Space Beckons

From the book "Worlds in Space"

by Martin Caidin

Colonies to the Moon

Though heated arguments still rage among rocket engineers, in their discussions of the future, as to whether or not colonies will be established on the moon, and how these colonies will be transported through space to the earth's satellite, the only elaborately detailed plan yet presented publicly on a scientific basis for this purpose is that advance by Dr. Wernher von Braun. He proposes three tremendous space ships weighing more than 4,300 tons each, merely for a six week stay on the moon in space ships similar to that pictured here.

From the book "Worlds in Space"
by Martin Caidin
illustration by Fred L. Wolff
(1954)

Travel Between the Planets

The nuclear-powered space ship shown here in a dumb-bell design as often proposed by Arthur C. Clarke, ex-Chairman of the British Interplanetary Society, is the ideal design for travel between planets. The nuclear reactor contained in the heavily shielded smaller sphere is sufficient to propel the space ship in orbit-to-orbit journeys to and from the various planets. Here, two space taxis from the space ship are seen moving to the surface of a great asteroid (or planetoid) orbiting about the sun between Mars and Jupiter.

From the book "Worlds in Space"
by Martin Caidin
illustration by Fred L. Wolff
(1954)

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

On a Pillar of Radioactive Gas

Take-off! On a pillar of flaming, radioactive exaust gases, the nuclear space ship thunders off the earth and starts its journey through space to the moon. At the left is the gantry crane employed for servicing the great space ship and at far right can be seen the control center from where the take-off operations are directed.

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

Tunnel into the Moon

Within the fast-growing lunar base, a power drill pounds its way into the mountainside. Steel girders and beams from dismantled space ships are set up within the cave installations as fast as the work progresses.

From the book "Worlds in Space"
by Martin Caidin
illustration by Fred L. Wolff
(1954)

February 24th, 1949 - 252 Miles Into Space

On this date - February 24th, 1949 - a V-2 rocket soared upward at 5,100 miles per hour and set a new record at 252 miles above the earth's surface

At 3.14 p.m. on February 24, 1949, this two stage Bumper rocket, a V-2 with a smaller WAC-Corporal in its nose, attained a speed of 5,100 miles an hour and an altitude of 252 miles. For the first time in history a man-made object had entered empty space.

from "Worlds in Space" by Martin Caidin, 1954

Space Flight: The Quick and Easy Way

A design proposal for a scaled-down, piloted three-stage space ship.

From the book "Worlds in Space"
by Martin Caidin
illustration by Fred L. Wolff
(1954)

White Sands

Backbone of the American postwar rocket and upper atmosphere research effort was the wartime German V-2 rocket, of which 100 were shipped to the United States after the war and 68 were fired in varied experimental shots.

From the book "Worlds in Space"
by Martin Caidin,
1954

Worlds in Space

dust jacket for the London-published edition

"Worlds in Space"
by Martin Caidin
illustrated by Fred L. Wolff
published 1954
Sidgwick and Jackson, London
212 pages, 64 plates (16 photographs, 48 drawings)

Contents:

1. This is how we stand
2. Robots into space
3. The weakest link–man
4. The first space ships
5. The space satellite
6. Earth below
7. Expedition across space
8. On the moon to stay
9. Fortress in the sky?
10. Beyond the moon
    

"Five years have passed since February 24th, 1949, when a V-2 rocket soared upward at 5,100 miles per hour and set a new record at 252 miles above the earth's surface...[Worlds in Space] tells the history of rocket development thus far and reveals the steps by which man will eventually travel to other planets."

dust jacket of American edition


hard cover embellishment

"The three-stage space ship envisioned by Dr. Wernher von Braun, who has been carrying out an extensive publicity campaign in favour of space travel now. Von Braun's three-stage space ship is designed to carry a crew of about six men and 34 tons of cargo to an orbit 1,075 miles above the earth, where a space satellite will be assembled, to whirl about the earth at a velocity of 15,840 miles per hour."

illustration by Fred L. Wolff


"A combination of proposals from both sides of the Atlantic. The space satellite depicted in its final stages of construction is the design proposal of von Braun, the space ships indicated a variation of a delta-wing suggestion by R. A. Smith of the British Interplanetary Society."

illustration by Fred L. Wolff