Hi all. As you guys know, my forte is space history. For the past 8 years, I have run an annual space race simulation--part LARP, part comprehensive simulation. It's still ongoing. We play in semi-annual turns, and we just finished the first half of 1971 (we started in 1957). I thought I might post the unclassified summary of events through the end of 1969 as they make for an interesting timeline. If there is interest, I could write a much more detailed history. I've written the first 2 parts (of 9) already and the level of detail in the actual sheets is insane, down to the scientific discoveries of individual satellites and the naming of crew for every space mission.
I know there are a few mistakes, particularly early on. I knew less then than I do now. Still, enjoy, and please comment. I know Alt-SpaceRace gets short shrift here.
(Please note that this is the unclassified version--the Soviets lose more cosmonauts than they let on)
---
1957:2
*Soviets begin space race with the launch of the first artificial satellite.
*Two spectacular Vanguard explosions for the Americans.
Public Opinion as of 12-31-57
The Soviets have stunned the world with their rocketry while the Americans can't even get off the ground.
1958:1
*Soviets launch two identical heavy science satellites further establishing their ability to launch heavy loads.
*Americans orbit two Vanguards and two Explorers. Though these craft are much lighter than their Soviet counterparts, the American discovery of the Van Allen Belts precedes the Soviet rediscovery some months later. Thus, the Americans score the first historic scientific discovery in space.
Public Opinion as of 6-30-58
The Soviets can launch heavy payloads, but America beat them to an important first.
1958:2
*Two Soviet lunar probes head towards the moon. One is a flyby, the other an impact depositing a cargo of Soviet medallions onto the surface of the moon, the first transport of materiele from one world to another.
*Two American lunar probes head towards the moon. Both are flybys, the first beating the Soviet flyby by a month. Interestingly enough, the second flyby corresponds exactly with the Soviet impact.
Public Opinion as of 12-31-58
It's a horse race, though the Americans beat the Soviets with the flyby, the Soviets are able to miss and hit.
59:1
*Soviets launch another lunar probe but it does not reach the moon before the end of the semiannum.
*Americans manage to loft just one Vanguard science satellite.
Public Opinion as of 6-30-59
The most uneventful half-year in the history of the space race. Some editorials on both side suggest the fad was merely a side effect of the International Geophysical Year.
59:2
*Soviets lunar probe images the far side of the moon, returning the first images ever of this exotic locale.
*Americans launch two small science satellites.
Public Opinion as of 12-31-59
Hands down, the Soviets are beating the pants off the Americans.
60:1
*Soviets launch two large science satellites with biological payloads.
*Americans launch first Weather satellite
Public Opinion as of 6-30-60
Another toss-up semiannum. The Soviets did not make a big deal out of their science sats and the idea of an accurate weather forecast electrified the world... in a lukewarm sort of way.
60:2
* Yuri Gagarin becomes first man to orbit Earth in his Nievo spacecraft.
* Americans launch a handful of science and applications satellites.
Public opinion as of 12-31-60
Are the Americans even in the race?! Go Soviets!
61:1
* Soviets lose the first space fatality, Gherman Titov, after a record 22 orbits.
* USAF stuns world with romantic orbital flight of Scott Crossfield in his X-15B. New President Kennedy vows Americans will be on the moon by the end of decade. Valkyrie 1 is the first interplanetary probe.
Public opinion as of 6-30-61
The world has learned that space can be a dangerous place, and it doesn't look like the Russians were nearly as far ahead as was thought. In addition, the news media tells the world Gagarin didn't even land with his spacecraft--he bailed out! The amazing feat of the Americans proves that spaceplanes make way cooler spaceships than capsules. Kennedy's pledge charms the world. The race is even again.
61:2
* Soviets launch two Nievo flights at around the same time including the first woman in space. The craft rendezvous after a fashion (the details are rather vague) and both cosmonauts return safely.
* Americans launch two successful suborbital Magellan shots (and one public failure) and a number of satellites including a promising Sky Science mission.
Public opinion as of 12-31-61
Once again, the Soviets have trumped the Americans. The glow of Crossfield's flight is fading as these new Soviet spectaculars take flight.
62:1
* Soviets launch just a handful of science satellites.
* Americans launch two suborbitals and an orbital. NASA continues to send up weather satellites like clockwork but the advanced lunar probes are having trouble. The new Orbital Solar Observatory is the first American science satellite to rival those of the Soviets in size and complexity.
