Sputniks... an Alternate Space Race

[Sausage]

don't know enough to comment! but very interesting all the same.

[neopeius]

Originally Posted by Sausage

don't know enough to comment! but very interesting all the same.

Thank you! I will keep posting, then

[Linkwerk]

I just want to chime in and say that I love this. Space AH is usually pie-in-the-sky "we get project orion and there's a space elevator by 1990" technofetishism, or fanboy cheering of (usually quite flawed) specific projects. It's great to read not good, not bad, just different thoughtful AH from somebody who obviously knows what they're talking about.

[neopeius]

Originally Posted by Linkwerk

I just want to chime in and say that I love this. Space AH is usually pie-in-the-sky "we get project orion and there's a space elevator by 1990" technofetishism, or fanboy cheering of (usually quite flawed) specific projects. It's great to read not good, not bad, just different thoughtful AH from somebody who obviously knows what they're talking about.

Thanks so much...!

And with that, this week's update.

Part 4--the manned race, January 1959 through April 1961.


[Soviets concentrate on Manned Flight]


In December of 1958, Korolev's OKB-1 officially began production of the orbital spacecraft dubbed "Nievo" meaning 'sky'. It was a one-man spherical capsule weighted such that the shielded end consistently faced the rigors of reentry. Once inside the atmosphere, the pilot ejected, and both man and craft parachuted separately.


The program was given top priority. Six cosmonauts were selected to pilot the Nievo and hand-deliver the Sickle and Hammer into orbit. Spaceraft development proceeded apace, and on December 15, 1959, a Nievo prototype was launched on a three stage R-7 into near-earth orbit. On December 19, at 15:52 Moscow time, the spacecraft was commanded to retrofire. The Nievo burned up on re-entry (as expected--it was not a full test). Soviet scientists reported that conditions in the craft's cabin had remained stable throughout the flight.


As the Soviets had not initially made a big deal of the launch, the Americans press simply dubbed the new probe "Sputnik IV," and assumed it was just another heavy science satellite. Then the Soviets announced the flight's official purpose: "Development and checking of the main systems of the space ship satellite, which ensure its safe flight and control in flight, return to Earth and conditions needed for a man in flight." It was Sputnik all over again. The Americans had been beaten--a manned flight was imminent, and it wasn't going to be a free man in space.


Following a booster failure on February 2, 1960, The Soviet Union launched its second unmanned test Nievo spacecraft, or Sputnik V as dubbed by the American press, on March 6, 1960. The spacecraft carried two dogs, Strelka and Belka, in addition to a gray rabbit, rats, mice, flies, plants, fungi, microscopic water plants, and seeds. Electrodes attached to the dogs and linked with the spacecraft communications system, which included a television camera, enabled Soviet scientists to check the animals' hearts, blood pressure, breathing, and actions during the trip. After the spacecraft reentered and landed safely the next day, the animals and biological specimens were reported to be in good condition. Western papers announced that a manned Soviet flight was imminent.






Korolev, however, was sensitive to the safety of his cosmonauts, and he desired more test flights. On June 22, the Soviet Union launched its third Nievo or Sputnik VI as the Western press called it. The spacecraft carried the dogs, Pcheka and Mushka, in addition to other animals, insects, and plants. It deorbited June 23, 1960 7:15 GMT. but burned up on reentry due to steep entry angle (its retrofire engine did not shut off on schedule and burned to fuel depletion). Details of the mission (save for its fiery end) were dutifully reported to the world press. On September 1, the fourth Nievo or "Sputnik VII" was launched. It carried the first "cosmonaut," a mannequin named Ivan Ivanovich, as well as the dog, Chernushka, and other biological specimens. Ivanovich was ejected from the capsule and recovered by parachute, and Chernsuhka was successfully recovered with the capsule on September, 1961 8:10 GMT. This flight marked the last of the unmanned missions. The spacecraft was deemed ready.


On October 4, 1960, the third anniversary of the satellite and the forty-third anniversary of the October Revolution , the fifth Nievo launched from Baikonur; Major Yuri Gagarin became the first man to orbit the Earth. The effect on the world was electric. As of this date, the Americans had yet to launch even a suborbital biological mission, and the X-15b's progress was shrouded in secrecy. Soviet prestige soared to an all time high with Premier Khruschev riding the wave. Not long after this historic flight , the Soviet Premier privately informed the chief of OKB-1 that his goal was nothing short of a Communist on the moon...





