Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-08

exceeds that of a running horse by factor Of
q dozen or so. The speed of q space cruiser
Of the future win exceed that Of the fastest
airplane of the present In about the same ratio
as the airplane's speed exceeds that Of o run
ming man."
THE power developed by a space cruiser win
exceed that developed by the greatest gen
Grating plants Of the present in about the same
ratio as the power Of these present plants ex-
ceeds that exerted by single horse. Prof. Stew
art believes. Continuing, he says:
TN the year 1900 only animal speeds ana
energies were available for transportation; the
great increases achieved by mechanical means
have come about since then. If the same rates
of increase are maintained in the future. flights
to the moon viii be practicable by the year
2O50 Call this an educated guess The prob
abilities are that speeds and powers VIII In
crease even more rapidly during the next CEN
fury than during the one that is past. For
the number OF active scientists, engineers and
inventors win be augmented, and their equip
ment viii be improved. Few people realize what
might well be called the political Importance
of the logarithm.' Our mechanical equipment
is increasing, not automatically, but geometri-
cally, with the passage of the years.
Trips to the moon for centuries have been 8
subject of fanciful literature. The first one on
record was described in the second century by
Lucian of Samosata which has been translated
by A. M. Harmon, former instructor in classics
at Princeton. LucianS voyagers flew in an or
binary sailing Ship after being projected high
above the Western Ocean by great waterspout..
Other adventures of the printed page scared
by other means They have been carried up on
swans, or in extraordinary balloons, by means
of some 'anti-gravity' devices, or in ships pro-
PEELED on the principle of the rocket.
The rocket method is the only one scien-
tifcally sound, and until vastly more powerful
reservoirs of energy are available it will remain
only an unrealized theoretical possibility as far
as lunar flights are concerned" Prof. Stewart
says.
I'VE of this limited year are prevented from
experiencing the delights and hardships Of hy-
ing about in space in the immediate astronomi.
cal neighborhood of our terrestrial home.
Nevertheless We may anticipate some Of the
events OF trip to the moon which may be
undertaken by our grandsonS of several degrees
OF greatness. Imagine a ship built In the form
Of q large metal sphere, ITO feet In diameter,
weighing 10000 metric tons. A dozen or more
huge cannon symmetrically arranged, pro-
trude slightly from the hull When given
cannon is fired the reaction forces the ship in
the opposite direction. Propulsion, braking and
steering are accomplished by the same means.
The vessel is completely alright and provided
with heating and cooling devices Everything
necessary to sustain life during the voyage
would be included in the cargo"
THE use Of energy from solar radiation, the
power given off by the sun, was also held
tmpracticable because it would mean the em--
ployment Of huge sails" with areas of many
square miles to catch and utilize the radiation.
The scientist then explained the two great
drswbacks to q present-day rocket flight to the
moon Continuing his discussion of this phase
Of the possibility, the professor says: .
'The two serious limitations on the rocket
principle are: First, the shot must form .
large fraction Of the total mass II the ship Is
10 rise far and must be fired at high speed.
Second, even If the entire vessel were filled with
the most powerful fuel known at present. IL
would All be used up before enough energy had
been generated 20 lift the ship very high"
6ronvvi~hk. N0A0l