Public opinion as of 6-30-62
The American space program is starting to pick up though the Soviets give them only disdainful acknowledgement. Despite lip service to safety, the public wants more and better spaceflights from the Americans.
62:2
* Soviets launch impressive long duration (several days) Nievo spaceflight.
* Americans orbit two more Magellan flights and achieve the first interplantary flyby of Venus with two Odin spacecraft. The first civil communications satellite is also orbited.
Public opinion as of 12-31-62
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]A world shaken by the Cuban missile crisis is even more galavanized to see one side or the other emerge victorious in the tight space race. While American scientific feats are impressive, the Soviets still appear to have the upper hand.63:1[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* The Soviets launch a handful of probes, only two of which they even tell the world about. [/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* Alan Shepard flies again in a twenty-four hour Magellan flight. [/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 6-30-63[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]A much needed boost for American morale during an ominous lull in the Soviet program. The free world might trail by 18 months, but at least no astronauts have died![/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]63:2[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* Nievo VI stunned the world. Two men in space [/FONT][FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]and[/FONT][FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman] a spacewalk! [/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* Scott Carpenter spends three days in space for the final flight of the triumphant Magellan program.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 12-31-63[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]The Americans may love their heroes, and Scott Carpenter has a knack for writing compelling poetry in space, but the flight of the new Nievo with the stunning (if not faked) spacewalk footage shows that the Russians are still way ahead. [/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]64:1[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* Nievos VII and VIII demonstrate Soviet prowess yet again. Not only did the two craft rendezvous, but they exchanged crews![/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* A new American spacecraft, the Delphi, is flown unmanned and a tv camera smacks into the moon—intentionally.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 6-30-64[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]The Soviets are clearly going to make it to the moon before the Americans, and who knows what else they are doing up there. On the other hand, the new model kit for the USAF X-20 looks to be a popular stocking stuffer this Christmas...[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]64:2[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* Not only did the Russians send up two more Nievos to dock and exchange crews, but the Soviets managed to soft-land a probe in the Sea of Storms![/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* Delphi II flies without a hitch but only orbits the Earth with no added mission objectives attempted. Delphi III narrowly escapes disaster when its Titan II explodes shortly after liftoff. Two Skadis photograph Venus while another American lunar probe hits the moon.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 12-31-64[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]The Americans can’t even consistently get a man in space while the Soviets thumb their noses with endless space shots. Science, schmience. Only the international eggheads are willing to tip their hats to the American program. Behind closed doors.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]65:1[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]*Soviets launch a few small science satellites.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]*Nasa failed to launch a single manned mission and publicly disclosed their booster failures. DOD tests X-20 suborbitally. Only a handful of scientific missions gave any real prestige to the Americans.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 6-30-65:[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]A calm before the storm, but the Americans look incompetent while the Russians merely seem ominous.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]65:2[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]*A Novii Nievo flights breaks endurance records by orbiting three cosmonauts for two weeks.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]*A trio of Delphi launches show that Americans are still in the race and the X-20 Spaceplane makes its debut atop a Saturn I. Mixed success for the unmanned assault on the moon. Skadi IV a scientific success but a downer for Areophiles. [/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 12-31-65:[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]The Americans are picking up momentum but the Soviets are still on top.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]66:1[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]*Soviets launch a handful of orbital satellites.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]*Four Delphi craft demonstrate a range of rendezvous and docking prowess. America launches an unmanned craft it says will one day take men to the moon. The American military debuts its spaceplane with two launches atop a civilian Saturn I. Lunar probes soft-land and sail around Earth's neighbor.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 6-30-66:[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Wow! The Americans are coming out of their lag like gangbusters. The moon is looking closer every day.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]66:2[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]*Virtually nothing from the Soviets but their usual complement of small satellites.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]*Another unmanned American lunar spacecraft test. Not a peep from the American military, but NASA sends two more soft-landers to the moon.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 12-31-66:[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]A victory by default. The Soviets seem to have given up![/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]67:1[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]*NASA moves on with its lunar program in earnest successfully testing the spacecraft, the transstage and the biggest booster known to man. In addition, the American military shows off their spaceplane with a well executed rendezvous and crew swap.