[April 10, 1965] Furnishing the Home of the Future: Interior Design for the Space Age

April 10, 2020 Cora Buhlert 6 Comments

by Cora Buhlert

Today's article is on architecture in the modern age, but first, I have a couple of news tidbits for you — one public and one personal:

For a Few Westerns More

While the "western" appears to be a declining genre in the United States, at least on the silver screen, West German audiences are currently flocking to the cinemas to watch an Italian western. Yes, you heard that correctly. After entertaining us with a seemingly endless stream of sand and sandal epics, Italian filmmakers have decided to try their hand at a new genre, the western.

German poster for For a Fistful of Dollars — The German film poster for "Per un pugno di dollari" a.k.a. "For a Fistful of Dollars"

The movie in question is called Per un pugno di dollari, which translates as "For a Fistful of Dollars". It features Clint Eastwood, star of the American western TV series Rawhide, as a nameless gunslinger. West German actress Marianne Koch, mostly known for sappy romantic fare, plays a Mexican damsel in distress. Per un pugno di dollari is an exciting movie, full of action and a lot more graphic violence than is commonly found in Hollywood westerns. However, if the plot of a nameless stranger getting involved in a feud between two rival gangs seems a tad familiar, that's probably because it is. Only four years ago, Akira Kurosawa told the same story, albeit set in 19th century Japan, in Yojimbo. And Kurosawa didn't come up with the plot either, but borrowed it from Dashiell Hammett's 1927 crime novel Red Harvest.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed it, and I'm looking forward to more of this Italian spin on an American genre!

A Happy Couple

Spring is also the time for weddings. And even though April has been cold and wet so far, I nonetheless attended a family wedding yesterday. Here are some photos of the happy couple.

Even twenty years after the end of WWII, there are still housing shortages in West Germany and therefore, the young couple above is thrilled to have found an apartment to start their new life together. I don't know what that apartment will look like, but thinking about it led me to contemplate contemporary interior design in general. So strap in for a tour of what's in, literally.

The Workplace of the Future

Last year, I brought you an article about the exciting modern buildings that are going up all over Europe and elsewhere. Futuristic buildings need futuristic interiors. Thankfully, today's designers are on the ball and are creating some amazing furniture that looks like nothing ever seen before.

In many areas, the so-called International Style, which emerged after World War II from the Bauhaus style of the 1920s and early 1930s, is still dominant. And indeed the clean lines and functional design of the International Style are perfectly suited to hotel lobbies, airport lounges and office buildings.

Companies like Vitra of Switzerland and Knoll International and Herman Miller Inc., both from the US, supply the headquarters of international companies with a mixture of classic thirty to forty year old Bauhaus designs revived for the postwar era as well as new chairs, desks and tables created by designers like Charles and Ray Eames. Of particular note is "Action Office", designed by Robert Propst and George Nelson for Herman Miller Inc. The mobile and modular "Action Office" system breaks up the rigid rows of desks which characterise many modern offices and allows for moving around chairs and desks. Shelving units and filing cabinets serve as dividers, allowing office workers more privacy. "Action Office" makes work seem like fun.

"Action Office" furniture system, designed by George Nelson and Robert Propst, with chairs by Charles and Ray Eames.

Of course, a modern office also needs modern equipment. The Italian company Olivetti produces some of the best and most functional office equipment currently on the market such as the "Praxis 48" typewriter with its bright green keys or the strikingly futuristic "Programma 101" programmable calculating machine. Owning an Olivetti typewriter or an IBM "Selectric" is the dream of many a writer.

An Olivetti store in Italy. What an innovative idea, a shop devoted only to the products of a single manufacturer of office equipment.

Olivetti Praxis 48 typewriter — The Olivetti "Praxis 48" typewriter, designed by Ettore Sottsass

Northern Exposure

But while the International Style may excel at furnishing office buildings, its minimalist purism does feel a little too cold and bland for the home. Thankfully, our Northern neighbours are on the case with furnishings that manage to be both modernist and cosy.

In the past three decades, Scandinavia has emerged as a source of beautiful and functional design to the point that Scandinavian Modern has become a recognisable style found in many homes in Europe (including my own) and beyond.

Traditionally, Scandinavian Modern has been associated with clean lines, neutral palettes and natural materials like wood, leather and wicker. A prime example is the beautiful "Hammock" chair by Danish designer Poul Kjærholm. However in recent times, Scandinavian designers have branched out and embraced materials like plastics as well as brighter colours.

Paul Kjaerholm hammock chair — Don't you just want to lie down in this "Hammock" chair by Danish designer Paul Kjaerholm?

A few years ago, Danish designer Arne Jacobsen created the incredibly comfortable organic forms of the so-called "Egg" and "Swan" chairs for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen, Meanwhile, his countryman Poul Volther designed the striking "Corona" chair, inspired by witnessing a solar eclipse.

Egg chair by Arne Jacobsen — The "Egg" chair by Danish designer Arne Jacobsen. Doesn't it look super comfortable?

Swan chair by Arne Jacobsen — The "Swan" chair by Arne Jacobsen

Arne Jacobsen interior for the SAS Royal Hotel — Arne Jacobsen's interior for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen, featuring the "Egg" chair.

