Word: blastoff
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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First, before he takes one of his rides, he gets a thorough physical examination, including electrocardiogram and X rays. Then, well before blastoff, he begins his preparations for the run. The Fiberglas shell of his helmet is lowered over his head and its cloth neck-shirt zipped shut. Then he wriggles into a blue wool flight suit, puts on thin leather flying gloves and climbs into his seat...
...blasting hard enough to cancel the speed of falling through the moon's gravitational field. As it nears the surface, it will extend three spring-cushioned legs on which (if all goes well) it will come to rest in a vertical position, undamaged and ready for the earthbound blastoff. This delicate maneuver requires a level landing site; if the spaceship were to hit the lunar equivalent of the Grand Canyon, it would have small chance of seeing the earth again...