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]*Soviets launch the first manned space station into orbit assembled by a Novii Nievo in a stunning demonstration of space construction.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 6-30-67:[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Both sides are exploiting space in an impressive manner. The moon is more sexy, however, so the nod goes to the Americans.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]67:2[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]*The Soviets launch their new 3-man spacecraft thrice, the third mission docking with the new Soviet space station and swapping crews.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]*NASA reaps a scientific bonanza with spacecraft flying by both Mars and Venus. In a highly publicized event, the American spaceplane docks with a civilian Delphi in a mock rescue mission. DOD’s glory is diminished by the tragic loss of Artemis VII on its way back from around the moon.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 12-31-67:[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]What would have been a clear, American victory is mitigated by the second great tragedy in space. What price the conquest of space?[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]68:1[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* NASA tests its transstage and LDS but makes no official manned flights into space. Large, unmanned observatories and weather satellites flood into orbit but no interplanetary missions take off.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* The Soviets man their space station and fly their moon rocket on a successful test flight. No Moryak flights announced and only a handful of satellites of dubious intention go up.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 6-30-68:[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]The moon race is tight--if only the Americans can get their spaceship working before the Soviets get their rocket working! American scientific prestige is at an all time high, commercial enterprise is buddy buddy with NASA.. but those Soviet peeping toms are starting to get unnerving.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]68:2[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* The Americans finally have a space station, bigger than the Soviet one. [/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* The Russians are making a big show of their lunar spacecraft, and they've finally sent a probe to the moon. [/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 12-31-68:[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Still neck and neck! Neither side has put all the pieces together in orbit. America is the hands down scientific winner though some wish there would be some follow up interplanetary missions.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]69:1[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* Two Artemis missions and two station missions have got the Americans fired about space. [/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* The Soviets match pound for pound with two lunar assembly flights and a pair of station missions of their own.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 6-30-69:[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]The world is on pins and needles. Las Vegas betting pools are offering even odds on who will get to the moon first.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]69:2[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* Victory goes to the Americans as Grissom walks on the f#&$ing moon for the first time. DoD flies a large new spaceplane for the first time. NASA lofts some groundbreaking Earth and Lunar sensing satellites. [/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* The Soviets get an impressive second place with their own lunar landing. Their space station continues to be manned. [/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 12-31-69:[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]With the Russians right behind the Americans, it doesn't seem anyone can relax yet. The Space Race is still a going concern, but where will it lead to? Everyone knows the Americans are winning, but it seems that the Soviet Union is setting the pace by never letting the Yankees catch their breath. [/FONT]
I know there are a few mistakes, particularly early on. I knew less then than I do now. Still, enjoy, and please comment. I know Alt-SpaceRace gets short shrift here.
(Please note that this is the unclassified version--the Soviets lose more cosmonauts than they let on)
---
1957:2
*Soviets begin space race with the launch of the first artificial satellite.
*Two spectacular Vanguard explosions for the Americans.
Public Opinion as of 12-31-57
The Soviets have stunned the world with their rocketry while the Americans can't even get off the ground.
1958:1
*Soviets launch two identical heavy science satellites further establishing their ability to launch heavy loads.
*Americans orbit two Vanguards and two Explorers. Though these craft are much lighter than their Soviet counterparts, the American discovery of the Van Allen Belts precedes the Soviet rediscovery some months later. Thus, the Americans score the first historic scientific discovery in space.
Public Opinion as of 6-30-58
The Soviets can launch heavy payloads, but America beat them to an important first.
1958:2
*Two Soviet lunar probes head towards the moon. One is a flyby, the other an impact depositing a cargo of Soviet medallions onto the surface of the moon, the first transport of materiele from one world to another.
*Two American lunar probes head towards the moon. Both are flybys, the first beating the Soviet flyby by a month. Interestingly enough, the second flyby corresponds exactly with the Soviet impact.
Public Opinion as of 12-31-58
It's a horse race, though the Americans beat the Soviets with the flyby, the Soviets are able to miss and hit.
59:1
*Soviets launch another lunar probe but it does not reach the moon before the end of the semiannum.
*Americans manage to loft just one Vanguard science satellite.
Public Opinion as of 6-30-59
The most uneventful half-year in the history of the space race. Some editorials on both side suggest the fad was merely a side effect of the International Geophysical Year.
59:2
*Soviets lunar probe images the far side of the moon, returning the first images ever of this exotic locale.
*Americans launch two small science satellites.
Public Opinion as of 12-31-59
Hands down, the Soviets are beating the pants off the Americans.