Corona chair by Poul Vohler — The "Corona" chair by Danish designer Poul Vohler was allegedly inspired by witnessing a solar eclipse.

Another Dane, Verner Panton, came up with such innovative designs as the "Moon" ceiling lamp, the "Cone" chair and a cantilever chair from a single piece of injection moulded plastic which is sadly only a prototype for now, though the Swiss company Vitra is looking at possibilities for mass production.

Moon lamp by Verner Panton — The "Moon" lamp by Danish designer Verner Panton brightens up this lobby.

Cone chair by Verner Panton — The "Cone" chair by Verner Panton

Panton chair — This chair prototype by Verner Panton is made from a single piece of plastic.

Eero Saarinen from Finland is mainly known as the architect responsible for such stunning buildings as the Trans World Flight Center, the Washington Dulles International Airport and the St. Louis Gateway arch. However, Eero Saarinen is also a talented furniture designer and the plastic "Tulip" chair he designed for Knoll International can be found in homes and boardrooms around the world. Meanwhile, Eero Aarnio, also from Finland, created the fabulous "Ball" chair, which is perfect for curling up with a good book.

Tulip chairs by Eero Saarinen — These "Tulip" chairs were designed by Finnish designer eero Saarinen for Knoll International

Ball chair by Eero Aarnio — Who wouldn't want to curl up with a good book in this futuristic "Ball" chair by Finnish desinger Eero Aarnio?

But Scandinavian designers also excel in fields beyond furniture design. In 1960, Jacqueline Kennedy made the colourful fabrics of the Finnish company Marimekko world famous, when she bought six Marimekko gowns for her husband's presidential campaign. Those carefree days may be over, but Marimekko is still producing striking and brightly coloured fabrics such as the "Unikko" (poppy) pattern, designed last year by Maija Isola.

Jacqueline Kennedy in Marimekko — Jacqueline Kennedy wearing a Marimekko dress on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Marimekko Unikko — The brightly coloured "Unikko" (Poppy) pattern was designed by Majia Isola for Marimekko last year.

Meanwhile, Danish designer Bjørn Wiinblad has shaken up the stuffy Rosenthal porcelain company with his elegant and modern designs such the "Romanze" dinnerware line, which can be found on many West German tables, including mine.

Rosenthal Romanze by Björn Wiinblad — The "Romanze" dinnerware with its organic forms and embossed oval pattern was designed by Björn Wiinblad for Rosenthal porcelain.

Juggler candlestick by Björn Wiinblad — Danish designer Björn Wiinblad also created this striking "Juggler" candlestick for Rosenthal.

From Italy with Love

If Scandinavia is the centre of North European design, the style heart of Southern Europe beats in Italy.

Designer Joe Columbo from Milan may be only 34, but he has already created such revolutionary designs as the stackable "Universale" No. 4860 chair, the desk lamp "Acrilica", the "Combi-Centre" flexible storage cabinet and the "Elda" chair which would not look out of place on the bridge of a starship.

Acrilica Lamp by Joe Columbo — The "Acrilica" desk lamp by Joe Columbo is the most beautiful way to light up your desk.

Joe Columbo Combi-Centre — Get organised with this "Combi-Centre" storage cabinet by Italian designer Joe Columbo

Universale No. 4860 chair by Joe Columbo — Coloruful and practical: The stackable "Universale No. 4860" chair by Joe Columbo

Elda chair by Joe Columbo — A chair fit for a starship captain: The "Elda" armchair by Joe Columbo

The "Arco" lamp, designed by brothers Pier Giacomo and Achille Castiglioni, is not just beautiful, but also combines the simplicity of a floor lamp with the illumination provided by a ceiling lamp. An "Arco" lamp currently brightens up my living room and was well worth both the price and the hassle of transporting the large and heavy lamp home in a small car. A few years earlier, the brothers Castiglioni also designed the deceptively simple "Mezzadro" stool.

Mezzadro stool by the brothers Castiglioni — The "Mezzadro" stool, designed by the brothers Castiglioni

But Italian design is not just beautiful – no, the Italians also pioneered the use of space age plastic materials for home furnishings. Above, I already mentioned the "Universale" chair from brightly coloured ABS plastic and the stunning "Acrilica" desk lamp, which turns a sheet of acrylic glass into an stylised ocean wave and lights up your desk, too. Another example of innovative plastic use is the line of "Throw Away" sofas and armchairs designed by Willie Landels for the Milanese company Zanotta. Outwardly, the boxy "Throw Away" armchairs and sofas may not look particularly exciting, but if you were to cut one open – not that you should – you'd find only polyurethane foam inside, no wooden frames or steel springs needed.

Throw Away armchairs — The "Throw Away" line of armchairs and sofas was designed by Willie Lendel for Zanotta

Throw Away armchair by Zanotta — Someone took the name of the "Throw Away" armchair by Zanotta a little too seriously. On the plus side, you can see that the armchairs are so light that they float on water due to their innovative polyurethane core.