[NASA's plan]


By the beginning of January of 1959, the shape of the first American spacecraft had been decided upon. Initiated on November 26, 1958, the Magellan spacecraft was a good deal lighter than its Soviet counterpart due to its smaller booster. Where the Nievo was a full sphere, Magellan was a tiny ship with a rounded bottom. Unlike Nievo, Magellan's first flights were to be suborbital, lofted on the Redstone IRBM because the Atlas was too unreliable at this stage to be man-rated. On April 02, 1959, seven astronauts were selected for the program from dozens of applicants. Unlike the pilots being trained for the USAF X-15b flight, the so-called "Magellan Seven" became familiar faces throughout the globe.


September 09, 1959 saw the first flight test of the boilerplate Magellan. The July 29, 1960 MA(Magellan-Atlas)-1 suborbital mission was also a success. This was as far as the Americans had gotten before a cosmonaut circled the globe. Despite intense pressure to step up the pace and get an astronaut up before the Soviets could pull further ahead, the NASA chose to proceed with caution. The rationale was that "first to die" was no better prize than "second to space." It was the start of a trend: from here out, NASA chiefs historically made safety the priority, a philosophy which often clashed with the pressure from the Executive Office to speed things up.


On November 21, 1960 MR(Magellan-Redstone)-1, another boilerplate, was successful. The January 31, 1961 MR-2 mission was the first crewed mission featuring the "chimponaut," HAM, at the controls on a flawless suborbital flight. Three weeks later, on February 21, the unmanned MA-2, was a suborbital success. On March 18, in an event which would prove prescient, chimpanzee ENOS escaped in a successful use of the escape tower when his Redstone booster failed on lift-off.






The Magellan finally made it into orbit with the April 25, 1961 launch of MA-3. Unfortunately, the spacecraft suffered a failure in orbit resulting in a loss of its biological payload. This incident had fateful consequences. A manned Redstone flight had been scheduled for the following month. NASA, again, decided to be cautious (especially in light of the infamous incident that occurred just one week after MA-3, see below) A chimpanzee, MINNIE, was chosen to fly the MR-3A mission on May 5, 1961. She was the first female hominid to fly in space, and with her flight, the Magellan spacecraft, though not yet the Atlas booster, was officially man-rated.

[truth is life]

I've got a baaaad feeling about this...

EDIT: Also, has the X-15B been mentioned before? I suspect I know what it is, but I don't remember seeing it before.

[SAVORYapple]

this may end up with the hammer and sickle on the moon, and if the 90 day study has not been butterflied away, perhaps the hammer and sickle on the red planet as well....the butterflies might be enormous....
or, we might see an american moon base.....
this is VERY bad for the U.S. space program. OTL the soviets never really had a goal, and were plagued by infighting.....if I remember correctly, one reason the N1 had so much plumbing was that there was so much infighting between Chelomei and Korolyov....
this may be a better TL for american space exploration in the long run, though

[neopeius]

The fun thing about this timeline is it is relatively non-deterministic. It evolved over ten years and was essentially created by about thirty different people (not all at once, but in total). So expect the unexpected!

[Sausage]

For some reason I was actually concerned that you might butterfly away Yuris' first flight!!!! Such a cool dude, love that "Don't know if I was the first man in space or the last dog" quote.

Point well taken how dangerous these flights really were. Is extraordinary that there were as few disasters as there was in OTL.

[neopeius]

Originally Posted by Sausage

For some reason I was actually concerned that you might butterfly away Yuris' first flight!!!! Such a cool dude, love that "Don't know if I was the first man in space or the last dog" quote.

Point well taken how dangerous these flights really were. Is extraordinary that there were as few disasters as there was in OTL.

Wait until next week...

[MacCaulay]

I'm digging it. I'm on kind of a Space Race kick right now, this is right in my wheelhouse. Looking forward to the Soyuz stuff.

[Sausage]

[but to keep the conversation going until the next update...]

Today in OTL space history:
1947 October 14 - .

• XS-1 Flight 50 - first supersonic manned flight - . Crew: Yeager. Payload: XS-1 # 1 flight 31. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Yeager. Class: Manned. Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1. Summary: AF flight 9. World's first supersonic flight in level or climbing flight was made by Capt. Charles E. Yeager (USAF) at Muroc, Calif., in a rocket-powered NACA-USAF research plane, Bell XS-1XS-1 # 1 attained mach 1.06 at 13,115 m, approximately 1126 kph..

from http://www.astronautix.com/thisday/octber14.htm

[neopeius]

Thanks, Sausage!

And here's an update you'll like.

