John Wilkins- 17th-century astronomer designed a vehicle to fly to the Moon

Scientist John Wilkins was the first to propose a manned mission to the Moon, and he once designed a winged vehicle to accomplish the goal.

John Wilkins' flying chariot design.

John Wilkins was an English mathematician and astronomer. He was born in 1614, the son of goldsmith Walter Wilkins and Jane Dod, a descendant of Northamptonshire aristocracy, according to Ancient Origins. Pursuing mathematics at Magdalen College, Oxford, Wilkins has held many high positions. In 1648 he was appointed chancellor of Wadham College, Oxford and participated in the founding of the Royal Society for the Advancement of Natural Knowledge in 1660.

In Wilkins' day, the prevailing notion was that celestial bodies such as the Moon were very different from Earth. However, through microscopic observations, Wilkins suggested that the Moon is a natural object made of rocks, possessing an atmosphere that has many characteristics similar to the Earth's atmosphere. Although he was not the first to make this statement (before that was Galileo and Copernicus), he expressed his opinion in a language that ordinary people could understand, and even included illustrations.

Wilkins anticipates and seeks to overcome the challenges of planning a mission to the Moon. The first is to overcome the force that holds the objects on the ground. Wilkins considers this force to be analogous to the magnetic force. Building on the work of physicist William Gilbert, Wilkins observed that the force of attraction between two bodies varies from place to place and weakens over long distances. Therefore, it is only necessary to overcome the gravity of the Earth, to be able to fly into space.

Using a series of methods including geometry and trigonometry, Wilkins assumed that the Earth's gravity ended at 32 km above the ground. In 1648, he published the book Mathematical Magick describing a series of designs for strange machines. One of them is the Flying Chariot, used to bring humanity to the Moon. The carriage uses wings to fly high, powered by springs and gunpowder to move the parts. Wilkins discusses the materials used to paint the wings and recommends testing in a variety of space environments to determine the right material.

However, Wilkins' flying chariot never came to fruition and his space program was forgotten. Despite this, Wilkins still had a successful career, and his research has inspired generations of scientists.