Making Household Appliances Beautiful

In West Germany, interior and product design are still very much influenced by the purist Bauhaus style of the 1920s and early 1930s. The rise of the Third Reich scattered the Bauhaus alumni all over the world, though some like Wilhelm Wagenfeld remained in West Germany. A son of my hometown of Bremen, Wilhelm Wagenfeld has created both lamps and tableware such as this teapot from heat-resistant borosilicate glass or the salt and pepper shaker combination "Max and Moritz". Wagenfeld's designs can be found in many West German homes, including mine.

Wilhelm Wagenfeld teapot — This teapot from heat resistant borosilicate glass was designed by Wilhelm Wagenfeld.

Wilhelm Wagenfeld Max and Moritz — The salt and pepper shaker combination "Max and Moritz", designed by Wilhelm Wagenfeld

The original Bauhaus in Dessau has sadly vanished behind the Iron Curtain, but its spiritual heirs may be found at the Ulm School of Design, whose alumni found employment at corporations like Lufthansa airlines and the Braun AG.

The Braun AG has long been known as a manufacturer of high-quality radios, clocks, electric shavers, kitchen and household appliances. However, in the past few years, Braun has also become known for its functional and beautiful product design, courtesy of designers Dieter Rams, Hans Gugelot and Reinhold Weiss.

Braun's most famous product is probably the "Phonosuper SK4", which combines a radio and a record player in a single white box with a lid of clear acrylic. Due to its appearance, the "Phonosuper SK4" quickly gained the nickname "Snow White's coffin". But never mind the somewhat morbid nickname, your Beatles records have never sounded better.

Braun Phonosuper SK4, designed by Dieter Rams and Hans Gugelot — Play your Beatles and Motown records on this stylish "Phonosuper SK4" radio and record player combination. Designed by Dieter Rams and Hans Gugelot for Braun AG, the "Phonosuper SK4" is also nicknamed "Snow White's Coffin".

I'm fortunate that my uncle works for the Braun AG and can hook me up with their latest products. And so I'm not only the proud owner of a "Phonosuper SK61", the improved follow-up of "Snow White's Coffin", but also of a Braun KM32 food processor and the HL1 desk fan, which keeps my office cool in the summer.

This Braun HL1 desk fan will keep you cool in summer. Designed by Reinhold Weiss.

This Braun KM 32 food processor is the envy of every homecook.

Braun kitchen scale — This striking circular kitchen scale was designed by Dieter Rams for the Braun AG.

Good Design for the Masses

The many striking examples of modern interior design I have presented above all have one thing in common. They may be beautiful, but they're also very pricey. So what is a couple with a limited budget like our newlyweds above to do? Stick with grandma's Victorian hand-me-downs, until they have saved up enough to be able to afford the stunning pieces seen above?

Not necessarily, because all over Western Europe companies are springing up to bring modern design to the masses at affordable prices. The foremost among those companies is IKEA of Sweden. Founded by Ingvar Kamprad, IKEA was originally a mail order business offering furniture for self-assembly. In 1958, IKEA opened its first furniture store in Älmhult, Sweden, followed soon by many others. Whether ordered by mail or purchased at a store, IKEA furniture always comes in a flat box, the contents of which the customer can assemble themselves. IKEA furniture is modern, practical and – most importantly – much cheaper than the expensive designer pieces seen above. Sadly, IKEA only operates in Scandinavia so far, but I hope that the rest of us will get to enjoy their products soon.

The 1965 IKEA catalogue offers Scandinavian Modern for the masses.

Ingvar Kamprad and Hans Ax — IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad and store manager Hans Ax outside the IKEA store in Älmhult, Sweden.

Over in Britain, a young designer named Terence Conran had a similar idea. In 1956, Conran created his "Summa" range of furniture, to be sold in flat boxes for self-assembly at home. However, Conran found that few stores would sell his products, so last year he opened his own shop, called Habitat, on Fulham Road in London. Like IKEA, Habitat offers good design at affordable prices. However, Habitat doesn't just sell furniture, they also offer kitchenware and other accessories from around the world to make your home beautiful. And so Habitat's most popular product is not furniture at all, but storage jars for dry pasta.

A look into the Habitat store on Fulham road in London

Terence Conran with Habitat staff — British designer Terence Conran poses with the staff of his Habitat store in London.

The Return of Victorian Whimsy

But even though practical and beautiful modern furniture is available at increasingly affordable prices these days, the Victorian furniture and accessories of our grandparents, long considered old-fashioned and passé, is currently undergoing something of a Renaissance as well.

Particularly the Art Noveau style of the turn of the century with its flowing, organic designs is back en vogue both due to high profile retrospectives in museums in Paris and London and because the swirling designs of Art Noveau also happen to echo the psychedelic experience, something which would probably have baffled the great Art Noveau designers and artists such as Henry van de Velde, Alphonse Mucha or Aubrey Beardsley.

So far, the Victorian and Art Noveau revival seems to be confined to London, where the walls of trendy apartments are covered in vintage enamel advertising signs and the Biba boutique offers the latest fashions amidst an eclectic mix of Victorian furniture, Art Noveau wallpapers and ostrich feathers. So if you still have some of grandma's old furniture in the attic, by all that's holy don't throw it away, because it's about to come back into fashion.

