Note: Description of the cover via archive.org

Synopsis: This Month's Cover Portrays the moment of release of the first stage in our three-step orbital rocket. An initial thrust of 14,000 tons has sent the rocket hurtling from the ground at an acceleration of about 30 feet per second per second. Five and a quarter thousand tons of fuel have been used up at the rate of 60 tons a second, raising the 7,000-ton ship to a height of about 25 miles. Yet the fuel sends streaming flames from the 65 ft. diameter jet for only 85 seconds. Now, the first stage of the rocket is fuelless and is dropping back to Earth by parachute. When the rocket reaches a height of 40 miles, the second stage will similarly fall away, and the last stage will streak onwards to reach a height of 63 miles before the fuel is exhausted. It will then be travelling at 18,500 m.p.h. and will glide into a permanent orbit just over a thousand miles from Earth, with a velocity of nearly 16,000 m.p.h. There we meet it again next month, and see the assembly of a space station! (This series of documentary paintings began with the July issue, No. 35. A few copies of numbers 35 and 36 are still available.)