Russian Rocket Science
John Oakes, the executive editor of Atlas Books, sent me a fascinating article, as yet unpublished, by Michael Hagemeister a professorat the University of Basle, that was read at a Swiss symposium on the Soviet Union and Russia. The article deals with occultism (mainly Gnosticism) and its influence on the Soviet/Russian space program from the beginnings--Konstantin Tsiolkovskii was a devotee who published hundreds of Gnostic or quasi-gnostic texts during his lifetime--to the present day and the evolution of Russian cosmism, which "elaborates an image of humanity, which spreads its noocratic rule over the universe, whence it can fulfill the universal cosmic plan of turning itself into an almighty immortal organism, thus attaining the status of God."
At one point, Hagemeister says, "It is quite remarkable, and fully deserves further investigation, that it was the esoteric of redemption from this world (many Russian scientists veiwed nature as a prison that must be escaped) which motivated Tsiolkovskii in his concrete research and technical developments.
I wish I could reproduce it in it's entirety, but it's beyond my ability. Maybe Paul Di, whom I believe also received the piece, can manage it.
Here's the url.
http://www.harrimaninstitute.org/MEDIA/00734.pdf
At one point, Hagemeister says, "It is quite remarkable, and fully deserves further investigation, that it was the esoteric of redemption from this world (many Russian scientists veiwed nature as a prison that must be escaped) which motivated Tsiolkovskii in his concrete research and technical developments.
I wish I could reproduce it in it's entirety, but it's beyond my ability. Maybe Paul Di, whom I believe also received the piece, can manage it.
Here's the url.
http://www.harrimaninstitute.org/MEDIA/00734.pdf