The interior of London's trendy Biba boutique mixes Victorian furniture with up to date fashions.

Biba Boutique London — Miniskirts go well with Art Noveau wallpaper inside the Biba boutique in London.

But what do you do if you don't happen to have inherited any authentic Victorian or Art Noveau objects from your grandparents and if you can't find any at your local antiques store either? Luckily, companies like Dodo Designs of Tunbridge Wells, England, offer a range of tins, mugs, wall plaques and milliner's heads that look as if they fell out of a time warp.

Dodo designs — A store display of Dodo design products in the Victorian style on Carnaby Street in London.

Hold onto your seat

With so many different styles and movements currently vying for customers, what will the home of the future look like? Of course, it's always difficult to predict trends with any certainty, but I do think that we will be seeing brighter colours and more furniture made from plastic. We will also be seeing stores like IKEA or Habitat expand and similar enterprises springing up in other countries. Finally, we will also be seeing older styles – whether it's the recently rediscovered Art Noveau of sixty to seventy years ago or the Bauhaus style of the 1920s and 1930s which never truly went away – coexist with the latest designs.

But one thing is certain. The home of the future will be bright, fun and exciting.

We had so much success with our first episode of The Journey Show (you can watch the kinescope rerun; check local listings for details) that we're going to have another one on April 11 at 1PM PDT with The Young Traveler as the special musical guest. As the kids say, be there or be square!

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Movies

[April 8, 1965] Twisted but Classy (Mario Bava's "Blood and Black Lace")

April 8, 2020 Rosemary Benton 1 Comment

By Rosemary Benton

I’ll be the first to admit that my tastes do not run toward mysteries. I much prefer modern science fiction with its hopefulness and cautious approach to new realms of science. Horror, either written or filmed, has likewise fascinated me. But unlike science fiction's surety that logic can always triumph, horror focuses on the deep human fear of things unknown and mysterious.

Thrillers are a territory that I'm developing a growing appreciation for due to their usually modern setting with heavy horror elements. As such, when I heard about the new Mario Bava film "Blood and Black Lace" I thought I would give it a look. Not being one to pay much heed to what magazine or newspaper critics have to say about horror films, I thought I would go ahead and check it out. Now having seen it, I wonder if I should have taken the critics more seriously.

"Blood and Black Lace"

The film opens upon the glamorous life of the people working within a successful avant garde Italian fashion house. In short order one of the models is strangled by a faceless masked killer. Upon her death one of her coworkers discovers the victim's diary. In short order the killer returns to take out one model after another as the diary switches hands and the knowledge held within it comes to light.

Despite leading charmed lives, each victim of the killer is revealed to have been involved in one way or another with drug addictions, infidelity, scandal and extortion. All of which ties back to the records within the diary. Ultimately the identity of the killer is revealed upon completion of their grisly work. But it soon becomes apparent that in order to cover their tracks the killer's work is not done yet. At the end the final murder proves to be their undoing when the most jealously guarded manipulation comes to light.

Initial Thoughts

"Blood and Black Lace" is a windy road of secrets and twisted loyalties. The mystery element of the plot is very entertaining to watch as it unfolds, but unfortunately there are a few things that made the film nearly impossible to finish. Put simply, the acting is so good and cinematography so dramatic that it makes the violence very disturbing to take in.

The brutal beatings rained down on the female victims are all uncomfortably real looking (with the exception of one suffocation death that is acted and shot in a way that makes the victim’s writhing weirdly sexual). One expects there to be struggling as the masked killer corners each of the models and proceeds to dispatch them in different ways, but the camera time given to each death is obscene.

The sexualization of each victim before and after their death is likewise unsettling. Clothing is ripped open to expose undergarments, and bodies are dragged away with lingering looks at long legs and breasts. Worst of all is the suspenseful buildup in several deathblows. During the murders of house models Nicole and Peggy the camera zooms in on the slow approach of the murder instrument before the frightened victim is killed.

It's effective, but even I, horror film connoisseur that I am, thought that this was a bit much. It's frightening, but that kind of violence taken with so much anticipation and pleasure by the killer slides well into the realm of just being gross.

Why? Why is any of this necessary artistically or plot-wise? Extremely violent eroticism with dramatic execution was my conclusion. Is this something new in horror? Well, not really. It's new to see Italian filmmakers taking a crack at the thriller film category, but Germany has long been producing adaptations of mysteries and pulp thrillers.

The works of Edgar Wallace, Agatha Christie, and Erle Stanley Gardner all contain a potent mix of scandal, sex, drugs and murder. Understandably, this scintillating content could very easily be adapted to film. Although virtually unknown in the U.S, the studio Rialto Film has been churning out film adaptations of Edgar Wallace's works for years now.

"Blood and Black Lace" is no mere sleazy mystery/thriller story, however. Mario Bava, perhaps looking to outdo himself following "The Girl Who Knew Too Much" (1963), really stepped up the psychologically twisted elements in this film. With each new movie of his, the thrill of seeing beautiful guilty women "pay" for their misdeeds with a kind of vigilante justice seems to be a common element. It’s an element that, I hope, has a limited appeal.