Part 5: Triumph and Tragedy, April and May 1961


[An American into space]


While the Soviets raced to put their Nievo into production, and while NASA plodded along with its Magellan spacecraft, the USAF poured immense resources into rocketplane technology, particularly the X-15b. Their goal was to get a man in space before the Soviets. In addition, it was hoped that the bonanza of engineering information gained from a successful flight would accelerate the development of the X-20 and follow-on spaceplanes.


On October 15, 1958, three X-15s arrived at Edwards AFB. All were to be used for testing, but only one would be modified for a special mission. This X-15b's mission profile was to make just one orbit of the Earth and skip-decelerate off the atmosphere. Originally designed to ditch in the Gulf of Mexico, with the pilot ejecting for separate recovery, it was deemed feasible (and sexier) to land the craft at White Sands, New Mexico. Though the craft could not launch under its own power, it was believed that the pilot should land with his plane for maximum propaganda effect.






1959 saw both unpowered and powered test flights, and the X-15 kept to schedule. Unfortunately, the advanced XLR99 engine suffered delays in production and the first powered test flights with the new powerplant did not occur until the latter half of 1960. Then Gagarin flew in October 1960, and the Americans were stuck with a second-place finish, at best. Still, it seemed possible to get an astronaut up before the next cosmonaut. A quick reply might make all the difference to public opinion. In stark contrast to NASA's methodical, safety-conscious approach, the USAF was pinning its hopes on the Hail Mary.


On April 15, 1961, the fully fueled X-15b was dropped from a B-52 bomber. Its three Navaho-derived boosters lit with a mighty roar, and civilian pilot, Scott Crossfield, soared into the heavens and aviation history. His futuristic-looking spaceplane circled the globe once and landed in the New Mexico desert. It was the way spaceflight was *supposed* to be. Though the papers were to herald his flight as 100% successful, and though the flight took the wind out of Soviet sails (after all, Gagarin was merely a passenger in a capsule whereas Crossfield was a *pilot*), the mission did not go nearly so smoothly as advertised. With half his controls melted in the descent and a crosswind making his landing all but impossible, Crossfield did get his ship down in one piece, but just barely. Two weeks later , in a private meeting with Secretary MacNamara (according to an unauthorized biography, Crossfield: The First Astronaut, 1998, Markowitz), the pilot reportedly said, "You son of a bitch. I'm *never* flying for you again." Whether this story is apocryphal or not, it is true that Crossfield never again participated in any Air Force programs.




With the successful flight of the X-15b, both superpowers saw the merit of pumping funds into spaceplane programs in addition to their lunar programs. This boosted the prestige and political capital of the USAF and OKB-52, to the dismay of their competitors.


[How the Heroes die...]


As of April, 1961, the space race was seen as evenly matched. Crossfield's flight had stunned the world and in some ways eclipsed Gagarin's orbit. Though the Soviets had beaten the Americans, the Soviets did not know when the next X-15b launch would occur or what the capabilities of the spaceplane were (in fact, no further X-15b missions flew, and though Crossfield's flight had returned a wealth of useful data, the mission was largely a stunt. The Nievo, and the yet unflown Magellan were more versatile craft).


It was decided that the next goalfor the Soviet program was a duration Nievo spacecraft flight, perhaps a day in length. Korolev remained concerned that the Nievo's R-7's reliability was too low, especially in the wake of the June 1958 explosion which had soured Korolev on Glushko. Thus, on December 21, 1960, a sixth Nievo was launched on an unpublicized mission. The spacecraft orbited successfully. However the guidance system oriented the spacecraft incorrectly, and the its engine, instead of slowing the Nievo, put the spacecraft into a higher orbit. On March 2, 1961, the seventh Nievo (launch again classified) was launched amidst fears that the malfunctioning Nievo/R-7 guidance would fail again. The spacecraft was orbited successfully. It reentered and landed safely the next day after 12 orbits. Both booster and spacecraft were considered safe for duration missions.


May 1, 1961


The eigth Nievo, known to the world as "Nievo II," was launched shortly after the American orbital shot. Major Gherman Titov became second man to orbit Earth on a mission designed to last 17 orbits. For nearly a day, world news was filled with accounts of the first long-term space resident. Elation quickly transitioned to despair. Despite extensive safety reevaluation for this extended flight, a compromise in the spacecraft's integrity was discovered (though not immediately publicized) in the sixth orbit. At that point, it was unknown whether the cause of the problem was a design defect, a construction flaw or an orbital accident. Whatever the cause, it was quickly determined that reentry would be impossible. Cosmonaut Titov had time to relay his final thoughts and wishes before his oxygen supply ran out after his 24th orbit.


