The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1920-04-23
ENCOURAGEMENT authorized

ANNOUNCEMENT authorized
by the Smithsonian Institu-
tion that Prof. Robert H.
Goddard of Clark college
" n has invented and tested a
~ new type of multiple-charge,
IN N efficiency rocket of an en-
M y tirely new design, for ex-
plOring the unknown regions
OF the upper air, will recall the two
adventures in Jules verne's novel,
DE la Terre a la Lune" (1S65). OF
course "A Trip From the Earth to the
Moon" was literary joke, so to
speak, but 1t was no more so than
Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues
Under the Sea"-all Of which came
true few years later with the SUBJ
marine.
Then here is Maj II. w. Schroeder
Of Chicago. chief test pilot at Nc
Cook field, who flew up 10000 feet the
other day, said to be 5000 feet higher
than man ever assembled before He
says he's going higher next time.
Anyway. the claim is made for the
rocket that 1t will not only be pos
sible to send 1t to the layers of air
beyond the earth's atmosphere, but
even to the moon itself.
Briefly. the principle involved in
this latest space-demolishing marvel is
that of multiple discharge. The rocket
leaves the earth under force of an
explosion in the lowest Of series OF
chambers loaded with smokeless pow.
der. After reaching certain altitude
chamber No. is shot. giving impetus
for few more thousand feet upward
Then. at accurately timed and meas.
ured Intervals. there are further dis.
charges, which spur the rocket on its
way. The atmosphere surrounding the
earth extends outward about two hun
dred miles, while thus far the highest
level reached by recording instru
ments is 10 miles.
Rockets such as are used as signals
Of distress at sea have range of oaly
quarter of mile, with the highes
point of trajectory less than five hun
Hred feet. Their initial speed is ahou
1000 feet per second, while that O
Prof. Goddard records 5000 feet PEI
second. This, incidentally. is the mos
apid velocity In practical use. III,
muzzle velocity of projectiles. from
the greatest guns being only abou
900 feet per second.
The most important feature Of tn,
new device is that 1t includes a nozzle
constructed of the toughest steel
through which the gas is elected. Thi
concentrates the force, instead of It
being dissipated in the air, as in tn
old types.
It Is argued that when the rookie
energies from the earth's atmospher
vacuum will be encountered in tn
upper regions, in which explodin
gases Will lose their power of propu
sion. Experiments by Prof. Goddar
have demonstrated this feature is n
drawback. He fired his rocket in
tank from which the air was drawn
and found greater efficiency in tn
matter of propulsion than in the ali
The quantity Of powder required ha
been calculated. The experiments
takes one pound as his unit mass, an
to send this up l,22S,O0O feet g.
pounds are needed. and to reach b,
You'd the .arth's influence Of attractio
only 1914 pounds initial mass.
When once the influence Of graylt,
ton, or the earth's attraction, hs
been passed. the rocket theoretical
goes forward through space at un
form specd-through infinite space
and eternity. unless 1t should bump Il
head against some distant star, or el
counter flying meteor or body Of a
mosphere out somewhere In ether.
Naturally the curious will ask "Ho
are you going to know when you scol
a hit on Lunar Professor Goddal
has worked out this feature by expe