The Mario Bava Method

What did Mario Bava hope to achieve in this film? The deep dive Bava takes into the psychological camera work is admittedly astounding. His experience as a cinematographer is undeniable. The panoramas of beautiful architecture and the creative closeups and camera angles show far more suspense than mere dialogue could ever achieve. The vibrant neon lighting and clever placement of artwork and statues helps the audience to really feel the fear and anxiety of the characters.

Bava has shown a distinct flair as a writer, director and cinematographer who can bring new life to a project that either due to budget or well-trodden story, could be mired in mediocrity. In his directorial debut "Black Sunday" (1960), his ability to bring together his experience as a cinematographer and writer resulted in a unique gothic vampire story. Despite its critical success, the special effect and violence of the film actually got it banned in several countries. Clearly Bava's controversial love affair with gore is not anything new.

I hesitate to describe "Blood and Black Lace" as a revolutionary addition to the horror genre because the violence that advances it in the genre unfortunately also works against it. Thankfully "Blood and Black Lace" has more than that to offer as an example of modern horror film. Its modern setting, contemporary high fashion aesthetic, and refreshingly riveting musical score all speak to progress away from the stale hallmarks of recent horror films. It is a stark departure from the horror themes which have dominated theaters in the last half century.

In Conclusion

"Blood and Black Lace" demonstrates an advanced approach to camera work and lighting that push it beyond the flat panoramas and muted colors of most other horror films that have made their way to American theaters. This movie is certainly not your grandparent's book-to-film adaptation of a Victorian melodrama. As a sensory experience Mario Bava's "Blood and Black Lace" is exceptional. It grips its audience and pulls them along until the very end. The escalation of Bava's focus of violence against women is deeply troubling though. Is it cheap thrills or thoughtful social commentary that spur someone like Bava on? Only continued analysis of Bava's future films will tell.

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Science / Space Race

[April 6, 1965] The Early Bird Catches the Worm (INTELSAT 1)

April 6, 2020 Kaye Dee 2 Comments

by Kaye Dee

Later today, the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization, better known as INTELSAT is going to launch its first satellite, INTELSAT-1, which goes by the nickname of ‘Early Bird’. This satellite is intended to be the beginning of a global satellite telecommunications network, which INTELSAT hopes to have in operation by about mid-1967.

INTELSAT aims to connect us all via satellite – starting with the US and Europe

INTELSAT: Connecting the World with Space Technology

I wrote about INTELSAT last year, when the organization was first established in August 1964, with Australia as one of its 11 founding members. Around 45 countries have now joined the INTELSAT consortium and I’m certain that the creation of a world-wide telecommunications system that offers equitable access to all nations will improve international understanding and the prospects for world peace. Satellite communications will certainly prove a boon for countries with poorly-developed internal communications networks, as well as allowing major Southern Hemisphere nations like South Africa and Australia to have more rapid connections to Britain, Europe and North America.

One of the United States' first space stamps recognised the potential for satellite communications to promote world peace

Assuming all goes well with the launch this evening, INTELSAT-1 will be placed in a geostationary orbit at 22,300 miles above the equator, east of the Brazilian coast. Once the satellite has been thoroughly checked out to be sure it’s in full working order, it will go into operation, around the beginning of June, as the first commercial satellite providing regular telecommunications and broadcasting services between North America and Europe.

Soaring to New Heights

Of course, satellite communications between the Unites States and Europe isn’t completely new: Telstar and Relay 1 both provided this service back in 1962. But both satellites were only in low Earth orbit, so they could only provide intermittent service. When Syncom 2 and 3, were launched in 1963 and ’64, respectively, these experimental spacecraft built by the Hughes Aircraft Company demonstrated the feasibility of using satellites in geosynchronous and geostationary orbit to provide a world-wide communications system. They were so successful in connecting America with countries from Japan to Nigeria, that Syncom 3 was the prototype on which Early Bird has been modelled, and you can see the similarity in design.

Syncom 3 above and Early Bird undergoing tests below

Like Syncom 3, INTELSAT-1 is spin stabilised, which is the reason for its cylindrical shape. It has two 6-Watt transponders that enable it to carry 240 two-way voice circuits and one television channel, although not simultaneously: in order to transmit television, all the telephone voice channels have to be shut down. An important difference between the two satellites, though, is that INTELSAT-1 uses commercial rather than military frequencies for its communications to and from the ground.

INTELSAT-1 weighs just 85-lb which, amazingly for its capabilities, is less than half that of Sputnik 1’s 184 pounds. It is covered with 6,000 solar cells that generate 45 Watts of power to operate the satellite. Early Bird’s capabilities are so advanced that it will actually be more economical to operate than international undersea cables, which carry fewer channels and cost nearly 10 times as much!

