Arrival of the Supply Ship

Detail of the arrival of a supply ship, as propased by Dr. Wernher von Braun, to the earth-orbiting Space Station

The Third Stage of one of the rocket ships which originally established the station; next to the Third Stage, one of the small space taxis; in the forground another space taxi near the astronomical observatory . . . The men in space suits near the Third Stage and near the Observatory are floating freely.

painting by Chesley Bonestell
from Across the Space Frontier
edited by Cornelius Ryan
1952

The Complete Book of Outer Space

The Complete Book of Outer Space
Edited by Jeffrey Logan
Illustrator Frank R. Paul et al.
Cover artist Chesley Bonestell
Published by Maco Magazine Corp. (book form by Gnome Press)
Publication date 1953
144 pages
Originally priced for $.75

Contents:

1. Preface, by Kenneth MacLeish
2. "A Preview of the Future: Introduction", by Jeffrey Logan
3. "Development of the Space Ship", by Willy Ley
4. "Station in Space", by Wernher von Braun
5. "Space Medicine", by Heinz Haber
6. "Space Suits", by Donald H. Menzel
7. "The High Altitude Program", by Robert P. Haviland
8. "History of the Rocket Engine", by James H. Wyld
9. "Legal Aspects of Space Travel", by Oscar Schachter
10. "Exploitation of the Moon", by Hugo Gernsback
11. "Life Beyond the Earth", by Willy Ley
12. "Interstellar Flight", by Leslie R. Shepard
13. "The Spaceship in Science Fiction", by Jeffrey Logan
14. "Plea for a Coordinated Space Program", by Wernher von Braun
15. "The Flying Saucer Myth", by Jeffrey Logan
16. "The Panel of Experts"
17. "Chart of the Moon Voyage"
18. "Chart of the Voyage to Mars"
19. "Timetables and Weights"
20. "A Space Travel Dictionary"

Profusely illustrated with photos and drawings, published both as a paperback magazine and a hardbound book. A collection of essays about space exploration, life beyond Earth and flying saucers.

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

A Warning and an Ultimatum

The Day the Earth Stood Still
Company: 20th Century Fox
Director: Robert Wise
Year: 1951


Cast: Sam Jaffe, Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Billy Gray, Frances Bavier, Lock Martin, Elmer Davis, H.V. Kaltenborn, Drew Pearson, Gabriel Heatter

Plot: A visitor from outer space lands his saucer in Washington, D.C. and announces to the people of Earth that they must live peacefully or faces the consequences as a threat to other planets.

The movie is based on a story by Harry Bates - “Farewell to the Master” which was originally published in the October 1940 issue of Astounding. You can read this in its entirety: Farewell to the Master.

Score: Bernard Hermann utilize the eerie and other-worldly theremin for the first time for the soundtrack of a screen production. You can hear a sample of this music here.

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

"They've Landed"

On January 4, 1954 the Lux Radio Theater presentated it's own transcribed adaptation of "The Day The Earth Stood Still." And as in the original 1951 movie, the part of the other-worldy main character, Klaatu, is played by Michael Rennie. The radio version stays faithful to the no-nonsense movie, seeming almost to be using the same shooting script, although be it slightly shortened for the alotted air time.

Thanks to nomig.net for providing this radio play for free downloading.

The Douglas Skyrocket

The Navy Skyrocket high-speed research plane

The Skyrocket just moments after being dropped by a B-29 mothership

The Douglas D558-2 Skyrocket

• Role: Experimental high-speed research aircraft
• Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft Company
• First flight: 4 February 1948
• Primary user: U.S. Navy
• Number built: 3
• Developed from: D-558-1 Skystreak (straightwing)

General Characteristics

• Crew: one pilot
• Length: 42 ft 0 in (12.8 m)
• Wingspan: 25 ft 0 in (7.6 m)
• Height: 22 ft 8 in (3.8 m)
• Wing area: 175 ft² (16.2 m²)
• Empty weight: 9,421 lb (4,273 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 15,266 lb (6,923 kg)
• Powerplant:
  • 1× Westinghouse J34-WE-40 turbojet, 3,000 lbf (13 kN)
  • 1× Reaction Motors XLR-8-RM-5 rocket engine, 6,000 lbf (27 kN)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 720 mph, 1,250 mph when air-launched (1,160 km/h, 2,010 km/h when air-launched)
• Stall speed: 160.1 mph (257.7 km/h)
• Service ceiling: 16,500 ft (5,030 m)
• Rate of climb: 22,400 ft/min, 11,100 ft/min under rocket power only (6,830 m/min., 3,380 m/min under rocket power only)
• Wing loading: 87.2 lb/ft² (426 kg/m²)
• Thrust/weight (jet): 0.39