Moiety of a Gingerbread Man: A Rocket Scientist's Memoir

You might know the old adage - "Curiosity almost blew the cat's eye out." Is that how it went? Moiety of a Gingerbread Man follows Larry Wm. Carlson's story as he went from poor Minnesotan boy to prominent engineer and rocket scientist for NASA, Rocketdyne, National Bureau of Standards and Argonne National Labs. With insights into the shady dealings and stupidity behind the scenes at some of America's biggest aerospace operations and historical events (Apollo missions, Reagan at Reykjavík, Star Wars, Three Mile Island, Carter's DOE, the dawn of the computer era), Moiety relates a lifetime's worth of lessons and knowledge that refutes lies told to the public. Select chapters feature descriptions of experiments and projects throughout Carlson's 40-year career, including development of the United States' first chemical laser weapons systems (MIRCLE, design influence on ALPHA, Star Wars mainstay weapon system), sodium cooled nuclear reactors, Magnetohydrodynamics and Experimental Breeder Reactor facilities, NutraSweet production increase, and others. Defining memories and curious vignettes from Carlson's personal life offer advice and heed warnings. A father's advice led to a vocation. A childhood folly led to a lifetime disability. A disability led to a door. History, science, and even mysticism come together in this memoir of a man who could conceptualize, design, and build massive nuclear test facilities, but never quite keep his mouth shut. A thermodynamicist in the 1960s-80s with seven patents, Carlson leaves his unfinished invention literature open to his readers. Additional topics covered: Space shuttle engine injector testing Bell Aerospace Lunar Ascent engine GE Vulcan 20mm Gatling gun Point Mugu jet fighter cold test facility San Nicolas Island hypersonic wind tunnel Sonobuoys in the Cold War Corruption in government institutions Copper mining industry Chemical high-power lasers EBR-1 and EBR-II, EBR-II Superheater Bypass Insight into what really happened at Three Mile Island, then comparisons with Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster and Chernobyl Sewage Aerator designs Searle Pharmaceuticals Rocketdyne ANL North American Swatcha patent Power Squadron United States and Russia/Soviet Union MHD collaborations MHD 1 and MHD II Coal facility Sundstrand's space station solar collector Solid oxide fuel cell Nuclear rockets Carter's failed DOE program in Caguas, Puerto Rico Arachnoiditis Open, unpatented inventions ideas for entrepreneurs and business The Falcon and the Snowman Christopher Boyce book by Robert Lindsey and film by John Schlesinger Special thanks to Melanie Lech and Eris Hyrkas