Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-04-20
BY LILLIAN LEVY
Special writer for The star

Special writer Tor The star
Much attention has been TO-
cuscd recently on Zero-G or
welghtlessness, as the big barrier
10 manned space travel. But OF
even greater Importance. though
less publiciZed are the problems
OF human logistics that will occur
within the space cabin when man
sets out for outer space.
Manned space travel cannot
succeed unless the space cabin IS
equipped TO supply, for the dura-
ton Of the flight. mans basic
needs-a!r TO breathe. food TO
cat, fresh water % drink, and
equipment for disposal OF body
wastes. These requirements make
II clear why experts in space med
icine call the space cabin a tie
rella"-a synthetic little Earth"
The difficulties in meeting the
needs listed are magnified as the
length Of the space journey is
increased. Conventional means OF
storage and supply for prolonged
space travel would so increase the
size and weight OF the space ship
as 10 make fight virtually i'm
possible. Conservation of weight
and space is OF critical Importance
IN view of the fantastic amount OF
energy required TO launch even a
small satellite. Colonel Paul A.
Campbell. Special Assistant to the
Commander for Medical Research
Of the Air Force Office of Scien-
tific Research, a pioneer in the
field OF space travel logisticS, es-
timated that on the basis of the
ICY satellites 1t may take approx
mately half a ton of fuel and
structure for each pound of ma
terial launched into space.
Short Trip No Problem
Experiments and tests for the
past several years in the 100 cubic
foot Space Cabin Simulator at the
School of Aviation Medicine, RAN
dolph Air Force Base, Texas, show
that the weight and space needs
involved III taking a human pas
senger to the moon and back. a
trip of about 10 days, can be met.
This was confirmed by the ex-
pertinent in which Airman Far
rell of the USAF was confined for
a week in the Space Cabin Simula-
tor under conditions of actual
space travel except for Zero
G.
But what Of prolonged travel in
the space frontier say for weeks
or months? 1t is estimated that
a round trip from Earth to Ven-
us would take 292 days or approxi-
mately AZ weeks. The fresh water
required by one man for drink
ing. cooking and washing for a
week would take up one cubic foot
OF space. A cubic foot of water
weighs 624 pounds. Thus. Suffi-
cient water for a round trip to
Venus would weigh 2,6208 pounds.
well over a ton. and take up AZ
cubic feet. nearly half the volume
OF the l00-cubic-foot Simulator
occupied by Airman Farrell. If
to this is added the weight and
space needed to carry a 42-week
supply of food. oxygen. waste dis
poSal equipment. navigation and
recording instruments. and the
weight of the pilot. the barrier to
manned space travel to Venus and
back seems to be insurmountable.
Can these problems be solved?
Space experts and specialists in
aviation medicine agree with DR..
Hubertus Strughold. adviser for
research at the School of Aviation
Medicine, Randolph Air Force
Base, that the most practical So
luton to this major problem is
that man in space be sustained
by the use Of special equipment
continuously functioning to re-
cycle or reutilize all body wastes
solids, liquids and gases. This is
what occurs in nature on earth.
Thus, plants need the carbon diox-
ide which man expires as part of
the waste of his metabolic proc
esSes: and man, in turn, gets life
sustaining oxygen from plants as
part of their waste In growth.
Plants Are the Key
The mutual support between
plants and animals prompted DR..
James Gaume, chief of space
medicine for the Martin Co, to