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Show (. nri cot A QUISTIONI Khrushchev that the Russians will beat us to the moon. Why is he so sure? Mbs. J. J. Griffin, San Diego, Calif. claim Who'll gel there first? I've goto question This Week took Mrs. Griffin's problem to Erik Bergaust, the noted rocket and missile authority. He has written many books on space, and is editor of the "NATO Journal and Washington editor for Missiles & Space Magazine ." WASHINOTON Mrs . griffin has RAISED a disturbing but fascinating question. It is generally felt that the nation which lands on the moon first will score a tremendous propaganda victory. Yet I believe, and many of my scientific colleagues agree, that Khrushchev will make good his boast. a daring gamble: Using rockets we, know they already have, the Russians can begin right now to launch huge freight car-rieto the moon. These will be aimed at a specific landing site and will land tons of supplies and building materials, everything needed to construct and maintain a small lunar base. Over a period of 24 months, the Russians can shoot up enough gear, tools, materials, food, water, compressed air, and other necessities to keep a manned expedition alive for more than one year. The first freight rocket will carry a radio beacon for guiding future rockets. structures, collapsible domes, water tanks, even units will then be base site. d the at ness to make such rs soft-lande- Firtt lunar team Three years ago I learned that After about two years sometime the Soviets really had a specific schedin 1965 the Russians can send aloft a ule for putting an expedition on the two- - or three-mamoon. That was when I met Khrushspace ship along the established same Leonid I. Dr. route, the route chevs space boss. taken by the freight rockets. It will Sedov. He told me quite frankly that Dr. W take the men about 48 hours to reach the Soviets were aiming for the moon. the moon. Within two days, they Recently, he was back in Washington assembled will have enough parts and equipment attending a space conference. I asked him whether to establish a temporary lunar base. they were still on schedule, but this time he had . Alexander Satin, senior research and planning no comment. All he gave me was an inscrutable Russian smile. engineer with the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, After that, I began combing Russian scientiexplains the next move this way: fic journals and talking with every scientist I "Instead of attempting to come bode right and American could to foreign pull together away, an operation which would require a launchall available data on a Russian trip to the moon. ing crew and ground instalis will lations that he Khrushchev so beat sure , the Russian explorus, Why ers migfit elect to remain on even after we announced we are spending billions the moon and continue to reon the race? Ive come to the conclusion that the ceive supplies and building Russians are building their hopes on reaching the materials from the earth. moon first with a one-wa- y t They expedition would leave the expedition oh the moon and pick Finally, when the Russians have perfected a vehide that if they could. it up later can go out and pick up the Stranded on the moon explorers, the men could be The advantages of a enorare brougfit back to the earth and trip then replaced on the moon by another team." mous. Instead of waiting until their scientists had could rocket that the and What will happen if the first men dont sura moon to perfected go then return, the Russians could save time by vive the trip up? Khrushchev wont say a word. Only when the men have established themselves leaving the first expedition on the moon. During the next year or two, they could perfect a rocket safely and reported via radio to the Kremlin will he make the announcement Hell probably ask to pick up the first expedition and leave another crew. The fact that theres a good chance the radio listeners all over the globe to time in to the first spacemen might die, would not bother the regular evening broadcast from the moon. Kremlin propagandists very much What happens if the expedition doesnt surespecially since they could conceal such news. vive for more than three or four months and yet Here's the lope behind the Russians' willing has been making regular comthvd oa pogo 18 n one-wa- y 4 X J WL A u By ERIK BEBGAUST While were figuring how to get our astronauts to the moon and back, this expert believes the Reds are ' planning a callous shortcut Jl RUSSIAN 16 moots COUNTDOWN: First, exploratory rockets, then freight rockets, finally THIS WEEK one-ua- y Mgf ilm cosmonauts UbiMiy 25, 1962 |