The purpose of this paper is to heighten awareness within the space history community of the contributions of Luigi Gussalli, an Italian inventor and spaceflight visionary

Ciancone, Michael L.

Rubagotti, Diana Montta

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NASA Johnson Space Center
IAC-02-IAA.2.P.01
Luigi Gussalli — Italian Spaceflight Visionary
Michael L. Ciancone
NASA Johnson Space Center
Diana Motta Rubac otti
Fondazione Civility Bresciana
53"d International Astronautical Congress
The World Space Congress — 2002
10-19 Oct 2002/Houston, Texas
For permission to copy or republish, contact the
International Astronautical Federation, 3-5 Rue Mario-Nikis, 75015 Paris, France
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20100036767 2019-08-30T12:46:18+00:00Z
LUIGI GUSSALLI
Italian Spaceflight Visionary
(1885-1950)
Michael Ciancone t and Diana Motta Rubagotti''
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to heighten awareness within the space history community of the contributions
of Luigi Gussalli, an Italian inventor and spaceflight visionary.
' NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas 77058, USA <amorea@prodigy.netb
2 Fondazione Civility Bresciana, 25122 Brescia, Italy <dianamot@tin.ib
Introduction
Luigi Gussalli was a solitary inventor and
spaceflight visionary. His most enduring legacy
is his primacy as the author of the first Italian
book of speculative non-fiction on human
spaceflight in which he proposes the use of his
"double-reaction" motor for interplanetary
spaceflight. He refined his ideas in later books
and introduced the idea of using solar radiation
for powering the motor and as a direct means of
interplanetary propulsion. Although
contemporaries acknowledged his passion and
imagination, they were almost universally
critical of the technical soundness and
practicality of his ideas. Nonetheless, the
infusion of new ideas was certainly a useful
stimulus in the developing field of astronautics.
School of Glons-Liege, Belgium in 1909 with a
degree in Industrial Engineering.
[insert photo of LG]
In May 1915, Gussalli enlisted in the Italian
Army as a volunteer driver (Second Lieutenant).
He was initially assigned to the 9 1h Fortress
Artillery Regiment (no longer as a volunteer),
which was active in areas of hostility. However,
he requested a transfer to a less active zone and
was reassigned to Dell'Erra Foundry in Novara
and the Wenviller Works in Romagnano Sesia
where he carried the title of "engineer" and was
involved in the development of different types of
grenades and a prototype assault tank. Gussalli
eventaully attained the rank of Captain.
Inventions
The Fondazione Civilit y Bresciana, Brescia, Italy
(directed by Monsignor Antonio Fappani)
maintains the Gussalli archives, which are
available for scholarly research. The Fondazione
Civilita Bresciana recently published Luigi
Gussalli — pionere Bello spazio (Brescia, 2002),
edited by Giovanni Caprara. 3 The book includes
reprints of Gussalli's published works, with
English translations, as well as articles
discussing the life and work of Gussalli.° This
paper makes generous use of information
provided by the Fondazione Civilit y Bresciana.
Special thanks to Mrs. Mirella Ughi Corda for
her recollections as a family friend and secretary
to Gussalli during the last ten years of his life.
The Life of Luigi Gussalli
Luigi Gussalli was born in Bologna, Italy, on
December 18, 1885, to Odoardo Gussalli and
Adele Rosetti. He spent his youth in the town of
Brescia, where he later conducted most of his
study and research. Gussalli studied physical
sciences and math at the Engineering Faculty of
Parma (Italy) and physics at the University of
Pavia before graduating from the Polytechnic
3 Editrice "Fondazione Civilit y
 Bresciana", via S. Giuseppe
5, Brescia, Italy 25122 <info@civilta-bresciana.it >
' These articles, with partial English translations, are "The
Ideas, Accomplishments, and Projects of Luigi Gussalli, the
First Italian Pioneer of Astronautics" by Giovanni Caprara;
"Luigi Gussalli, a Life Between Imagination and
Technology" by Diana Motta Rubagotti; and "Luigi
Gussali, Inventor — From the 'Ippomobile' to the Assault
Tank; From Stereoscopy to the Stratospheric Airship" by
Franco Ragni.
Gussalli was an innovator in many fields.
