Comments on: Tsien Hsue-shen and the Secret of Time Travel

By: Peter

Peter — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:11:31 +0000

The bottom line is Dr. Tsien was falsely accused, and treated wrongly, because of the McCarthyism in the 50’s. That’s unfortunate.

By: Mikey

Mikey — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 03:20:01 +0000

Dr. Tsien lost his clearance in 1950, The Titan program did NOT start in 1950, the evidence is clear on this.

Dr. Tsien’s work up to 1950 is well known and public information – he is the father of the Space Shuttle (via the X-20) but he never succeed in time travel!

By: Uncle Hellaborus

Uncle Hellaborus — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 03:43:19 +0000

Here’s some more speculation: the Chinese government planted the suspicions to get him deported and working for them.

By: Phillip Marx

Phillip Marx — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 10:38:06 +0000

How’s this for a possible explanation?

The government probably starts a lot of their programs in secrecy, long before they are publicly acknowledged. Once the necessary funding becomes too large to conceal, they are then forced to make it official.

What you discovered might be evidence that this program actually existed before it was officially authorized.

By: robert schaefer

robert schaefer — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:51:16 +0000

Some personal reminiscences from someone who knew Tsien Hsue-shen in the US prior to deportation may be found here: http://elainemeinelsupkis.typepad.com/space_news/2007/01/a_small_history.html

By: John

John — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 13:49:16 +0000

Let me recommend Iris Chang's "Thread of the Silkworm" on Tsien.

By: Daphine

Daphine — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:48:50 +0000

I wonder if the dispute relates to the fact that many (most) major missile programs proceed years before a formal contract(s).

Sometimes using government R&D funds squirreled away by imaginative government program managers (and their general/admiral bosses) or funds “borrowed” from other programs. Sometimes the contractor “loans” its own funds, effectively making a multi-year risk investment decision, that is easily and discretely recouped when the eventual cost plus missile contract is signed (or other contracts in the unlikely event a contract event does not occur).

[That's an excellent observation, but in this case Tsien lost his security clearance in 1950, five years prior to his deportation and the subsequent start of the Titan program. So I think that rules out his participation in any pre-contract R&D on the program. --SA]