magic,

            McGrady felt he needed to improve his game for the Magic to be able to compete.  “McGrady prepared for his first season with Orlando by straping weights to his arms and legs for distance runs and sprints, pumping iron, and honing his game on the court of one of his new neighbors, ShaquelO’neal”(“Tracy Biography”).  McGrady became famous while playing for the Magic by winning two straight scoring titles.

            McGrady was determined to help the world.  He took a trip to Africa and spent money trying to help the natives.  McGrady even set up his own foundation to better the lives of people all over the world. “The Tracy McGrady Foundation has supported vaious programs over the years that enhance the lives of children and enrich their learning process”(“Tracy Foundation”).  McGrady was determined to use his fame to make the world a better place.

A new study published in the scientific journal Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, published by SAGE, refutes this claim. The study shows that in fact such systems are not tested in the circumstances of real danger and that does not resist in the circumstances of actual combat. Strategy from April 2010. was based on the assumption that today’s land missile shield (GMD) system as standard missiles (SM-3) to operate effectively even in circumstances of a nuclear attack. The study confirms that the GMD systems are currently serving to defend the continental United States from nuclear missiles of long range, which in future could launch a country such as Iran or North Korea. Something that exacerbates things is the fact that recent Iranian missile tests, which indicate that Iran has successfully developed effective countermeasures that could destroy the missile shield of the United States. The authors of published studies conclude that the new U.S. defense strategy from a nuclear attack based on the dangerous “myth technical” as GMD and SM-3 systems are proven effective. 

In his article, under the original title, “How U.S. strategic antimissile defense could be made to work,” George Lewis and Theodore Postolova replace the inefficient, and inappropriate never tested GMD system defense system that will effectively intercept the Iranian and North Korean missiles before they reach the United States, northern and western Europe and northern Russia. 

Alternative defense system would be based on the use of hidden interceptors to destroy nuclear missiles while they are still in the active phase of flight, before they turn on the system to avoid. Since such a system would use a relatively small number of interceptors, would not pose a threat to Russian nuclear forces because it would mean a new approach linked to treaty ‘New START’ and  would not violate any other agreements on the reduction of armaments. ’New START’ is an agreement to limit nuclear weapons. Both countries (Russia and U.S.) agreed that the number of active long-range nuclear missiles must be kept below 1 550. 

Today’s GMD, and SM-3 systems have insurmountable flaws determined by laws of physics.

Strategy of the Ministry of Defence relies on the assumption that the systems work perfectly, even in situations when the need to deal with numerous irregularities and unexpected situations in real fighting against real military missiles armed with nuclear warheads. 

The authors of these studies are concerned because the Ministry of Defence has not shown evidence of the effectiveness of the defense system and whether they cope with the challenges of real combat. 

On the other hand, the same ministry claims that the continental United States are fully protected from attacks by long-range missiles, and how these systems of defense are also a great way of attention. ”Such statements were the fruit of imagination, daring and dangerous,” says Lewis. 

If we as a nation,  refuse to face the fact that our defense system is unreliable and if we fail   the continental United States would suffered a disaster because all we need is ONE long range missiles that will successfully penetrated the defense and delivere a nuclear warhead on American soil. 

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Hypothesis

          My hypothesis was simple.  I was curious what amount of water would work best for my rocket.  I theorized that eight hundred milliliters of water would work the best.  My reason for thinking this is so the air had something to push of.  However, my thinking was that above eight hundred ml would be too much and below would be too little.

Procedure

          My procedure was simple.  I would test my hypothesis of 800 ml and also test two other amounts of water. I would test 400 ml and 1200 ml.  The controls of my experiment were the air pressure, angle of launch, nose cone, and fin design.  The final variable in my experiment was weather, which is uncontrollable. 

Results

          My results were very interesting.  My hypothesis was proven correct.  The 800 ml of water had the best overall launch and it had the best average.

