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Leonard Reiffel, Who Studied Potential of a Lunar Nuclear Bomb, Dies at 89 Leonard Reiffel, Who Studied Lunar Nuclear Bomb, Dies at 89
(1 day later)
Leonard Reiffel’s many achievements as a physicist included two entirely unrelated things — one a down-to-earth development that changed sportscasting and another a far-fetched idea that, had it happened, might have changed the course of history.Leonard Reiffel’s many achievements as a physicist included two entirely unrelated things — one a down-to-earth development that changed sportscasting and another a far-fetched idea that, had it happened, might have changed the course of history.
In sports broadcasting, Dr. Reiffel invented the Telestrator, which allows announcers to draw lines and circles on a television screen to show how a play developed.In sports broadcasting, Dr. Reiffel invented the Telestrator, which allows announcers to draw lines and circles on a television screen to show how a play developed.
But even more compelling was his role in a top-secret study for the Air Force that asked a simple question:But even more compelling was his role in a top-secret study for the Air Force that asked a simple question:
How about blowing up a nuclear bomb on or near the moon and seeing what happens?How about blowing up a nuclear bomb on or near the moon and seeing what happens?
Soon after the Soviet Union launched the Sputnik satellite into orbit in 1957, sending jitters throughout the United States that it was losing the space race, the Air Force posed the hypothetical question to a group of scientists, Dr. Reiffel among them.Soon after the Soviet Union launched the Sputnik satellite into orbit in 1957, sending jitters throughout the United States that it was losing the space race, the Air Force posed the hypothetical question to a group of scientists, Dr. Reiffel among them.
Project A119, as the study was called, secretly examined the scientific and military benefits of launching an intercontinental ballistic missile carrying a nuclear bomb the size of the one dropped on Hiroshima and detonating it on or near the surface of the moon. Whether that was even possible in the late 1950s is highly questionable.Project A119, as the study was called, secretly examined the scientific and military benefits of launching an intercontinental ballistic missile carrying a nuclear bomb the size of the one dropped on Hiroshima and detonating it on or near the surface of the moon. Whether that was even possible in the late 1950s is highly questionable.
A lunar detonation, the study said, would serve military goals by supplying information about the “detection of nuclear device testing in space and concerning the capability of nuclear weapons for space warfare.”A lunar detonation, the study said, would serve military goals by supplying information about the “detection of nuclear device testing in space and concerning the capability of nuclear weapons for space warfare.”
As for the political impact, Dr. Reiffel, who was then the manager of physics research at the Armour Research Foundation, a laboratory that was part of the Illinois Institute of Technology, wrote in the panel’s report in 1959 that “positive effects would accrue to the nation first performing such a feat as a demonstration of advanced technological capability.”As for the political impact, Dr. Reiffel, who was then the manager of physics research at the Armour Research Foundation, a laboratory that was part of the Illinois Institute of Technology, wrote in the panel’s report in 1959 that “positive effects would accrue to the nation first performing such a feat as a demonstration of advanced technological capability.”
Spoiler alert: The plan was never executed and the moon survived, intact, to host six Apollo moon landings.Spoiler alert: The plan was never executed and the moon survived, intact, to host six Apollo moon landings.
Decades later, Dr. Reiffel revealed that the Air Force had been interested in staging a surprise lunar explosion, and that its goal was propaganda. “The foremost intent was to impress the world with the prowess of the United States,” he told The New York Times in 2000. “It was a P.R. device, without question, in the minds of the people from the Air Force.”Decades later, Dr. Reiffel revealed that the Air Force had been interested in staging a surprise lunar explosion, and that its goal was propaganda. “The foremost intent was to impress the world with the prowess of the United States,” he told The New York Times in 2000. “It was a P.R. device, without question, in the minds of the people from the Air Force.”
Dr. Reiffel, who later helped NASA identify touchdown sites on the moon for the Apollo lunar module, died on April 15 at a hospital in Chicago. He was 89. Romayne Rickhoff, Mr. Reiffel’s longtime assistant, said the cause was complications of pancreatic cancer.Dr. Reiffel, who later helped NASA identify touchdown sites on the moon for the Apollo lunar module, died on April 15 at a hospital in Chicago. He was 89. Romayne Rickhoff, Mr. Reiffel’s longtime assistant, said the cause was complications of pancreatic cancer.
Dr. Reiffel (it’s pronounced like rifle) was an inventor with dozens of patents, but the Telestrator resonated the most.Dr. Reiffel (it’s pronounced like rifle) was an inventor with dozens of patents, but the Telestrator resonated the most.
For the broadcaster John Madden, the device was transformative, greatly enhancing his ability to describe what the 22 men on the football field were doing, especially the linemen battling at the line of scrimmage during a running play. As a former coach, Mr. Madden used the Telestrator at CBS Sports, then at other networks, to let viewers in on the sort of explanations he had given to his players.For the broadcaster John Madden, the device was transformative, greatly enhancing his ability to describe what the 22 men on the football field were doing, especially the linemen battling at the line of scrimmage during a running play. As a former coach, Mr. Madden used the Telestrator at CBS Sports, then at other networks, to let viewers in on the sort of explanations he had given to his players.
“You needed to identify the players with illustrations, not just words,” Mr. Madden said in a telephone interview on Tuesday, recalling what he might say when he used the Telestrator to draw up a play: “Watch this guy — he’s going to go here, and this guy’s going to come up from here and collide here, and the running back is going to go between them.”“You needed to identify the players with illustrations, not just words,” Mr. Madden said in a telephone interview on Tuesday, recalling what he might say when he used the Telestrator to draw up a play: “Watch this guy — he’s going to go here, and this guy’s going to come up from here and collide here, and the running back is going to go between them.”
