Author
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Topic: Propulsion scientist Yvonne Brill (1924-2013)
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Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 03-31-2013 09:04 AM
The New York Times reports that Yvonne Brill, who developed the industry-standard propulsion system to keep geosynchronous communications satellites in orbit, died Wednesday (March 27, 2013) at 88 in Princeton, New Jersey. Mrs. Brill — she preferred to be called Mrs., her son said — is believed to have been the only woman in the United States who was actually doing rocket science in the mid-1940s, when she worked on the first designs for an American satellite. ...Mrs. Brill's development of a more efficient rocket thruster to keep orbiting satellites in place allowed satellites to carry less fuel and more equipment and to stay in space longer. The thrusters have the delicate task of maneuvering a weightless satellite that can tip the scales at up to 5,000 pounds on Earth. Mrs. Brill contributed to the propulsion systems of Tiros, the first weather satellite; Nova, a series of rocket designs that were used in American moon missions; the Atmosphere Explorer, the first upper-atmosphere satellite; and the Mars Observer, which in 1992 almost entered a Mars orbit before losing communication with Earth. From 1981 to 1983, Mrs. Brill worked for NASA developing the rocket motor for the space shuttle. In a statement after Mrs. Brill's death, Michael Griffin, president of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, praised her as "a pioneering spirit" who coupled "a clear vision of what the future of an entire area of systems should be with the ingenuity and genius necessary to make that vision a reality." |
SpaceAholic Member Posts: 4437 From: Sierra Vista, Arizona Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 03-31-2013 09:11 AM
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cspg Member Posts: 6210 From: Geneva, Switzerland Registered: May 2006
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posted 03-31-2013 10:27 AM
There's this book, also about rocket scientist Mary Sherman Morgan: Rocket Girl: The Story of America's First Female Rocket Scientist |
randy Member Posts: 2176 From: West Jordan, Utah USA Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 03-31-2013 12:26 PM
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AlanLawrie Member Posts: 95 From: hitchin, herts, UK Registered: Oct 2003
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posted 03-31-2013 12:39 PM
In the late 1980s Yvonne was based in London working for Inmarsat. She was my customer for the propulsion systems on the Inmarsat 2 satellites being built by BAe. Always a very knowlegeable person and a fair customer. She was described by Carl Stechman of Marquardt at the time as the World's oldest living female rocket propulsion engineer. |
413 is in Member Posts: 628 From: Alexandria, VA USA Registered: May 2006
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posted 03-31-2013 12:48 PM
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David Carey Member Posts: 782 From: Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 03-31-2013 02:49 PM
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spaceman Member Posts: 1104 From: Walsall, West Midlands, UK Registered: Dec 2002
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posted 03-31-2013 04:25 PM
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GACspaceguy Member Posts: 2476 From: Guyton, GA Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 03-31-2013 07:43 PM
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East-Frisian Member Posts: 586 From: Germany Registered: Apr 2005
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posted 04-01-2013 01:07 AM
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AJ Member Posts: 511 From: Plattsburgh, NY, United States Registered: Feb 2009
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posted 04-01-2013 07:02 AM
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Jeff Member Posts: 474 From: Fayetteville, NC, USA Registered: May 2009
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posted 04-01-2013 09:39 AM
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hlbjr Member Posts: 475 From: Delray Beach Florida USA Registered: Mar 2006
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posted 04-01-2013 09:49 AM
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Hart Sastrowardoyo Member Posts: 3445 From: Toms River, NJ Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 04-01-2013 10:21 AM
Apparently, she was good at making beef stroganoff. SMH. |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 04-01-2013 10:39 AM
Although I agree it was inappropriate for the lede and that the writer should have recognized that, it seems to me that the interview with Brill's son set the tone for the obituary. I would bet that to him her "mean beef stroganoff" and her loyalty to family was much more prevalent in his own mind. I think the writer was reflecting what Brill's son was emphasizing. |
Joel Katzowitz Member Posts: 808 From: Marietta GA USA Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 04-01-2013 07:27 PM
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dss65 Member Posts: 1156 From: Sandpoint, ID, USA Registered: Mar 2003
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posted 04-01-2013 09:31 PM
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Gilbert Member Posts: 1328 From: Carrollton, GA USA Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 04-02-2013 10:06 AM
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Kite Member Posts: 831 From: Northampton UK Registered: Nov 2009
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posted 04-05-2013 04:35 AM
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rjb1elec Member Posts: 212 From: Merseyside, England Registered: Oct 2004
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posted 04-05-2013 07:05 AM
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Philip Member Posts: 5952 From: Brussels, Belgium Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 04-05-2013 07:45 AM
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history in miniature Member Posts: 600 From: Slatington, PA Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 04-05-2013 05:38 PM
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Delta7 Member Posts: 1505 From: Bluffton IN USA Registered: Oct 2007
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posted 04-05-2013 07:24 PM
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Greggy_D Member Posts: 977 From: Michigan Registered: Jul 2006
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posted 04-05-2013 07:34 PM
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astro-nut Member Posts: 946 From: Washington, IL Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 04-06-2013 02:29 PM
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capoetc Member Posts: 2169 From: McKinney TX (USA) Registered: Aug 2005
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posted 04-07-2013 07:27 AM
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