Tom smiled at the look on Chow’s face. “I wouldn’t kid you, old-timer. That’s really what it is-a sort of flying carpet. It’s for use on the moon, to transport persons or supplies. You see, the terrain’s pretty rugged up there, with lots of clefts and crevasses, so ground travel will be difficult.”
“How’s this thing work?”
“Well, the housing here contains a repelatron. Underneath there’s a fixed radiator to direct the repulsion beam downward so as to hold its passenger suspended above the ground. There’s also a swivel-mounted radiator for steering the platform in any direction.”
“How about that li’l ole box on the end of the wire?”
“That’s the control box,” Tom explained. “The operator will hold it in his hand while he’s standing on the flying carpet.”
Chow scratched his bald head. “Sounds pretty neat, Tom. Only ain’t that metal kind o’ thin for haulin’ heavy loads?”
“Not on the moon, Chow. Up there, the pull of gravity is six times weaker than on earth. So
128 THE RACE TO THE MOON
objects will only weigh one-sixth as much.”
“Hot ziggety!” The cook snapped his fingers. “Why, up there I’ll be a reg’lar gazelle. Even with this bay window I tote around with me, I’ll run like a ole deer.
When you goin’ to try ‘er out, boss?”
“Soon as I finish making a few circuit checks. As a matter of fact,” Tom added, “I intend to take it outside for a remote-control test flight.”
“How do you mean-remote control?”
“Ill operate it from inside the lab here by radio wave,” Tom replied. “I might want to use that method some time while the Challenger is hovering over the moon’s surface.”