Mr. Madden could be sloppy with his Telestrations as well as fanciful, sometimes using the tool to comically point out the Gatorade buckets on the sidelines, or the Thanksgiving turkey that he was going to eat after a game.Mr. Madden could be sloppy with his Telestrations as well as fanciful, sometimes using the tool to comically point out the Gatorade buckets on the sidelines, or the Thanksgiving turkey that he was going to eat after a game.
“I wasn’t trying to do art,” he said.“I wasn’t trying to do art,” he said.
Dr. Reiffel’s forays into television, including one as the host of a local children’s science show in Chicago, had inspired the Telestrator. He had grown frustrated with the limits of narrative voice-overs to describe what was being shown onscreen, and, he told Popular Mechanics in 2009, “I decided it would be very nice to be able to get my hands in the picture and draw on it.”Dr. Reiffel’s forays into television, including one as the host of a local children’s science show in Chicago, had inspired the Telestrator. He had grown frustrated with the limits of narrative voice-overs to describe what was being shown onscreen, and, he told Popular Mechanics in 2009, “I decided it would be very nice to be able to get my hands in the picture and draw on it.”
The earliest version let Dr. Reiffel draw with a stylus on a transparent plastic sheet that was placed over a TV screen. It was coated so that electric currents could run over it. An image combiner merged the signals from the camera and pens.The earliest version let Dr. Reiffel draw with a stylus on a transparent plastic sheet that was placed over a TV screen. It was coated so that electric currents could run over it. An image combiner merged the signals from the camera and pens.
The device was first used successfully with weather reports, prompting Dr. Reiffel to approach the CBS station in Chicago about expanding its use into sports. The CBS network eventually embraced it for N.F.L. games.The device was first used successfully with weather reports, prompting Dr. Reiffel to approach the CBS station in Chicago about expanding its use into sports. The CBS network eventually embraced it for N.F.L. games.
Mr. Madden first used it during the playoffs after the 1981 season and Super Bowl XVI. Dr. Reiffel stood nearby to make sure the Telestrator functioned well. As the large, excitable Mr. Madden drew on the Telestrator, “he almost knocked me right out of the announcer booth,” Dr. Reiffel said in 2005 when he learned that he had won an Emmy Award in engineering for the invention.Mr. Madden first used it during the playoffs after the 1981 season and Super Bowl XVI. Dr. Reiffel stood nearby to make sure the Telestrator functioned well. As the large, excitable Mr. Madden drew on the Telestrator, “he almost knocked me right out of the announcer booth,” Dr. Reiffel said in 2005 when he learned that he had won an Emmy Award in engineering for the invention.
Dr. Reiffel’s Telestrator eventually improved to let analysts use their fingers to sketch lines, circles and squiggles on a touch-screen monitor. It became an essential tool of onscreen sports production, along with instant replay, the electronic first-down line and the continuous score box.Dr. Reiffel’s Telestrator eventually improved to let analysts use their fingers to sketch lines, circles and squiggles on a touch-screen monitor. It became an essential tool of onscreen sports production, along with instant replay, the electronic first-down line and the continuous score box.
Leonard Reiffel was born in Chicago on Sept. 30, 1927. His father, Carl, was a silversmith, and his mother, the former Sophie Miller, was a district superintendent in the Chicago public school system.Leonard Reiffel was born in Chicago on Sept. 30, 1927. His father, Carl, was a silversmith, and his mother, the former Sophie Miller, was a district superintendent in the Chicago public school system.
He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology. His doctorate from the same school was in electrical engineering and physics.He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology. His doctorate from the same school was in electrical engineering and physics.
He is survived by his second wife, the former Nancy Jeffers, and his sons, Evan and David. His first marriage ended in divorce.He is survived by his second wife, the former Nancy Jeffers, and his sons, Evan and David. His first marriage ended in divorce.
During his varied career, Dr. Reiffel worked for a year at the University of Chicago for the Nobel Prize-winning physicist Enrico Fermi; wrote a novel, “The Contaminant” (1978), about a biomedical attack by rogue American officers against the Soviet Union; delivered radio commentaries on science that won a Peabody Award; consulted for the Apollo program’s scientific staff; and ran a company that developed teleconferencing products.During his varied career, Dr. Reiffel worked for a year at the University of Chicago for the Nobel Prize-winning physicist Enrico Fermi; wrote a novel, “The Contaminant” (1978), about a biomedical attack by rogue American officers against the Soviet Union; delivered radio commentaries on science that won a Peabody Award; consulted for the Apollo program’s scientific staff; and ran a company that developed teleconferencing products.
But the work he did at Project A119, where his hypothesizing yielded no tangible results, remains a Strangelovian reminder of Cold War tensions. In 2000, he recalled in the journal Nature when he and the others on his staff were asked to assess how the lunar surface and its chemistry would react to a nuclear bomb.But the work he did at Project A119, where his hypothesizing yielded no tangible results, remains a Strangelovian reminder of Cold War tensions. In 2000, he recalled in the journal Nature when he and the others on his staff were asked to assess how the lunar surface and its chemistry would react to a nuclear bomb.
“The cost to science of destroying the pristine lunar environment,” he wrote, “did not seem of concern to our sponsors — but it certainly was to us, as I made clear at the time.”“The cost to science of destroying the pristine lunar environment,” he wrote, “did not seem of concern to our sponsors — but it certainly was to us, as I made clear at the time.”