The Soviet response was quite unprecedented. Premier Khruschev addressed the world and explained precisely what had happened. In his address, the Soviet leader praised the fallen cosmonaut for having flown higher and longer than any other man. Titov's death, he maintained, must serve as a reminder that space is a dangerous place and only the most dedicated should attempt to traverse it.


The news of Titov's death was both tonic and toxin. The Americans were grateful to be offered a respite even as their own star was rising, but it could not be denied that the Space Race was risky business. Outwardly, the Americans displayed supreme confidence, but secretly, the directors of the American space programs were quite uneasy. The Magellan program was to continue as slowly as was necessary to ensure no astronaut would suffer the same fate as Titov, and no spaceplanes would launch for several years.








[To the Moon]


Both the Soviets and Americans took the moon as the next obvious space destination. President Eisenhower, given a list of potential space options in early 1959 selected this sequence: 1) Unmanned hard/soft landing lunar probes, 2) manned circumlunar flight, and 3) manned lunar landing and return as the nation’s top priorities. Orbital laboratories and interplanetary manned flights were considered secondary, subsequent goals.


In Spring 1961, the incoming President, a youthful John F. Kennedy, reiterated his predecessor's agenda, announcing that America would put a man on the moon before the decade was out. This solidified Premier Khruschev's moon mania. His Chief Designers were not to waste their time on interplanetary science nor high tech spy satellites if they in any way deterred from the goal to expand Communism to the moon. This dogmatism would lead Khruschev to difficulty in the years to come, but no one can deny the shot in the arm it gave to the Soviet manned space program.


A lunar flight meant that powerful rockets, far more powerful than anything known to date, would have to be developed. Von Braun went to work on his Saturn series with the cash floodgates wide open. Korolev got his moon rocket approved, in theory, but the design remained fluid pending military backing of the endeavor. In the interim, Korolev worked on perfecting the R-9 (which used the same engines). Other Chief Designers had their own moon rocket designs but no authority to develop them. Instead, they developed lesser boosters and bided their time.

[SAVORYapple]

well, infighting for the soviets has already started.....

[neopeius]

Originally Posted by lookupshootup

well, infighting for the soviets has already started.....

From word "go." Thanks for reading.

[The Oncoming Storm]

Another excellent update!

Poor Gherman! I take it that the problem was a weakness in the spacecraft's structure of some kind? Personally I would have preferred to die trying to make the re-entry than just sit and wait for the air to run out bit that's just me!

[Ariosto]

Curious. Why was it that the American team never flew the X-15B again while waiting for the Magellan to come online? I know it almost failed, but I am sure they poured quite a bit of money into the program to get it at least to that square, and it seems out to abandon it like that.

[The Oncoming Storm]

Originally Posted by Ariosto

Curious. Why was it that the American team never flew the X-15B again while waiting for the Magellan to come online? I know it almost failed, but I am sure they poured quite a bit of money into the program to get it at least to that square, and it seems out to abandon it like that.

Given Crossfield's reaction I wouldn't be surprised if they couldn't find anyone willing to fly in it.

[SAVORYapple]

Originally Posted by The Oncoming Storm

Given Crossfield's reaction I wouldn't be surprised if they couldn't find anyone willing to fly in it.

you mean it had insufficient heat shielding?
it's a wonder the craft didn't burn up and crash in little pieces...

[Archibald]

Excellent. I like it ! Hmm, Titov flight somewhat remind me of OTL Komarov.
What happens to his body then ? Will it remain in orbit ?
Reminds of (highly recommended) Stephen Baxter novel, Voyage

if he had to lose the crew, would prefer an undershoot, a burn-up. If the Command Module skipped off the atmosphere and was left in orbit, circling for months or years up there with a cargo of three radioactive corpses, the space program would be dead.

[neopeius]

Originally Posted by Ariosto

Curious. Why was it that the American team never flew the X-15B again while waiting for the Magellan to come online? I know it almost failed, but I am sure they poured quite a bit of money into the program to get it at least to that square, and it seems out to abandon it like that.

Only one X-15b was made. The Air Force poured its resources into the operational spaceplane, the X-20, which you'll be hearing about shortly. As for waiting for the Magellan, the first manned flights start very soon. There's no gap to fill.

Re: Titov, it is a tragedy. Coincidentally, he died (in our simulation) the same year that the Columbia astronauts had a similar issue. If they had known that coming back home would result in certain death, I'm not sure what they would have decided.