Astrochicken and Counts of Falkenstein (Rhineland-Palatinate): Difference between pages

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The '''Count's of Falkenstein''', were German nobility named after the [[Burg Falkenstein (Donnersberg)|'''Burg Falkenstein''']] at [[Donnersbergkreis|Donnersberg]] in what is now the [[Rhineland-Palatinate]].

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In 1255 the family inherited by marriage land from the Count's of '''Hagen-Münzenberg'''. In this manner they came to be established in the [[Frankfurt Rhein-Main Region]]. At '''[[Königstein im Taunus]]''' they built their new Castle '''[[Burg Falkenstein (Taunus)|Burg (Neu-)Falkenstein]]'''.

[[Freeman Dyson]], the nobel laureate, decided to give the name '''Astrochicken''' for a very cool concept he dreamt and talked about. Dyson promoted the idea of smaller and smarter [[rocket]]s that could be mass produced and launched cheaply instead of expensive one shot projects. Dyson remarked, ''"I do not believe that a fruitful future for space science lies along the path we are now following, with space missions growing larger and larger and fewer and fewer and slower and slower as decades go by..."'' in the book [[Infinite In All Directions]]

The Falkenstein's als inherited the town of [[Offenbach am Main]] from the Count of Münzenberg. They leased the town to the neighbouring town of [[Frankfurt am Main]] for 1,000 [[Gulden]].

Astrochicken, Dyson explained, is a one kilogram [[spacecraft]] that is unlike any other. Astrochicken would be a creation of the intersection of biology, [[artificial intelligence]] and modern microelectronics - a symbiosis of plant and animal and electronic components. Astrochicken will be launched by a conventional spacecraft into space at which point it is akin to the egg being laid into space. Astrochicken would then hatch and start growing a solar energy collector. The solar collector would feed a [[ion drive]] engine that will power the craft. Once the Astrochicken enters a planet's vicinity, say Uranus, it will feed on the moons and rings of the planet taking in necessary nutrients. It can land and take off using an auxiliary chemical rocket similar to [[Bombardier Beetles]]. Now and then when it is in radio contact with earth the chicken can call home and transmit its adventures.

Count [[Werner von Falkenstein|Werner III. von Falkenstein]] († 1418) was [[Archbishop of Trier]] from 1388 until his death in 1418. He is remembered for his provokation against the people of Frankfurt by developing rivalry with that town and Offenbach.

The Falkenstein male line died out with the death of Werner III. in 1418. Their landed estates were inherited by '''[[Herren von Eppstein]]''' family as well as the Counts von Solms.

[[Category:German_Nobility]]

[[Category:Taunus]]