Getting into Position

Early Bird is being launched by a Thrust-Augmented Delta, the same type of rocket that was used to put Syncom 3 into orbit. This vehicle, also known as the Delta D, is essentially the same as its predecessor, the Delta C, but with the addition of three Castor-1 solid rocket boosters attached to the first stage. The launch is taking place at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 17A, which was also used for Syncom 3’s launch. The Delta will boost Early Bird into an elliptical orbit, taking it from 830 to 22,950 miles out in space. After 40 hours a series of delicate manoeuvres will place the satellite in its permanent orbital position.

Early Bird's launch vehicle being assembled. The Castor-1 solid boosters are being hoisted into position while the Delta rocket core waits in the background. It will soon be brought forward for mating with the boosters

Demonstrating the Future

Although it will operate as a commercial service, Early Bird will also be used to demonstrate that international satellite telecommunication is commercially viable in the long-term. While its main ground stations will be the huge horn antennae originally built for Telstar, it will also use ground stations with large parabolic ground antennae with diameters of over 85 feet, like the one at Goonhilly in England, and perhaps smaller antennae as well.

The Telstar horn antenna at Pleumeur-Bodou, France, is now being used as an INTELSAT-1 ground station

From my friends at WRE who are involved with the NASA Gemini tracking station at Carnarvon, Western Australia, I understand that if the Early Bird experience goes well, the antennae for the INTELSAT-2 satellites, that are being contracted by NASA to support the Apollo programme, will be an unusual Cassegrain feed-horn design that is already being nicknamed the “sugar scoop”! I’m fascinated to see what this antenna will actually look like, with a nickname like that!

The other thing that INTELSAT-1 will be determining is whether or not the end to end signal delay of 250 milliseconds, while the signal goes up to the satellite and returns to the ground, will be acceptable to customers. Syncom 3 demonstrated that geostationary orbit is so high that, even at the speed of light, there is a perceptible time-lag between comment and response when communicating internationally. Whether people will find this too disconcerting for use with international satellite phone calls could have a significant influence on how future communications satellite systems are developed.

240 phones for 240 conversations simultaneously carried on via Early Bird. But will people accept the time-lag that comes with geostationary satellite communications?

So, my friends in the Northern Hemisphere, enjoy the convenience of satellite telecommunication that will soon be available to you-I can’t wait for it to come to Australia as well.

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Book

[April 4, 1965] A Future of Rainbows: Psychedelic-40, by Louis Charbonneau

April 4, 2020 Erica Frank 2 Comments

by Erica Frank

With psychotropic drugs having arrived in the national consciousness, it's not surprising that they are starting to be the subject of mainstream science fiction books:

Cover art — “1993—A frighteningly prophetic novel of the U.S.A. ruled by the Syndicate—Men with super-minds who can probe the ordinary citizen's thoughts at will.”

I suspect the publisher insisted on the name for this one, because the word "psychedelic" only appears once in the book, and it's not referring to the drug PSI-40 that's the focus of the story.

The prologue nicely sets up the conflict: A young boy and his father are on the run, living in a remote rural location and trying not to be discovered by the Syndicate. They have incredible psychic powers, so they can maintain communication and view each others' surroundings, and the father insists on keeping their distance from each other to keep the boy safe. Their powers come from a drug, PSI-40, and the father makes sure to give his son the formula before the Syndicate catches up with him.

The Ultimate Drug

PSI-40 is, as one might guess, a pill that can awaken a person's psychic abilities. It doesn't work that way for everyone—just for the rare "Sensitives" and even rarer "Specials." For most people, its effects seem to be a blend of marijuana, LSD, and Aldous Huxley's "soma": rainbow lights, mellow mood, lowered inhibitions, heightened sensation, and a sense of peace and bliss.

Like marijuana, it causes relaxation and softens the emotions. Like LSD, it causes mild hallucinations: rainbow afterimages, distorted proportions, brighter lights and darker shadows, but nothing appearing real when it's not. And like soma, it has no unpleasant side effects and causes no disabilities—except for Sensitives, who are prone to intense headaches from the psychic powers it awakens.

Among the normal users, some people have religious experiences; some are overwhelmed with sensuality. It's only the Sensitives and Specials who get more than that—they gain telepathy, clairvoyance, and sometimes telekinesis. They also don't get much of the "normal" effects of the drug, so their thinking and reaction times aren't impaired from it.

The book is set in the near future; most of the events begin on the day of the presidential inauguration of 1993. (I wonder what current junior businessman or class president will be elected in 1992?) Jon Rand, security agent for the Syndicate that manufactures and controls PSI-40, is sent to Baja on a manhunt: find the rogue Special who's been eluding them for 17 years. At this point, the reader becomes aware that the hero of the prologue—young Kemp Johnson—is the target of the main story. A bit of math determines that he's probably born next year, sometime in 1966.

Picture of a soldier lying down near a tree and laughing — I wonder if that means the Syndicate is already testing drugs on people, looking for the ones who awaken hidden powers? (Image: of one of the British Marines being tested for the effects of LSD, 1964.)

Of Kemp, we know nothing except that he has mental powers, and he is filled with rage against the Syndicate. Rand is not so much a cypher, but he is very much a company man, striving to make sure his faction is in the limelight when the current aging president loses control. It's not immediately apparent if he is a "good guy" working within a corrupt and power-hungry organization, or someone who happily supports their regime.