My trials were affected by the weather, as you can see.  The angle of launch of was the same and the pressure was a constant rate.  Each volume of water had five trials.  I also displayed the average distance.  My data proves that out of the three volumes of water, 800 ml of water worked the best.

Analysis

I thought that I had a pretty sound experiment.  I would have liked to done more trials, however.  If I could do my experiment again I also would have like to use a more durable rocket.  By the time I hit my 15 trial my rocket was ready to retire.

            The Space Race was an informal contest between the USSR and the United States, which attempted to increase progress in the world of science and technology in each country in order to best the other. It not only helped send satellites/rockets to space, but it also created new technologies which would help make future ones possible. It lasted from 1957 to 1975; it ended a little after man was put on the moon. After that the countries cooperated together in space exploration.

            The Soviet Union was the country to initiate this competition after it launched the satellite, the Sputnik, in October of 1957. The American country was troubled by the advancement of the Soviets in the aeronautics field of technology that they started their own space program, NASA along with several smaller ones. The finally launched a satellite of their own into space in 1958. The space exploration part came after the countries started using their ICBM’s (originally intended to use to deliver nuclear rockets to other nations) to pursue advancements into space.

            I don’t really think that anyone was really hurt by all of this, but civilization has benefited from the rise in knowledge. This event triggered the increase in the science and aeronautics fields. . I doubt that anyone was really hurt by the advances in knowledge but I know that several discoveries made helped in paving the way for future technologies. Such inventions/innovations that came from this were the computer, home ovens, baking dishes, and so on. It introduced new understanding of planets beyond the horizon and also, it was good that a new morale was developed for new knowledge and taking science to more advanced places. Like an old saying goes, “Competition brings out the best in people”. 

            The initial goals of sending satellites in the air weren’t to explore space; rather it was an initiative of making new types of weapons and a continuation of the arms race. Both countries realized that this new technology could be used for spying and it wasn’t long before they attempted to create more efficient projects. When the Sputnik was first launched, it proved that it was possible to hit just about any target in the world. In addition, this new technology allowed rockets to fly over the earth’s atmosphere, avoiding detection by radar, hit the enemy. This added lots of tension and terror to that which already existed due to the increasing amount of nuclear weapons. The technology of intercontinental ballistic missiles packed a lot of power that threatened to wipe out entire cities. Aside from the new fields of weaponry, these tools were used in different scenarios too: exploration of the galaxy. The space race accomplished many things, the most prominent being ‘man sent into space’ (USSR) and ‘man sent to the moon’ (U.S.).

Many new technologies that exist present day come from the technology used to make the rockets and space tools. Both countries put their technology to the limits and the by-products are what really help us today. Not only has the Space Race left a stronghold for space launches and discoveries but it has also provided benefits that we come across daily. From computers to ingestible toothpaste, science has come a long way due to the effects of the Space Race.

The Space was one of the many factors of the high tensions involved with the Cold War. It gave the superpowers another chance to fight with each other over superiority; only this time, it wasn’t about causing destruction, it was about creating threats of causing destruction. The whole struggle still remained part of the bigger picture, Communism vs. Capitalism. (Space Race, Deborah Cadbury, p 131) It also had to do the with egos of the respective nations since it allowed them to posses bragging rights. Each wanted to show that their system was better, whether it was capitalism or communism. As much benefits as the Space Race brought, it only amplified the pressures of the Cold War. In the end, the United States won the ‘race’ due to the Soviet economic downturn and afterward, both nations worked together in space exploration.

            The space race was an event that put lots of focus and emphasis on increasing scientific and technological potential. It was completion that brought out the best in both countries by pushing their wills to the limit. New discoveries were effects of the battle for power and nuclear superiority. As the countries tried to outdo each other, intellect only grew larger.

During the second world war scientists on both sides of the global conflict were pushing forward the boundaries of scientific knowledge.  In the latter stages of WWII strange pilot less aircraft were seen flying over Great Britain.  These V1 or Vengeance weapon 1 aircraft were in fact the worlds first cruise missiles.  These weapons were launched from Northern France and flew at a preordained height.

