There was also a Disney special about him I saw when I was very young, 1950? Not sure. You of course were right, I forgot they were talking about going to the moon back in the early 20th century. The amazing thing is we accomplished that less than 50 years later. And another 50 years on we nor anyone else on Earth have yet to duplicate that feat, granted, American and German scientists working together.
I guess Phillips had to eat crow then. Is he still alive? Nope, he didn't make it to century 21, died in 1990, age 68. Seems he was a general before he hit NASA. I wonder if he was boss when I was on Apollo tracking and timing in 1970.
That ignorance shows you how much of a tech grunt I was back then😉