3.5 Entering the Age of Space Flight
147
Peninsula, it is almost a successful launch test. Subsequently, the TASS news agency
officially announced “…the creation of a long-range multistage ballistic missile in
the Soviet Union”. It meant that the Soviet missiles could be launched to any corner
of the Earth and attained the strategic goal of launching an intercontinental missile
ahead of the United States, which also lain a solid technical foundation for the Soviet
Union to take the lead in entering the age of space flight.
As early as March 1950, M. K. Tikhonravov made a presentation entitled “Rocket
Packs and Prospects of Their Development” at a scientific conference held by his
research institute, advocated a concept of multistage rockets and reported the results
of calculating the mass of vehicles for various flight ranges. Particularly, in this
presentation, he considered a launch vehicle consisting of three R-3 rockets, which
would offer practically an unlimited flight range and the capability to reach orbit,
possibly with the satellite heavy enough to carry a pilot. He finally concluded outlined
various applications of the satellites and the possibility of manned space flight, which
paved the way to serious considerations into the problems of the artificial satellites.
With Tikhonravov’s gift of vision, his research into long-range multistage missiles
allowed that the concept of orbiting satellites matures into a real space program.
Firstly, he conceptualized a possible plan for space exploration, which would start
with simple satellites designed primarily for science and for testing rockets carrying
them. Secondly, the manned rockets would be launched to test their possibility, and
in turn, these missions would pave the way to a small experimental satellite with
one or two people onboard, capable of long-duration flights. Thirdly, a large-scale
“Station Satellite”, which could be applied to scientific research and served as a
launchpad for deep space missions, would ultimately be launched, to be maintained
via regular transports from the Earth. However, there were many people who held
objections to Tikhonravov’s idea and space program, including the superior leaders
from the Soviet military and the specialists from the academic circles of the USSR.
They considered that the creation of a satellite is a useless idea, not even worthy
of discussion, let alone its actual development and that the development of satellite
and space exploration should be a matter decades later due to the limitation of the
technological level.
In order to support Tikhonravov to develop the space program, Korolev lobbied
around and sincerely got the suggestions from the specialists of the Soviet Academy
of Sciences, including its chairman A. N. Nesmeyanov, the academician M. V.
Keldysh and the academician L. I. Sedov. With scientific establishment on his side,
Korolev was ready to bring the satellite into politics. In May 1954, Korolev submitted
a formal proposal entitled “On the Artificial Satellite of the Earth” to Dmitriy F.
Ustinov, who was then the Minister of Defense Industry of the USSR. The proposal
was accompanied by the research results and a review of the American work in
the field compiled by Tikhonravov. Clearly, with Ustinov’s help, the proposal on
the development of problems of space flight was eventually approved three months
later by Soviet of Ministers USSR, including V. Ryabikov at the Soviet of Minister,
G. Pashkov at Sate Planning Ministry, and others. At the beginning of 1955, the
Soviet Academy of Science created a special commission chaired by Keldysh, with
147
Peninsula, it is almost a successful launch test. Subsequently, the TASS news agency
officially announced “…the creation of a long-range multistage ballistic missile in
the Soviet Union”. It meant that the Soviet missiles could be launched to any corner
of the Earth and attained the strategic goal of launching an intercontinental missile
ahead of the United States, which also lain a solid technical foundation for the Soviet
Union to take the lead in entering the age of space flight.
As early as March 1950, M. K. Tikhonravov made a presentation entitled “Rocket
Packs and Prospects of Their Development” at a scientific conference held by his
research institute, advocated a concept of multistage rockets and reported the results
of calculating the mass of vehicles for various flight ranges. Particularly, in this
presentation, he considered a launch vehicle consisting of three R-3 rockets, which
would offer practically an unlimited flight range and the capability to reach orbit,
possibly with the satellite heavy enough to carry a pilot. He finally concluded outlined
various applications of the satellites and the possibility of manned space flight, which
paved the way to serious considerations into the problems of the artificial satellites.
With Tikhonravov’s gift of vision, his research into long-range multistage missiles
allowed that the concept of orbiting satellites matures into a real space program.
Firstly, he conceptualized a possible plan for space exploration, which would start
with simple satellites designed primarily for science and for testing rockets carrying
them. Secondly, the manned rockets would be launched to test their possibility, and
in turn, these missions would pave the way to a small experimental satellite with
one or two people onboard, capable of long-duration flights. Thirdly, a large-scale
“Station Satellite”, which could be applied to scientific research and served as a
launchpad for deep space missions, would ultimately be launched, to be maintained
via regular transports from the Earth. However, there were many people who held
objections to Tikhonravov’s idea and space program, including the superior leaders
from the Soviet military and the specialists from the academic circles of the USSR.
They considered that the creation of a satellite is a useless idea, not even worthy
of discussion, let alone its actual development and that the development of satellite
and space exploration should be a matter decades later due to the limitation of the
technological level.
In order to support Tikhonravov to develop the space program, Korolev lobbied
around and sincerely got the suggestions from the specialists of the Soviet Academy
of Sciences, including its chairman A. N. Nesmeyanov, the academician M. V.
Keldysh and the academician L. I. Sedov. With scientific establishment on his side,
Korolev was ready to bring the satellite into politics. In May 1954, Korolev submitted
a formal proposal entitled “On the Artificial Satellite of the Earth” to Dmitriy F.
Ustinov, who was then the Minister of Defense Industry of the USSR. The proposal
was accompanied by the research results and a review of the American work in
the field compiled by Tikhonravov. Clearly, with Ustinov’s help, the proposal on
the development of problems of space flight was eventually approved three months
later by Soviet of Ministers USSR, including V. Ryabikov at the Soviet of Minister,
G. Pashkov at Sate Planning Ministry, and others. At the beginning of 1955, the
Soviet Academy of Science created a special commission chaired by Keldysh, with