The V1’s were filled with just enough rocket fuel to reach London.  When the V1’s fuel ran out the flying bomb silently fell from the sky and impacted on London streets causing thousands of deaths and destruction of property.  In my home town of Enfield (London) there are monuments to the citizens who died by this terrible cruise missile’s explosions.

The German V1 the Worlds first cruise missile.

German scientists in secret underground locations had engineered this ground breaking weapon.  Shortly after the V1 flying bombs hit London the RAF was tasked with finding a way to shoot down these missiles.  It was found that the Supermarine Spitfire fighter could catch the V1 in a dive.  The Spitfire would gain height over the V1 flying over Kent on the way to London, then using full throttle would dive at the V1 and unload heavy calibre cannon fire into the speeding missile.

As the V1 was pilot less it could take no evading action and many fell foul of the Spitfire’s cannons. Pilots soon learned to not get too close to the cruise missiles as the V1 blew up when hit with cannon shells.  Other aircraft such as the De-havilland Mosquito and the Hawker Tempest and Typhoon could catch the V1’s and shoot them down.

Germany retaliated by building the worlds first ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile) it was called the V2.  The V2 was a pure rocket designed that  accelerated to the edge of space and then descend onto London with devastating effect.  The V2 flew at over 3,000mph! Nothing could catch or shoot down the V2 ICBM.  London was faced with an unstoppable terror weapon in 1944/1945.  The V2 carried a huge payload of explosives and entire streets of London were blown to pieces with thousands of civilian casualties.

The German V2 that fell on my home town.

On May 8Th 1945 Germany surrendered to the Allies and WWII in Europe was over.  If the “V” weapons had been in production two years before they were, the outcome of WWII may have been different!

Operation Paperclip officially went live in August 1945, rumours abound that it was live at the very end of WWII.  The American president Harry Truman gave permission for the  OSS (Office of Strategic Services) to round up Nazi scientists from prisoners in Germany.  These men initially were excluded from the project because of their work for the Nazi party, this would have made project Paperclip impotent as most of the head hunted scientists were war criminals or very active members of the Nazi party.

Project Paperclips objectives were to recruit by force the top German scientists with knowledge of the “V” weapons that devastated London only months ago.  America badly wanted the rocket and cruise missile technology that Germany had perfected.  Another major objective was to deny Great Britain and Russia the benefit of German technology, America wanted to be the world leader in ballistics and projectiles.

German war criminals meeting in America circa 1947

War criminal records were destroyed for the leading scientists such as  “Wernher Von Braun and Arthur Rudolph”  these two named scientists were leading lights in the development of the V1 and V2 missiles.  Over 127 key German scientists were moved to Fort Strong in New York to begin work on Rocket technology. 

Hundreds more of German war criminals who happened to be scientists were moved to a huge camp at the “White Sands proving ground in Nevada”  where the infamous “Area 51” secret aircraft testing ground stands today. Huge container ships transported partially assembled V2 ballistic missiles from Germany to the US.  The rockets were stripped of their deadly pay load and assembled, then testing of the V2’s began again after only months of world peace.

These war criminals worked for the American government in various sites all over the US.  The V2 rocket program was the father of America’s space program without these German scientists there is no doubt Russia would have beaten the Americans to the moon in the 1960’s.  There are many technological inventions that the US made in the post war years purely due to Nazi scientists. 

German jet aircraft designs were used with British jet engines to make America’s start in jet fighter aircraft.  Russia also used German jet aircraft designs with donated British jet engines. 

A group photo of German scientist War criminals in America.

An argument still rages today about America’s decision to use war criminals to gain an edge in ballistics after the war. In the 1980’s when project Paperclip was winding down, many scientists were extradited back to Germany and put on trial for war crimes.