60:1
*Soviets launch two large science satellites with biological payloads.
*Americans launch first Weather satellite
Public Opinion as of 6-30-60
Another toss-up semiannum. The Soviets did not make a big deal out of their science sats and the idea of an accurate weather forecast electrified the world... in a lukewarm sort of way.
60:2
* Yuri Gagarin becomes first man to orbit Earth in his Nievo spacecraft.
* Americans launch a handful of science and applications satellites.
Public opinion as of 12-31-60
Are the Americans even in the race?! Go Soviets!
61:1
* Soviets lose the first space fatality, Gherman Titov, after a record 22 orbits.
* USAF stuns world with romantic orbital flight of Scott Crossfield in his X-15B. New President Kennedy vows Americans will be on the moon by the end of decade. Valkyrie 1 is the first interplanetary probe.
Public opinion as of 6-30-61
The world has learned that space can be a dangerous place, and it doesn't look like the Russians were nearly as far ahead as was thought. In addition, the news media tells the world Gagarin didn't even land with his spacecraft--he bailed out! The amazing feat of the Americans proves that spaceplanes make way cooler spaceships than capsules. Kennedy's pledge charms the world. The race is even again.
61:2
* Soviets launch two Nievo flights at around the same time including the first woman in space. The craft rendezvous after a fashion (the details are rather vague) and both cosmonauts return safely.
* Americans launch two successful suborbital Magellan shots (and one public failure) and a number of satellites including a promising Sky Science mission.
Public opinion as of 12-31-61
Once again, the Soviets have trumped the Americans. The glow of Crossfield's flight is fading as these new Soviet spectaculars take flight.
62:1
* Soviets launch just a handful of science satellites.
* Americans launch two suborbitals and an orbital. NASA continues to send up weather satellites like clockwork but the advanced lunar probes are having trouble. The new Orbital Solar Observatory is the first American science satellite to rival those of the Soviets in size and complexity.
Public opinion as of 6-30-62
The American space program is starting to pick up though the Soviets give them only disdainful acknowledgement. Despite lip service to safety, the public wants more and better spaceflights from the Americans.
62:2
* Soviets launch impressive long duration (several days) Nievo spaceflight.
* Americans orbit two more Magellan flights and achieve the first interplantary flyby of Venus with two Odin spacecraft. The first civil communications satellite is also orbited.
Public opinion as of 12-31-62
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]A world shaken by the Cuban missile crisis is even more galavanized to see one side or the other emerge victorious in the tight space race. While American scientific feats are impressive, the Soviets still appear to have the upper hand.63:1[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* The Soviets launch a handful of probes, only two of which they even tell the world about. [/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* Alan Shepard flies again in a twenty-four hour Magellan flight. [/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 6-30-63[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]A much needed boost for American morale during an ominous lull in the Soviet program. The free world might trail by 18 months, but at least no astronauts have died![/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]63:2[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* Nievo VI stunned the world. Two men in space [/FONT][FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]and[/FONT][FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman] a spacewalk! [/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* Scott Carpenter spends three days in space for the final flight of the triumphant Magellan program.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 12-31-63[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]The Americans may love their heroes, and Scott Carpenter has a knack for writing compelling poetry in space, but the flight of the new Nievo with the stunning (if not faked) spacewalk footage shows that the Russians are still way ahead. [/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]64:1[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* Nievos VII and VIII demonstrate Soviet prowess yet again. Not only did the two craft rendezvous, but they exchanged crews![/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* A new American spacecraft, the Delphi, is flown unmanned and a tv camera smacks into the moon—intentionally.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 6-30-64[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]The Soviets are clearly going to make it to the moon before the Americans, and who knows what else they are doing up there. On the other hand, the new model kit for the USAF X-20 looks to be a popular stocking stuffer this Christmas...[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]64:2[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* Not only did the Russians send up two more Nievos to dock and exchange crews, but the Soviets managed to soft-land a probe in the Sea of Storms![/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* Delphi II flies without a hitch but only orbits the Earth with no added mission objectives attempted. Delphi III narrowly escapes disaster when its Titan II explodes shortly after liftoff. Two Skadis photograph Venus while another American lunar probe hits the moon.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 12-31-64[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]The Americans can’t even consistently get a man in space while the Soviets thumb their noses with endless space shots. Science, schmience. Only the international eggheads are willing to tip their hats to the American program. Behind closed doors.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]65:1[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]*Soviets launch a few small science satellites.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]*Nasa failed to launch a single manned mission and publicly disclosed their booster failures. DOD tests X-20 suborbitally. Only a handful of scientific missions gave any real prestige to the Americans.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 6-30-65:[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]A calm before the storm, but the Americans look incompetent while the Russians merely seem ominous.