Destination Moon (1950)

Images from the production of "Destination Moon," 1950, from the photographers of LIFE magazine. With sets conceived by Chesley Bonestell, co-scripted by Robert Heinlein, it drew upon all resources available at the time to depict such a journey as accurately as possible.

Space Race

Space Race, originally uploaded by Space Commander.

Individual orientation in space, under zero gravity conditions, will demand superb physical conditioning and control. Completely weightless, the spaceman will lose all reference as to what constitutes an "up" and "down."

illustration by Fred L. Wolff
"Worlds in Space"
by Martin Caidin
published 1954

Special Interplanetary Issue

(The Mystery of Other Worlds Revealed, 1952)

Space Travel

illustration by John Polgreen
from Adventure in Space: Space Travel
by Willy Ley, 1957

Rockets, Jets, Guided Missiles and Space Ships

Illustrations by Jack Coggins
from Rockets, Jets, Guided Missiles and Space Ships
by Jack Coggins and Fletcher Pratt
1951

Can Man Explore the Moon?

"here, a famous artist shows his idea of the equipment needed for moon exploration."

From the Natural Museum of Natural History: a painting by A. Leydenfrost
(The Mystery of Other Worlds Revealed, 1952)

Moon Landing Under Earthlight

artist thomas voter's conception of a moon landing is shown, inset against actual photo of moon. note size of earth.

from The Mystery of Other Worlds Revealed, Fawcett Books, 1952

The Collier's Space Flight Series

For the early part of the decade a series of stories featured in eight issues of Colliers, penned by the brightest rocket scientists of the day and brilliantly illustrated by Chesley Bonestell, sparked the imagination of the American public. For a summary of the Colliers series of articles concerning the possibilities of manned spaceflight, launch: The Ugly Spaceship.

Man Will Conquer Space Soon (March 22, 1952)

Man on the Moon/The Journey/Inside the Moon Ship (Oct 18, 1952)

(not featured on cover)
Man on the Moon/Inside the Lunar Base (Oct 25, 1952)

World's First Space Suit (Feb 28, 1953)

(not featured on cover)
Testing the Men in Space (March 7, 1953)

How Man Will Meet Emergency In Space Travel (March 14, 1953)

Baby Space Station (June 27, 1953)

Can We Get to Mars?/Is There Life on Mars? (April 30, 1954)

Edd Cartier - Artist of the Other Worldly

A favorite artist of the SF pulp/digest magazine era - Edd Cartier illustration from the pages of Astounding Science Fiction. Never one to fall short on imagination, the artist even created illustrations for an entire interseller zoo in the book "Travelers of Space."

Edd Cartier (born 1914) is an American pulp magazine illustrator. After studying at Pratt Institute in the 1930s he worked for Street and Smith, publishers of the Shadow, to which he contributed many interior illustrations, and the John W. Campbell, Jr.-edited magazines Astounding Science Fiction and Unknown.

Outside Links:

• Edd Cartier at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
• An interview with Cartier
• Edd Cartier gallery