This German missile technology in WWII was tested against innocent British civilians, thousands of British men women and children lost their lives.  Was it morally correct to stop these evil scientists standing trial for their lives?  Some one more educated than me may have different ideas.  America made the decision that to be at the forefront of weapons technology and space travel was worth these men going free and unpunished for their war crimes.  Some of these scientists had carried out cruel genetic experiments on live human prisoners against the Geneva Convention.

I hope its all worth it one day.

I can only conclude that morals and consciousness come second place against Military technology. We as human beings can be incredibly hard and lacking in compassion and morality.  I do hope the human race explores the galaxy and uses this hard earned technology to benefit man and to not destroy mankind.

Lord Banks

The Soviet Union shocked the United States when they launched a man-made satellite into space. In October, 1957, the Soviet Union had launched Sputnik 1, the first man-made object to orbit Earth (“Historic” 2). The United States in January, 1958, launched their satellite Explorer 1; it orbited the earth a few times more than the Soviet satellite (“Historic” 2). The launching of the Soviet satellite was such a shock because it “stoked the US public’s fears that the United States was falling behind the Soviet Union in technological prowess” (“Historic” 2). These satellites granted access to anywhere on the globe for the Soviet Union and the United States. Man-made objects breached the barrier of earth and space, man himself would follow.

Before Cosmonauts and Astronauts could be sent into orbit or even into the realms of space, scientists needed to construct and test ways that would enable life to survive outside Earth’s atmosphere. The next step in the long process of exploring space was to test the effects of weightlessness on life forms; the Soviet Union sent up dogs and the United States sent up monkeys (“1959” 2). “On 3 November, 1957 the Russians sent Laika, a Siberian husky, into orbit, but days into the flight the dog died.” (“1959” 2). The Soviet Union tested even more animals “between 1957 and 1961[;] thirteen dogs were sent into space, five of whom died” (“1959” 2). Space was not meant for life to exist in it; man needed copious reassurance that the harshness could be subdued and was safe to venture into. While the Soviet Union and the United States competed to sustain life in space, on Earth they also clashed in the development of nuclear prowess.

During the Cold War, satellites brought a new age of warfare: Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles. Both the United States and the Soviet Union created strategic forces that primarily relied on ICBMs and SLBMs (sub launched) which were armed with nuclear warheads (Bruccoli & Layman 193). So many of these units had been made that “by the end of the decade the United States and the Soviet Union had each stockpiled enough nuclear weapons to destroy one another-and the entire world several times over” (Bruccoli & Layman 193). The availability of nuclear weapons combined with long range missiles was a devastating power. Oddly this power was recognized to be so terrible it brought about a policy of deterrence, effectively preventing countries from using ICMBs. The essence of the cold war was in full view.

In the early 1960s innovation of airtight capsules progressed and humans were safely launched into orbit. The Soviet Union shocked the United States again when they launched their first Cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin, in April, 1961; he had completed one full orbit and the Soviets were ecstatic (“Historic” 1). After the flight of Gagarin the “Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev had declared: “Let the capitalist counties try to catch up with our country, which has blazed a trail into space and which has launched the world”s first Cosmonaut’” (“Historic” 2). The first manned orbital flight of the United States was achieved February, 1962, by the Astronaut John Glen, who circled Earth three times in his capsule Friendship 7 (“Historic” 2). June, 1963, Valentina V. Tereshkova of the Soviet Union became the first woman in space (“Historic” 2). The first woman of the United States was Sally Ride in 1983; twenty years after Valentina V. Tereshkova (“Historic” 2). Mankind having made its way into space raised its expectations to the next target.

A month after the first man was sent into space, President John F. Kennedy on May, 1961, announced a dubious but feasible goal of getting a man to the moon and back by the end of the 1960s. The Gemini space program was designed by the United States to develop new technology and the skills needed for a lunar mission (“Historic” 3). This included fuel cells for electrical power and the process of orbital docking between crafts (“Historic” 3). Parallelig Gemini, the Soyuz missions were the Soviet Union’s program that tested technology needed for lunar voyages (Bruccoli & Layman 476). During this period, space walking was tried by Aleksei Leonov of the Soviet Union in March, 1965 and by Major Edward White of the United States Air Force in June 1965. Because both men nearly died in the experiments, Space suits were heavily redesigned (“Historic” 3). “The way to the moon had been paved. Men could safely walk in space, docking had been achieved, and maneuvering the spacecraft had all been completed” (Bruccoli & Layman 474). Starting in 1965, all of the Gemini achievements were accomplished in two years.

