A hundred years ago this month, the April 1919 issue of Popular Science carried this image of a hypothetical traveler to the moon. The accompanying article detailed the problems of getting there. For example, balloons or airplanes were out of the question, since they both relied upon the atmosphere for their lift. A gun was a theoretical possibility, but the article pointed out that the Earth’s escape velocity was 26,000 feet per second. But the most powerful gun at the time had a velocity of only 5500 feet per second. The article correctly predicted, however, that there was a “ray of hope in the sky-rocket.” The article reminded readers that, contrary to popular perception, a rocket did not rely upon pushing against the atmosphere. Therefore, it would work in space.

Robert Goddard had already begun his experiments, but his name was not known in 1919. The only rocketeer mentioned in the article was stuntman Rodman Law, shown at left boarding a rocket for a test flight. The article notes that the flight was a spectacular failure, although Law survived. Ironically, Law died later in 1919 of tuberculosis.

It’s easy to look at an old article and laugh at the naivete of the authors.  But they got the basic concept right:  Yes, indeed, it is possible to get to the moon with rockets, and we did exactly that a half century later.  Ironically, we are once again a half century removed from being able to go to the moon.  Many readers of the 1919 article lived to see Americans walking on the moon.  Sadly, that might not be the case for readers in 2019.