South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-05-05
New Super-ROckets
May Help to Ex-
plOre Space

WASHINGTON, ID. Q. May g.
First test Of working r1odels OF
Pocket apparatus BIZ which Prof
Robert II Goddard hopes to reach
attitudes above the earth's air en-
NelOpe and even the moon. Will be
made at Worcester. Mass, late in
July or In August Il is announced
g. a bulletin from the National Ge-
ographic Society's Washington head
quarters
Should Prof Goddard's theory
prove worka bIes5y his demoustra-
lions al that tirae," the bulletin
states. "the event may rank in the
history OF a new = .per-aviatiOn sci
0nce, as vet unnamed, along with
The trial flights Of the late Prof.
Samuel p. Laugleys flying ma
chimes
But while the world ridiculed
Langley. and for time regarded
Bells telephone and MOrse's tele-
graph as mere playthings our amaz-
ing strides In invention have created
an opened minded attitude toward
adventures IN ingenuity so that the
Goddard experiments are being
awaited with keen interest.
Gets Wide Publicity.
wide publicity has been given
che speculations concerning whether
Prof. Goddard's device may be pro-
Jected 20 the moon; and while he
holds that such a development is not
impossible, Il is one of the less prac-
4ical aspects Of the device. More
immediate possibilities which Prof.
Goddard holds forth include the
study OF the aurora; Of the short
wave lengths IN the spectrum OF the
sun which are entirely ab@orbed by
the air; and. at more moderate alti-
tudes, measurements OF wind velo-
city, humidity. temperature and pres
sure. all Of which enter into weather
forecasting
while the penetration Of the up
per air where there is supposed 10
exist a gas unknown on the lower
aerial levels; the protection OF
rocket beyOGd the worlds atmos-
phere and perhaps its direction TO
other planets; all offer a field Of
speculation outrivaling the pure ro-
mances OF Jules Verne or II. g.
Wells, the basic principles of the ap-
paratus. like those underlying most
Inventions, are simple.
Briefly. Prof. Goddard's theory
as this: The best rocket which could
be imagined is one I'm which all
heat energy of the powder could be
converted. on burning, into energy
Of motion In addition this ideal
rocket would consist chiefly Of this
propelling material, or powder. With
a rocket of this sort IL is evident that
very great ranges would be obtain
able with a comparatively small
initial mass Of rocket.
To Install High Powered Engine.
"fn the case of the ordinary rock
ct neither of thsse conditions is
REALIZED, as only Oue-fifueth Of the
energy OF the power is converted. on
burning into energy OF motion.
Furthermore the powder constitutes
but one-fifth the total mass Of rock
ct So far the problem is TO strip
the rockets body and iussll the
highest powered engine possible. as
one would in n racing automobile.
Experiments already performed
demonstrate that as much as two
thirds Of the heat energy Of the
powder used can be converted into
energy of motion of gases. as COM
pared with a previous efficiency or
but two percent.
''As regards the second point
namely, the possibility Of using
large proportion OF the weight OF
the rocket as ropellant-enough al
ready has been done "a show that
successive charges Of propellant
may be fired in the same cOmbus-
ton chamber and experiments IN
progress are for the purpose OF fir
ing d comparatively large number
OF charges In succession in this way
For extremely great attitudes a
series OF secondary rockets or rock
cts within rockets. acnng on the
same principle might be utilized.
"In working out the application
OF these principles Prof. Goddard
has employed nozzle TO obtain the
greatest force possible from the
combustion Cor explosion); a re-
loading device whereby the cXplO-
sive material is used a little at a
time; and the employment Of a
secondary rocket. similar 10 the first
when extreme attitudes are to be
achieved.
Gun Principle Employed.
Herein. 10 IS apparent the prin-
ciple OF the hong range gun is en-
ployed: and effort is made 10 avoid
the tremendous initial shock. such
as occurs with an ordinary gun, by
substituting a succession Of eNplo-
sions. One practical advantage OF
that course is 90 enable the rocket
90 carry with IL instruments by