Rand Discovers the World

On his travels to look for Kemp, he encounters a woman who speaks harshly of the Syndicate but does not seem to be one of the "Antis" who object to all uses of PSI-40. He also barely escapes a murder attempt, attends a funeral with people so doped they can't grieve, infiltrates an Anti activist group, and discovers the covert machinations within the Syndicate itself. Through these adventures, Rand is shown to be a good sort of fellow.

He tries to be honest, and he is supportive of the Latino people in Baja whose connection to PSI-40 is very different from his own. He is sympathetic to their hardships, which are eased by the drug, but concerned about both a society without mourning and other deep emotions. He is troubled that the Syndicate pulls strings far beyond what's needed for a business with a product in high demand. He is increasingly uncertain about the purpose of his chase and nervous about the secrets being withheld from him, but with no obvious way to find out more, he has no choice but to move forward as assigned.

Rand starts out contemptuous of the Antis: why would anyone object to a medicine that eases sorrow and enhances joy? But as he encounters more people outside of the Syndicate, he realizes its effects aren't that simple, and there are reasons to be wary of it. Still, he recognizes foolish propaganda when he hears it—the Antis aren't concerned with PSI-40's subtle influences as much as they're caught up in hating the corporate powers that create it.

Formulaic but Not Boring

I found the story compelling and easy to follow, other than losing track of a few people's names. (Several characters were introduced in the first chapter, and not mentioned again until more than halfway through the book, and then only by their surnames.) I found the obligatory romance plausible but unnecessary. I believe that, had the "interesting but maybe-opposition" character been a man, they would've developed a friendship rather than falling in bed together. I did enjoy Rand's innate suspicious nature, and that he aimed it at his own organization as easily as he directed it at outsiders.

I both admired the world building and found it a bit dry: Jon Rand, experienced agent of the Syndicate, is apparently prone to musing over what he knows of PSI-40 when he visits seedy nightclubs, nude beaches, or churches that use the drug as a sacrament. I would like to know more about the world; several characters complained that the Syndicate rations PSI-40, but the method of rationing and the purchase price are both opaque to us. Since the poorest of laborers can afford some (although not as much as they usually want), presumably the wealthy could pass their days in a rainbow-smeared fog of euphoria. Yet we are led to believe that their world works much like ours, albeit with a few technological enhancements brought on by 30 years of peace and prosperity.

The Firebird IV: GM's turbine-powered “Car of the Future” debuted at the 1964 World's Fair. (There are no actual turbines yet.)

While the story was interesting enough, most of the characters were a bit flat. Even the ones with mixed loyalties were complex in predictable ways. There were questions of who will betray him but none about which of these people might be the deceiver? Honest folk were honest, and shifty people with hidden agendas seemed to be hiding something, although it wasn't immediately apparent what.

What's Missing?

Psychedelic-40 was an enjoyable read, a nice consideration of "what if LSD really did expand consciousness, to such an extent that it gave mind-reading super powers to some users?" However, it's less of a science fiction book than a spy thriller with mental instead of physical technology. The psychic powers were a tool in Rand's arsenal, like Oddjob's weaponized hat or James Bond's tricked-out car. He was a super-agent, not super-human.

We saw normal people living distorted lives under the shadow of PSI-40, but it was treated like alcoholism–people using a party drug for everyday life–rather than something that caused an actual shift in perspective or life choices. Some of that can be excused as Rand's passing contact with them, but I would've liked to get a sense of how their communities differed from ours. The Baja of Rand's world seems too much like ours. Its jobs, entertainments, and religious factions seemed very similar to our own. While we did see a church dedicated to PSI-40, it was treated as just another drug den, albeit one with religious-themed accessories.

The book missed the opportunity to consider how a society that welcomed euphoric drug use might change over time, and I wish I'd gotten to read that story, too.

Also, the cover is boring. There is amazing psychedelic and surrealist art available today! Why couldn't Bantam have found an artist in the style of René Magritte or Mati Klarwein to do the cover art?

Two pictures, one surrealist and one psychedelic. — Left: Magritte's *High Society*; Right: Klarwein's *Adam*.

Three and a half stars out of five: quite engaging, but lacking something. See for yourself and tell me what you think.

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Magazine/Anthology, Serial

[April 2, 1965] SPEAKING A COMMON LANGUAGE (May 1965 IF)

April 2, 2020 David Levinson 3 Comments

by David Levinson

The Common Tongue

March 7th was the first Sunday of Lent. It's a particularly special event this year as Catholics can now hear mass in their local language, rather than Latin. Pope Paul VI marked the occasion by conducting services in Italian at a small church near the Vatican. Mass in the vernacular is not required, but it is encouraged. This is one of the reforms instituted last year as a way to get parishioners more involved in the Catholic faith.

In Living Color

Color television appears to be moving beyond the fad phase. And for that to happen the broadcasters and receivers need to “speak the same language.” The signal the antenna on your roof receives carries a lot of different information. Most of it tells the TV set how bright to make each phosphor dot, some of it tells the speaker what sound to make. The color information is a subset of the brightness information.