Although his ideas were plentiful, he failed to
meet with much success in developing these
ideas into practical applications. Among his
inventions were the following concepts, some of
which resulted in prototype hardware, while
others never left the drawing board:
— a form of mobile advertising, in which ads
placed on public transport would
automatically and regularly change
— rifle silencers, which Gussalli claimed to
have constructed and tested in 1907
— the "ippomobile," a horse-powered cart in
which a horse, fitted with rubber shoes, ran
on a treadmill inside the cart, which in turn
provided locomotive power to the vehicle; a
prototype was built in 1910 and publicly
exhibited, but never commercially
developed; Gussalli's 1923 book contains a
chapter on this invention
— a lounge sleigh that incorporated wheels on
a sleigh
— a snow sleigh powered by a motor-driven
propeller
— an assault tank that relied on a complicated
system of skates rather than caterpillar
tracks
— a rifle-launched grenade; Gussalli's 1923
book contains a chapter on this invention
— an amphibious automobile that employed
two engines (one for use on land, the other
for use in water) which never progressed
beyond concept
— a system for direct stereoscopic vision;
Gussalli's 1923 book contains a chapter on
this invention
— a perforated grill for sunbathing enclosures,
much like solar screens in use today, was
patented in the U.S. in 1928
— boat landing skates that would allow a boat
to land on the beach
— a stratospheric airship that would use a
solar thermal energy system for propulsion
— a system for neutralizing magnetic mites
(insert photo of ippomobileI
Gussalli participated in a number of international
exhibitions. In September 1923, he exhibited at
in the International Exposition of Inventions and
Industrial Progress in Torino, Italy. He also
exhibited at the Paris Fair of 1931 and displayed
photos of some of his inventions at the 3rd
International Patent Exposition in Philadelphia
(Feb 1932), the 4 `h International Patent
Exposition in New York (May 1932), and the
Chicago Worlds Fair Patent Show (June 1933).
He used these opportunities to present his work
on double-reaction motors, which he used in the
design of "the first rocket-automobile
constructed in the world (1912)."
Recognition of his work was not limited to
international venues. Gussalli was nominated
for the Knight of the Order of the Italian Crown
in 1933. In 1939, he received an award for
participating in the Exhibition of Leonardo da
Vinci and Italian Inventions.
His First Book
In 1923, Gussalli wrote Si pub gia tentare un
viaggio dally terra alla tuna? — Relazione di
esperienze eseguite coi propulsori a doppia
reaziones [Is it now possible to attempt a voyage
from the Earth to the Moon? — results of
experiments conducted on double-reaction
propulsion]. In this booklet, which also covered
his work in other areas, Gussalli analyzes the
requirements for undertaking a manned trip to
the moon and back and proposes the use of a
double-reaction motor for propelling a vehicle
consisting of a series of smaller vehicles
[essentially, a multi-stage rocket]. The last
vehicle of this "rocket train" would contain the
s Milano: Society
 Editrice Libraria, 1923. In Italian. A rough
English translation appeared in Quest — The History of
Spaceflight Magazine, Spring, 1995, pp. 30-34.
crewmembers and the propellant needed for the
return to Earth. Gussalli also addresses the
logistical needs of the crewmembers (e.g., food,
oxygen, and thermal environment) and suggested
that the vehicle be rotated about its axis to
generate a gravitational environment.
[insert image of book cover]
In this book, Gussalli proposes using a rocket
engine system that incorporated a "double-
reaction motor" to augment the thrust from the
high-speed exhaust of a rocket. He apparently
conceived this idea in 1912 since he refers to it
as the "Gussalli 1912 System." The exhaust
from a rocket would be directed onto the blades
of a turbine which, driven by its own
independent motor, would provide
supplementary energy to the rocket thrust.
Gussalli attempted to demonstrate the feasibility
of this approach using a steam generator and a
steam-driven turbine mounted on the chassis of a
motorcar, but he encountered problems during
testing that caused the turbine to perform
inefficiently and limited the results of his tests.
(insert image of double-reaction motor]
(insert photo of test setup]
Gussalli had difficulty getting his book
published. He was initially rejected by a number
of publishers before the Society Editrice Libraria
agreed to publish, provided it was done at the
author's expense. This was similar to the
experience of Hermann Oberth and David Lasser
when they attempted to publish their first books
in Germany and the U.S., respectively. 6 7
Gussalli was unsuccessful in subsequent efforts
to publish his book in Germany.
He sent copies of his book to other researchers
around the world, including Nicolai Rynin
(Russia), Guido von Pirquet (Austria) and Robert
Esnault-Pelterie (France). 8 Esnault-Pelterie
provided Gussalli with a detailed analysis of his
proposal, which he later included in his
encyclopedic work L'Astronautique. 9 Although
6 Die Rakete zu den Plane tenrdumen (Munich: Oldenbourg,
1923). In German.
7 The Conquest of Space (NY: Penguin, 1931). This was the
first technical book in English on the use of rockets for
spaceflight.