The Apollo missions were where the United States finally got ahead of the Soviet Union. Apollo missions tested the Saturn rocket, orbited the moon, and launched soft landing probes which helped determine where to land on the moon (“Historic” 3). These missions were not without problems. The first Apollo/Saturn 204 mission in January 1967, was marked with tragedy because fire broke out on the launch pad while tests were being preformed; the three crewmembers were killed (“Space Disasters” 1). The crewmembers were Edward White, Virgil Grissom, and Roger Chaffee (“Historic” 3). Apollo 13 also experienced problems in space but returned to Earth without loss of life Space Disasters” 1). Progress toward the moon leapt when Apollo 8 was the first manned mission to complete a lunar orbit. The sensational accomplishment of the Apollo missions was Apollo 11; it was the first landing of men on the moon. “Following their two-and-a-half hour moon walk, Armstrong and Aldrin Blasted off from the moon on July 21, leaving behind a US flag and a plaque bearing the inscription: “Here men from the planet Earth set foot upon the moon, July 1969 AD, We came in peace for all mankind”” (“Historic” 4). The citizens of the United States were glued to their televisions and a surge of pride swept the country.

Having lost the race to the moon, the Soviet Union transitioned their space program to other endeavors in space. The Soviets became quite good at building space stations (“Space Disasters” 2). They did have problems occur though. “The second crew of the first space station, Salyut 1, was launched aboard Soyuz 11 on June 6, 1971. After a problem aboard Salyut 1 shortened the trip from thirty days to twenty-four days, the crew attempted to return home. They never made it alive” (“Space Disasters” 2). The Soviet Union found a more economical presence in space with the use of space stations. The easing of Cold War Tensions brought a cooperative venture between the United States and the Former Soviet Socialist Republics in space-station scientific investigations. This was the first time since the end of World War II that the US was cooperating with Soviets.

The ability to travel is space brought about the mind-set that humans would eventually populate space. The US and USSR had already sent instrumented probes to explore the inner system of planets by 1960 (Edson 2). As Edson suggested that “soon after men conquered the moon, they will ride out to explore this wider realm” (2), he was promoting this new vision of colonizing planets. “Perhaps, as men have today broken the chains of gravity, in that great tomorrow our children will somehow break the barriers of time and distance, so that humanity will move freely among the stars” (Edson 4). In this time period mankind is allowed to stay optimistic about what the future will enable our species to do, but, also has to realize its present limitations. Pushing through these barriers is the propelling aspect of manifest destiny.

During the late 1800’s America experienced manifest destiny as colonist moved through and settled the rest of the North American continent. The westward expansion of the United States and the Cold War were similar because in both cases Americans pushed into unclaimed land in hopes to prosper from the resources that are found on it. In both cases the psyche of the American spirit was defined by the experience. The race to the moon was how humans were able to enter this new unconquered realm of our solar system and beyond. Humans had sent man-made objects into orbit. Satellites brought forth communications across the globe and advanced targeting for long-range missiles. Life emerged from earth into an area thought to have none, as animals and people rocketed into space. Man then set his imagination on the moon while project Gemini tested new technology to make the trip possible. The Apollo missions took him to the moon and back so that man could stretch his possible grasp further and further. Mankind meanwhile has many more important issues to be concern with here on Earth. The space race did have a positive effect on earthbound life with the new technologies it developed that are now an essential part of our lives: computers, lasers, satellite communications, solar panels, and robotics. The impulse of controlling land beyond Earth will wait for a definite calling; when mankind decides spending trillions of dollars to expand its territory will be beneficial and worthwhile.