1950-07-01 — Page 3

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, SATURDAY, JULY 1, 1950.

MEN ON THE MOON

This is the crater Harpalus on the moon, recreated in Hollywood for the semi-documentary Eagle-Lion film Destination Moon. It follows scientifically a painting made by artist Chesley Bonestell from telescopic photos taken at Mt. Wilson Observatory.

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NË of man's most ambitious dreams-a trip to the moon and back-may no longer be con- sidered an idle one. Scientists and rocket experts. following experiments with improved versions of captured Nazi V-2's, believe that flights in space— 15,000 miles up and higher-are not far off. "In spite of scolfers," says Brig. Gen. Harry G. Arm- strong, commandant of the school of Aviation Medi-

cine at Randolph Field, Texas. "space flight is nearly here and we've got to be ready for it. Space craft must essentially be adapted for the crews that will man them. Space medicine has the job of de- termining what conditions men will meet and what requirements the engineers must fulfill."

One of the chief problems crews would encounter on the way to the moon would be that of reduced

gravity. People rocketing through space would be. literally weightless It would be impossible to drink from a cup since there would be no weight to keep the liquid inside a container A pump would be, needed to push the liquid into the mouth. A space flyer would have to chain himself to some part of, the craft. If he didn't, any movement would send him floating through the air in the ship.

SPACE SHIPS of the future will have upholstered troughs instead of flat bunks for sleeping Crewmen who fall to strap themselves in will float around upon moving.

ON A HUGE SOUND STAGE, a ßfilm crew prepares to photograph a scene on the "moon." The set is 193 feet long by 100 feet wide and is surrounded by a velvet

backdrop, hung in a semi-circle, 393 feet long. In front of this, to simulate a starry sky. 2,500 outo headlight bulbs were strung on invisible wire.

DRAPES OF BLACK VELVET and wires invisible to the camera made

it possible for actors to "float in space." After landing on the moon, moon's gravitational pull is just about one-sixth that on the earth.

scientists say, men could carry heavy equipment with case for the

SPECIALLY-CONSTRUCTED AIR SUITS would help men to breathe on the moon. Some scientists believe it pos- sible that first explorers of moon could seal up a cave, fill it with manufactured air and prolong their stay,