Big development, everyone: “The prospect of more rocket-belts and more trained operators is already beyond the planning stage.” That exciting announcement comes from Robert D. Roach, Jr., who adds that “some see [rocket-belts] as the answer for the traffic-jammed commuter,” while “others see humane rescues from points of difficult access.” Even more remarkably, a modified rocket-belt “may well become man’s preferred choice … after landing on the surface of the moon.”
Roach’s optimistic report can be found in Technology and Culture; specifically, the Fall 1963 edition. He’s writing about the making of the Bell Rocket Belt, which, on April 20, 1961, fulfilled what Roach called “one of man’s ageless dreams—unencumbered free-flight utilizing an integrated propulsion system.” It’s not quite "slipped the surly bonds of Earth,” but the enthusiasm is certainly there.
