We all know and have recorded in our retinas the arrival of man on the Moon in July 1969 aboard Apollo XI, a great feat of the almighty USA. But few imagine that the race to space began years before: in 1936. And much further from the great American power: in Spain. What could be a story of achievements for our country begins with the engineer, Emilio Herrera, and his inventions (1). A man who came to gather a multitude of scientific and technical titles. He was named international aviation expert by the United Nations and came to hold the Presidency of the Republic in exile.
The beginnings of a genius. The origins of Emilio Herrera, the great engineer
From an early age, he became interested in science, and after unsuccessfully trying the university, he entered the Academy of Military Engineers of Guadalajara. There, Emilio Herrera demonstrated his capacity for science, especially for aeronautics. That made him become one of the pioneers in the field of space travel by becoming the inventor of the first space suit.
At that time, hot air balloon ascent tests were already being carried out, and Emilio Herrera was always aware of advances in this field. But the definitive step was taken when the balloon pilot Benito Molas died of suffocation upon reaching 11,200 meters altitude (2). This fact made our engineer devise a space suit that i could protect the pilot in its ascent and maintain suitable conditions to carry out your trip successfully.
Everything ready to fly into space: the greatest of Emilio Herrera’s inventions, the space suit
In 1936 everything was ready. Emilio Herrera had found the key to conquer the stratosphere. After many calculations he managed to invent what he called the “astronautical diving suit”. It was a space suit that had all the elements that these suits still incorporate today. So that it would not happen again as in 1928, the suit consisted of three layers that protected the body from the drop in temperatures, being able to maintain body temperature even if it reached -79ºC outside. The diving suit incorporated a microphone to communicate any problem and also special crystals to protect themselves from ultraviolet rays. In addition to other elements, such as a sophisticated breathing system.
According to his calculations, the suit was in perfect condition for reach 20,000-25,000 meters high (3) without the pilot suffering any damage. And he set out to test the invention (4). With what did he intend to reach such a height? Incredible as it may seem, with a open basket hot air balloon. And the one chosen for such a feat was the balloon Hispania.
A war that ended everything
But everything was devastated by him beginning of the Civil War that same summer of 1936. Emilio Herrera could not conquer space and all was lost; to Hispania, whose casing was used to make raincoats for the troops. That was the end of this whole adventure that had aroused interest and created great expectations in the aeronautical contexts of various countries (5).
The consequences of the war: exile
Emilio Herrera, faithful to the republichad to go into exile in France in 1939. And in this way the country once again lost a privileged mind, an engineering prodigy and a creator of inventions. Like so many other characters who ended up orphaning a country that had been a leader in science, culture, thought… And it is that our engineer was part of the Generation of 1914 (6), the one that included the scientists and intellectuals who They were betting on a modernization of Spain to compare it with the rest of Europe. As usually happens in these cases, the countries that welcomed these personalities did know how to see the potential they had and valued their work. And in the case of Emilio Herrera, was able to live during his exile in Paris from his patents and inventions(among others a flexiculator to solve mathematical functions and a double geographic projection system).
Work for NASA?
Even NASA proposed to work with them, but they did not get to understand each other well and the Spaniard declined the offer. According to what was reported in the press at the time, Emilio Herrera refused to work with NASA because they did not want to give in to his request: that after landing, along with the American flag, the Spanish flag should also be placed. This did not prevent the agency from recognizing his work. Even Neil Armstrong had a few words for the forerunner of the spacesuit and paid homage to him delivering some lunar rocks to his family (7). Unfortunately, Emilio Herrera, inventor of the space suit, could not see that arrival on the Moon, since he died two years before the arrival.
what could have been
What would have become of the fate of our country if the war had not thrown overboard that project of going up into the stratosphere in a space suit? Perhaps it would have been our flag that flew on the lunar surface, and perhaps we would have been recognized throughout the world for our feat. And yet, today we don’t even know who is hiding behind the name of Emilio Herrera Linares, the engineer who created inventions and the space suit.
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