|
Author
|
Topic: What happened to space writer Eric Burgess?
|
dom
Member Posts: 855
From:
Registered: Aug 2001
|
posted 07-22-2007 02:56 PM
   
Does anyone know the fate of British Interplanetary Society founder member Eric Burgess?I understand he emigrated to the US in the late 1950s to be closer to the space action. He also founded a short-lived Californian 'chapter' of the BIS in the 1970s I think... Anyway, I note that as he was born in 1920, if he is still with us he will be nearly 90 years old! Dom |
ColinBurgess
Member Posts: 2031
From: Sydney, Australia
Registered: Sep 2003
|
posted 07-22-2007 04:59 PM
And I should point out (before anyone asks) that no - I am not related to Eric. |
E2M Lem Man
Member Posts: 846
From: Los Angeles CA. USA
Registered: Jan 2005
|
posted 07-24-2007 03:53 PM
Mr. Burgess was one of my idols. He invited me to give my first (public) space lecture and introduced me at a space/ science fiction convention in San Francisco in 1976. I learned a lot from that man.I followed Robert Heinlein, he had a full house- I got up and everyone left *sigh*
Good Times!!!
J.M. Busby |
nasamad
Member Posts: 2121
From: Essex, UK
Registered: Jul 2001
|
posted 07-24-2007 04:02 PM
Rex Hall from the BIS is a occasional poster to this forum, if he doesn't see this post and answer your question, it may be worth searching for one of his posts and then emailing him. Alternativly (sic) you could try contacting the BIS itself, Rex or Suszann will probably answer you. Adam |
dom
Member Posts: 855
From:
Registered: Aug 2001
|
posted 07-25-2007 04:56 AM
James, thanks for the personal info...Can I ask if the South Californian branch of the BIS is still going? It seems to have been centred on the scientists at JPL - am I right? Also, what was Burgess' role there - was he involved in the JPL team too? Dom |
tfrielin
Member Posts: 162
From: Athens, GA
Registered: Feb 2007
|
posted 07-26-2007 11:18 AM
quote:
Originally posted by dom:
Does anyone know the fate of British Interplanetary Society founder member Eric Burgess?
I reviewed a few of his books in the '80s and '90s and as far as I can tell the last book he published was Outpost on Apollo's Moon in 1993. He and Richard Lewis published quite a few books by Columbia University Press in those days. They obviously were the press's space writer team. Mr. Lewis (whom I met once, briefly in 1985) was born in 1916. Does anyone know if he is still alive at age 91? ------------------
tfrielin |
dom
Member Posts: 855
From:
Registered: Aug 2001
|
posted 09-29-2007 06:49 AM
I recently asked the British Interplanetary Society what they knew of Eric Burgess...Unfortunatey he isn't a BIS member anymore and they don't have any contact details for him. But I find it strange that he would give up membership of the society that he helped found but that they haven't been informed of his death! As his last known to be living in Sebastopol, California had anyone seen or heard of him there recently? After much research I have yet to see any mention of his death. If he is still with us he would be roughly 87 years of age. Dom |
dom
Member Posts: 855
From:
Registered: Aug 2001
|
posted 09-29-2007 04:00 PM
It has been confirmed to me, by one of his friends, that Eric Burgess died of pneumonia at his Californian home in March 2005. He was aged 85.May he rest in peace... |
cspg
Member Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
|
posted 09-30-2007 04:38 AM
Did he write NASA SP-424: The Voyage of Mariner 10, Mission to Venus and Mercury? Chris. |
dom
Member Posts: 855
From:
Registered: Aug 2001
|
posted 09-30-2007 05:39 AM
Yes, that's him.I know he had close links with JPL as a professional aerospace writer and it appears they asked him to write some of their mission reports. Dom |
cspg
Member Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
|
posted 09-30-2007 08:38 AM
Thanks for the info.Chris. |
spaceman
Member Posts: 1104
From: Walsall, West Midlands, UK
Registered: Dec 2002
|
posted 09-30-2007 12:19 PM
Hi,
didn't Eric Burgess come up with the original idea of interplanetary spacecraft bearing messages from Earth just in case e.g the etched Pioneer plaque?
Nick
Spaceman www.spaceboosters.co.uk |
E2M Lem Man
Member Posts: 846
From: Los Angeles CA. USA
Registered: Jan 2005
|
posted 10-03-2007 12:55 PM
R.I.P.
Thanks for the start! |
advertisement