Boys Life Magazine, December 1966

Boys Life Magazine, December 1966 Cover

Bill Dunkerley (sans "Col.") writes about a Weightlessness experiment on pages 84-85. Since this article also has a moon suit in the illustration, I strongly suspect that the name is a pseudonym for Allyn Hazard. I did find a reference to a real Bill Dunkerley, an amateur radio guy in Australia who managed to successfully command a satellite in 1970 so I could be wrong and it's the same guy who may have written the article for Boys' Life, but that may just be a coincidence.

In any case, this Boys' Life from 1966 discusses weightlessness and how to simulate it on Earth. The illustration on page 85 is a cutaway of the Moon Suit. The instructions have you basically build your own to simulate the suit.

This article was sent to me by a retired researcher in Santa Fe working on a space archeology project in 2019, Ross Deforest Sackett. My heartfelt "Thank you!" goes out to him for this and other contributions.

Boys Life Magazine, December 1966 Pages 84-85

Transcript:

SOMEDAY you may travel into space. But you don't have to wait until the future to experience the feeling of weightlessness. Engineers have developed methods to simulate the real thing. One of these is so simple you can reproduce the feeling right at home.

Your experiment will be more fun if you choose a real destination in space - such as the moon, where U.S. astronauts will make their first landing. There is another good reason for choosing a definite location in space for your new experience. Each destination you reach will vary in gravitational pull when you step from your spacecraft.

Next step is to weigh yourself. Multiply that amount by 16 percent (moon's gravitational pull is approximately one-sixth that of Earth). For example, take a weight of 120 pounds and multiply it by sixteen hundredths (.16). The moon-weight is approximately 19 pounds.

Now, to construct your counterweight. Its weight should be the difference between what you would weigh on the moon (19 pounds) and your Earth weight of 120 pounds. Subtract the smaller figure from the larger. The number of pounds for the counterweight in this instance will be 101 pounds. (Yours will differ with your actual weight.)

Construction of your counterweight should be in an out-of-the-way place and next to a wall or building where you can put up overhead pulleys. The size or shape of your counterweight is not important; only the poundage. There is no need to ever have your counterweight more than a foot or two above the ground.

Block bricks are good material. But any material will do - a sack of sand, a can of dirt, even a log the right size. Most important is to tie your materials securely; use a bowline. The counterweight should have good balance and not slip apart.

Now that you have fastened a long rope to the end of your counterweight, extend the other end of that rope through your two pulleys. These pulleys should be about three feet above your head. Also, arrange to have the counterweight located six feet or so from where you will conduct your weightlessness experiment.

You will want to erect a platform somewhat higher than where you plan to stand, to allow your counterweight to rest on the ground while you fasten the loose end of the rope under your arms. Wrap the rope; don't tie it. In this way you can secure the loose end in one hand and be able to step to the ground and easily lift your counterweight.

After you have experienced weightlessness for the surface gravity of the moon, you can add realism to this experiment by constructing a space suit. Start with a barrel or some other hard-shell container which is three or four times as large around as your body. Reinforce the top. Then cut two holes in the bottom for your legs. Support the torso of the suit by ropes fastened to your belt.

This suit can be made to look quite real. Use heavy cloth or fiberboard for legs and arms. Cut up an old tire to simulate heavy seams. Rubber boots will make good "space shoes." A headpiece can be fashioned from plywood with a complete "see-around" faceplate. Rig antennas on top the headpiece, also a small light. Your space suit will be large enough to hold batteries for your headlight and ground light. You can store food and water inside. Wire accessories into a central control panel which should be just below chin level inside your suit. Moon maps go flat upside down under your headpiece. To read maps, look up.

Now that you have made a space suit, add to your fun by walking around in it. You can do this in one of two ways: Construct a treadmill (see drawing), or improvise a "Moonmobile" by clamping two bicycles about three feet apart. Rig your counterweight so you can move it with you between the bicycles. Make a platform across the bikes to carry an assortment of weights. With an assortment of weights, several boys can adjust to their own counterweight needs. Or, you can make your own adjustments of the counterweight for visits to different places in the solar system.

To obtain this feeling of the difference in weightlessness on each of the planets, refigure (sic) your counterweight total in accordance with the table of figures. First, select a new destination to one of the planets. Then multiply your earth weight by the surface gravity percentage shown for that planet. By this method you will arrive at your new counterweight figure. Don't forget to include your moonsuit weight in the final calculations.

With an assortment of weights to change your counterweight you can interest your friends in weightlessness experiments. Choose a buddy. Astronauts always work in pairs. It is safer and more fun with two boys to each Moonmobile. With two moonsuits and two Moonmobiles a Scout troop can run a great variety of races, relays and games.

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