8 Gussalli was obviously aware of the work of Esnault-
Pelterie and Goddard, whom he references in his book
9 L'Astronmaique (Paris: L ahure, 1930), pp. 75-78.
4
II
_J
Esnault-Pelterie was critical of Gussalli's
proposal, he offered regrets and indicated that
this should not detract from recognition of his
efforts. Rynin also mentions Gussalli's work in
his encyclopedic survey of rocketry and
spaceflight.10
The significance of Gussalli's book is that it
appeared the same year as Oberth's book, which
is regarded as one of the first technical books of
speculative non-fiction on human spaceflight.
Other Publications on Rocketry and Space
Travel
In 1930, Gussalli presented a report to the XIX
Congress of the Italian Society for the
Advancement of Science on "Astronautica e
propulsori a reazione" [Space travel and rockets]
In this short report, Gussalli provides a
comparison between direct propulsion rockets
and his system using a double-reaction motor.
He also proposes establishing an International
Prize for Excellence in Astronautics. Professor
Carlo Ricci of the Reale Scuola d'Ingegneria in
Naples reviewed Gussalli's material but declined
to offer an opinion based on the absence of
details. He also reacted unfavorably to
Gussalli's proposal for an international prize.
This exchange led to a strained relationship
between Gussalli and the society.
Gussalli published an expanded version of this
report in 1941 as Proptdsori a reazione per
l'astronautica — La riduzione del consumo del
propulsori pub rendere possibile la navigazione
negli spazi intersiderali t i [Rockets for space
travel — the reduction of rocket fuel can render
possible the navigation of interstellar space] to
present his ideas concerning a more efficient
means of space travel. In this book, Gussalli
incorporates the double-reaction motor system in
the design of a spacecraft designated "Vehicle
for Space Travel Gussalli Mod. 1939" and
presents his case for using the thermal effects of
solar radiation as a power source for the
auxiliary engine of the double-reaction motor to
address earlier criticisms of the system design
and operation. He also includes sections to
10 Rynin, N.A., Interplanetary Flight and Communication,
Vol. 11, No. 4, "Rockets," pp. 74-76. Translated from
Russian and published by NASA in 1971 as NASA TT F-
643. Original Russian edition published in 1929.
Brescia: Editore Giulio Vannini, 1941. In Italian.
address criticisms offered by Oberth and
Esnault-Pelterie.12
[insert image of book cover]
In 1946, Gussalli elaborated on this proposal in 1
viaggi interplanetari per mezzo delle radiazioni
solari — L'abolizione del consumo dei propulsori
pub rendere possibile la navigazione negli spazi
interplanetari 13 [Interplanetary travel by means
of solar radiation — the elimination of rocket fuel
can render possible the navigation of interstellar
space], which was published with a rough
English translation to make it more accessible to
international researchers. In this book, Gussalli
further modifies his spacecraft design, now
designated the "Gussalli 1946 System," to use
the pressure effects of solar radiation acting on
astral dust for interplanetary travel — this dust
would be strategically placed in space through
the use of rockets similar to the V-2. Gussalli
also proposes the use of aerobraking to allow for
spacecraft re-entry to Earth. He concludes that a
spaceship using this type of propulsion would
not need to be launched with the fuel necessary
for interplanetary travel.
[insert image of spacecraft]
Correspondence
Much of Gussalli's correspondence from the late
1930s through the 1940s reflects his attempts to
interest individuals and institutions in
establishing cooperative efforts for developing
his interplanetary propulsion concept. 14
Gussalli wrote to Willy Ley in 1939 with such a
request, 15 while also acknowledging the difficult
world situation, especially in Europe. Ley
suggested that Gussalli contact the American
Rocket Society (ARS), which he did. Alfred
Africano of the ARS responded with a skeptical
assessment of Gussalli's proposal and declined
to have the ARS participate in any joint
12 He also mentions his correspondence with Esnault-Pelterie,
Oberth, von Pirquet, Rynin, Goddard, and Ley.
13 Brescia: Editore Giulio Vannini, 1946. In Italian, along
with a rough English translation by Jeanne Wiest.
14 Interestingly, there does not seem to have been any written
communication with Prof. Gaetano Crocco of the
University of Rome, who was involved with rocket
research in Italy in the 1930s.
15 Letter to Willy Ley, originally sent to Ley in Berlin (29
Aug 1939) and in a much lengthier letter to him in New
York (18 Oct 1939). The latter seems to be in response to
a letter from Ley dated 27 Sep 1939.
development efforts since rocket developments
were of "immediate and practical importance."
