#OTRAG was founded on 📆 October 17, 1974, Dr. Wernher von Braun served as scientific adviser. The #rocket 🚀 was intended to be an #inexpensive 💶 alternative to the #European 🇪🇺 rocket #Ariane 💰 and the #NASA #SpaceShuttle 💰. #Political pressure to halt the company's operations mounted quickly. OTRAG shut down in 📆1987 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:OTRAG

What a story. (also here (i think) http://www.spiegel.de/plus/space-cowboys-aus-schwaben-a-4b499cb4-5220-438e-8cd9-389a70fbd108) Technikgeschichte was my first love, and it will be my last.

Low cost, mass-produced rockets? Move aside Elon Musk and Peter Beck, some Swabian engineers were already at it in the 1970s! Consulted by W. von Braun, they founded #OTRAG and built a space port in Mobutu's Zaire, marijuana plantation included. N…
https://twitter.com/PtrckFlmm/status/1045446981156450304