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]65:2[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]*A Novii Nievo flights breaks endurance records by orbiting three cosmonauts for two weeks.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]*A trio of Delphi launches show that Americans are still in the race and the X-20 Spaceplane makes its debut atop a Saturn I. Mixed success for the unmanned assault on the moon. Skadi IV a scientific success but a downer for Areophiles. [/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 12-31-65:[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]The Americans are picking up momentum but the Soviets are still on top.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]66:1[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]*Soviets launch a handful of orbital satellites.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]*Four Delphi craft demonstrate a range of rendezvous and docking prowess. America launches an unmanned craft it says will one day take men to the moon. The American military debuts its spaceplane with two launches atop a civilian Saturn I. Lunar probes soft-land and sail around Earth's neighbor.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 6-30-66:[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Wow! The Americans are coming out of their lag like gangbusters. The moon is looking closer every day.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]66:2[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]*Virtually nothing from the Soviets but their usual complement of small satellites.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]*Another unmanned American lunar spacecraft test. Not a peep from the American military, but NASA sends two more soft-landers to the moon.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 12-31-66:[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]A victory by default. The Soviets seem to have given up![/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]67:1[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]*NASA moves on with its lunar program in earnest successfully testing the spacecraft, the transstage and the biggest booster known to man. In addition, the American military shows off their spaceplane with a well executed rendezvous and crew swap.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]*Soviets launch the first manned space station into orbit assembled by a Novii Nievo in a stunning demonstration of space construction.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 6-30-67:[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Both sides are exploiting space in an impressive manner. The moon is more sexy, however, so the nod goes to the Americans.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]67:2[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]*The Soviets launch their new 3-man spacecraft thrice, the third mission docking with the new Soviet space station and swapping crews.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]*NASA reaps a scientific bonanza with spacecraft flying by both Mars and Venus. In a highly publicized event, the American spaceplane docks with a civilian Delphi in a mock rescue mission. DOD’s glory is diminished by the tragic loss of Artemis VII on its way back from around the moon.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 12-31-67:[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]What would have been a clear, American victory is mitigated by the second great tragedy in space. What price the conquest of space?[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]68:1[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* NASA tests its transstage and LDS but makes no official manned flights into space. Large, unmanned observatories and weather satellites flood into orbit but no interplanetary missions take off.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* The Soviets man their space station and fly their moon rocket on a successful test flight. No Moryak flights announced and only a handful of satellites of dubious intention go up.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 6-30-68:[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]The moon race is tight--if only the Americans can get their spaceship working before the Soviets get their rocket working! American scientific prestige is at an all time high, commercial enterprise is buddy buddy with NASA.. but those Soviet peeping toms are starting to get unnerving.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]68:2[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* The Americans finally have a space station, bigger than the Soviet one. [/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* The Russians are making a big show of their lunar spacecraft, and they've finally sent a probe to the moon. [/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 12-31-68:[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Still neck and neck! Neither side has put all the pieces together in orbit. America is the hands down scientific winner though some wish there would be some follow up interplanetary missions.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]69:1[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* Two Artemis missions and two station missions have got the Americans fired about space. [/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* The Soviets match pound for pound with two lunar assembly flights and a pair of station missions of their own.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 6-30-69:[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]The world is on pins and needles. Las Vegas betting pools are offering even odds on who will get to the moon first.[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]69:2[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* Victory goes to the Americans as Grissom walks on the f#&$ing moon for the first time. DoD flies a large new spaceplane for the first time. NASA lofts some groundbreaking Earth and Lunar sensing satellites. [/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]* The Soviets get an impressive second place with their own lunar landing. Their space station continues to be manned. [/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]Public opinion as of 12-31-69:[/FONT]
[FONT=VTBulletin, Times New Roman]With the Russians right behind the Americans, it doesn't seem anyone can relax yet. The Space Race is still a going concern, but where will it lead to? Everyone knows the Americans are winning, but it seems that the Soviet Union is setting the pace by never letting the Yankees catch their breath. [/FONT]