Gussalli made a similar request to Robert
Goddard, 16 to which Goddard replied that, as far
as he was aware, "no aviation company in the
United States ... is at all interested in
interplanetary tests and developments." Gussalli
also sent the latest information on his projects to
Hermann Oberth 17 and proposed a cooperative
effort with German researchers. In his response,
Oberth apologetically indicated his belief that
there were fundamental errors in Gussalli's
calculations.
Gussalli's correspondence, particularly with U.S.
researchers, understandably ceased until after the
end of hostilities. Following the war, Gussalli
contacted a number of U.S. institutions,
including the Mellon Institute of Industrial
Research, the Smithsonian Institute, Los Alamos
Laboratories, the American Association of
Engineers, Washington University, the Institute
Of Aeronautical Sciences, and the Chrysler
Corporation, in the hope of attracting their
interest. However, his proposals were generally
not well received. 18 19
Much of Gussalli's other post-war
correspondence reflects his efforts to refute
criticism of his idea for using solar radiation as
propulsion technique. 20 21 He prepared and
distributed several (unpublished) appendices to
6 Letter to Robert H. Goddard, November 11, 1939 —
contains a 14-page report in English, with accompanying
figures.
" Von Pirquet had provided Oberth's address, apparently
without Oberth's knowledge or permission. Oberth
requested that Gussalli not reveal his address to anyone —
he was obviously uncomfortable with public knowledge of
his whereabouts.
$ Letter from J.W. Crowley, Associate Director of
Aeronautical Research, N.A.C.A., in response to a request
from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of
Technical Services for a technical evaluation, and
recommending that no further consideration be given to
Gussalli's proposal.
19 Letter from Jack R. Bloom, U.S. Department of
Commerce, Office of Technical Services, to Gussalli, June
18, 1947, indicating that the military authorities had no
interest in his proposal. In Italian.
20 "Journal of the British Interplanetary Society," Vol. 6, No.
5 (June 1947), pp. 140-141 — critical reference to Gussalli
proposal in an assessment of propulsion techniques by
A.V. Cleaver. Gussalli subsequently sent a letter (dated
27 Dec 1947) to Mssrs. Carter and Burgess of the British
Interplanetary Society in response to the Cleaver article.
21 
"Journal of the British Interplanetary Society," Vol. 7, No.
3 (May 1948), pp. 117-119 — summarizes a report by R.L.
Shepherd critical of Gussalli's proposal. Mr. Shepherd
provided the details of his analysis to Gussalli in a private
communication, dated May 24, 1948.
his book in an attempt to clarify and elaborate on
his proposed scheme, but he does not appear,
however, to have taken criticism well and this
perhaps hampered his ability to effectively
develop and market his ideas.
The Final Chapter
Gussalli remained a solitary figure throughout
his life 22 , preferring to work alone. Z3 He spent
the last years of his life near Lake Garda in
Barbarano di Sa16 (Brescia), Italy, but his health
was continually undermined by a chronic illness
that eventually led to his death on June 23, 1950.
In 1962, a plaque was placed on Gussalli's
former home in Brescia to commemorate his
contributions to spaceflight. 24
[insert image of plaque[
Giovanni Caprara began to study the work of
Gussalli in 1969. During his research, he
contacted Wernher von Braun at the NASA
Marshall Spaceflight Center in Huntsville,
Alabama, to solicit von Braun's assessment of
Gussalli's proposal for using solar radiation as a
means of interplanetary propulsion. Von Braun
responded that "this concept would not be a
promising one as far as interplanetary travel is
concerned." Zs Caprara has continued his
research and works closely with the Fondazione
Civility Bresciana in reviewing and collating the
material in the Gussalli archives. zb
22 He never married and had no children. It is interesting to
note that Ugo Gussalli Beretta, the president of the world-
renowned firearms company Beretta S.P.A. , is the son of
Luigi Gussalli's cousin., Franco Gussalli and his wife
Giuseppina Beretta. Ugo Gussalli Beretta took his
mothers surname to continue the family dynasty since
there were no male heirs on his mothers side of the family
to carry the family name. The Beretta family has been
very supportive of efforts to publicize the work of Luigi
Gussalli.
23 He was a landowner and apparently self-sufficient.
24 Ricordo di Luigi Gussalli — Pioniere degh studi
asvronautiei (Brescia, 1962). In Italian.
25 Letter to Caprara dated 3 June 1969 in response to
Caprara's letter of 28 Feb 1969.
26 
Ragni, Franco, "Un pioniere bresciano dell'astronautica —
Sfidare it cosmo su un missile a vapore" in Atlante
Bresciano, Number 48, Fall 1996, pp. 46-49. In Italian.


Luigi Gussalli - Italian Spaceflight Visionary

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