The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-04-11
-Dietz on Science
SPACE SHIP TO
SAIL ON SECOND
UNIVERSE TOUR
Millions of Miles to Be
Travelled in Dash
to Planet.

Travelled IN DdSn
to Planet.
BY DAVID DFETZ
soripps Howard Science Editor
Beyond the reach of the naked
eye. so far away that It can be seen
only with the aid Of the telescope
shines the planet Uranus.
For centuries. until the great
British astronomer, Sir William
Herschel, swept the heavens with
his gigantic telescope, mankind was
unaware of its existence. We have
chosen this far-off world as the first
stopping place upon our secono
rocket journey into space.
The hour is past midnight and the
city is asleep as we hurry into our
automobile and head for the air
port. The hum of our engine dis
turbs the eerie quiet of the de
serted downtown area as we speed
by darkened stores and theaters.
A policeman, who has stopped on
his rounds to chat with a night
Waterman in the dimly-lighted en-
trance-way of an office building
swings slowly on his heels to Watcn
us go by.
Rocket Ship Ready
Somewhere in that dark bowl of
sparkling gems in the heavens, we
reflect, hangs a sea green world, the
planet Uranus. Soon we Will be on
our way to it, a journey of more
than a billion and a half miles Al
though our rocket makes 100000
miles an hour, it will take us a week
to get there.
At last we have reached the air
port. We stop in front of the ad-
ministration building and go in to
pay our respects to the night dis
patCher.
A couple Of porters are browsing
on the benches in the ante-room,
their slumber contrasting sharply
with the alertness of the radio
operator at his instruments.
Our rocket ship is waiting in the
far corner Of the field Bright lights
shine from the glass covered port
holes of the ship, outlining it against
trees and sky.
Door Is Alright
The ship, In appearance, is a
cross between a Zeppelin and a
lake excursion boat, but with many
features distinctly its own. Built
of shining duralumin, the steel-like
alloy of aluminium, it is shaped
somewhat like a dirigible. But its
lines are straighter. The ship is
about as tall as a two-story house
and about 200 feet long.
We enter the rocket ship by
means of a circular door set in the
side of the ship toward the rear.
This door is unusually massive and
reminds us of the door Of a safe
When closed it makes an alright
fight. This is extremely important,
for out in space we are dependent
upon the air within the ship
At the rear of the ships first deck
are the machine shops and fuel
storage tanks. The forward end is
given over to a commodious OBJ
servation and smoking salon. Most
of the floor of this salon is made of
heavy plate glass, for when we are
out in space we want a view CT the
wonders below us.
Carries Laboratory.
Our observation salon is pleasing
lV decorated in green and gold.
There are comfortable davenportS
and easy chairs. also writing desks
and small tables suitable for bridge.
Were it not for the glass floor we
might imagine ourselves in the
smoking salon of boat.
A narrow staircase takes us to the
second deck. The forward end is
given over to scientific laboratory.
Here are delicate scientific instru-
ments of all sorts, microscopes and
the apparatus needed for making
chemical analyses.
We may wish to sample the at
mosphere of a distant planet or
analyze the plant life, should we
find any.
The engine room is at the rear
end of this deck Between the lab
oratory and the engine room runs
a long corridor. Twelve StaterComs
open off either side of this corridor
Engines Nearly Noiseless
Fortunately, the engines are al
most noiselesS and Enclosed within
Sound-proof walls, otherwise the To-
cation of the StateroOmS might be
unfortunate. The interior of each
stateroom reminds us of similar
rooms on ocean liners.
Another stairway takes us to the
top deck. On this deck, from rear
to front, we find the crews quar-
tiers, the cooks galley, the dining
salon, the chart rooms and the
bridge, or control room.
The bridge, in the very nose of the
ship, is glaSS-incloSed on top. front
and sides. When we get going
100000 miles an hour We want a
clear view in all directions.
Our chart room is equipped with a
well-stocked astronomical library.
We have maps of the moon, charts
of the solar system and many math-
ematical tables to help us keep
track of asteroids and comets. as
we'll as the planets themselves.