In the United States, a standard was developed about a decade ago by the National Television System Committee, commonly known by the committee’s initials, NTSC. It works pretty well, but under poor transmission conditions the colors can shift. (The joke among signal engineers is that NTSC stands for “Never the same color.”) Europe is subject to geographic and weather conditions which are bad for NTSC and so the governments of Western Europe have been looking for a new system better suited to Europe. Two have been developed: the French SECAM (Séquentiel couleur à mémoire or sequential color with memory) and the German PAL (Phased Alternating Line).

Rectangular screens. That’s a big improvement.

On March 22nd, the France announced that they had signed an agreement with the Soviet Union under which the Russians will use a slightly modified form of SECAM. Two days later, a conference opened in Vienna to discuss a common system for Western Europe. Ultimately, the conference chose PAL. The French however are sticking to their guns, so while most of Europe will be using PAL, France and the East Bloc will be going with SECAM. So much for commonality.

Speaking of Common

This month’s IF certainly delivers a heap of the familiar, from old, familiar faces to old, familiar themes.

Art by Schelling

Continue reading [April 2, 1965] SPEAKING A COMMON LANGUAGE (May 1965 IF) →

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[March 30, 1965] Suborbital Shots (April 1965 Analog)

March 31, 2020 Gideon Marcus 3 Comments

by Gideon Marcus

Mission Failures

It's been a tremendous month for fans of the Space Race. I won't go into detail here, since we already published an article on Voskhod 2, Gemini 3, etc. just last week.

Thanks to Newton's Third Law, or perhaps the Second Law of Thermodynamics, or maybe Finagle/Murphy's First, the science fiction mags have been correspondingly lousy. If we call the 3-star threshold making it into orbit, then virtually every SF digest this month was a suborbital dud. John Campbell's Analog, which led the pack last month, is among the damp squibs this month.

T Minus Zero

by John Schoenherr

Goblin Night, by James H. Schmitz

by John Schoenherr

15-year old telepath, Telzey Amberdon, is back. On a camping trip with her class in Melno Park on the planet of Orado, she makes psychic contact with a handicapped, housebound fellow named Robane. He seems an innocent and lonely man, but he seems somehow connected with a lurking, murderous presence that Telzey and her classmates have sensed. Can the young ESPer, with the help of her mastiff, Chomir, defeat this menace?

Scmitz keeps Goblin Night's pages turning, and there's no question but that Schoenherr illustrated it beautifully for the issue's cover. But the story is several pages too long (not in plot, but in execution) and Telzey has absolutely no personality at all — she could be Retief or DinAlt or Steve Duke for all we get of her character.

So, three stars. Still, it's probably the best story of the issue.

Fad, by Mack Reynolds

by Alan Moyler

Sometime a few decades from now (slang use suggests Fad is set in Joe Mauser's timeline) a pair of conmen decide to sell the ultimate product. Joan of Arc will be packaged and pitched to be the avatar of a sales empire featuring medieval styles, Joan-inspired games, Jeanne D'arc themed automobiles, etc. etc. High jinks ensue, and high profits are threatened by those uppity women becoming inspired by The Maid of Orleans to take their rightful place on the political scene.

In the right hands, this could have been an interesting, satirical piece. As is, it's about as sensitive and palatable as Reynolds' atrocious Good Indian.

Barely two stars, and that only because it reads fairly briskly.

No Throne of His Own, by Lawrence A. Perkins

by Kelly Freas

Worse is the second "funny" story of this issue, by a brand new author. Something about a human Private on an alien world whose experience with the local booze leads him to understanding how a Terran invasion was at first thwarted and later welcomed. I think. Truth to tell, it was a confusing mess, and I skimmed it as a result.

One star.

The Space Technology of a Track Meet, by Robert S. Richardson

A saving grace of this issue is the nonfiction article by the reliable Richardson. He apparently spent a few weeks doing some complicated math to see how athletes might really perform at sports on planets of different gravities.

Useful, interesting stuff — I just wish he'd included more equations for easier following along.

Four stars.

The Prophet of Dune (Part 4 of 5), by Frank Herbert

by John Schoenherr

Last up, we have the humorless, plodding fourth installment of Part Two of the Dune saga. With no transition whatsoever, the setting changes to two years after the last installment. Paul Muad'Dib, son of the late Duke Leto Atreides, is still hiding out with the desert-dwelling Fremen, harvesters of the geriatic melange spice of Arrakis. A vassal of the nefarious Harkonnen Barony, who usurped the Atreides claim two years prior, is slowly losing control of the planet, and the Fremen are anxious to strike. But before Paul can lead his ragtag army in revolt, he must become a full Fremen, which requires that he mount the titanic Makers — the sand worms of Arrakis.

Meanwhile, Paul's mother, Lady Jessica, now the Reverend Mother of the Fremen, deals with the fallout of her transforming spice poison into liquor in her system after ingestion during her induction ceremony two years prior. For her unborn daughter, Alia, was imprinted with all of Jessica's experience, which also includes that of all the Reverend Mothers of the Fremen before her. Alia is, thus, a toddler burdened with several lifetimes of knowledge…much like her brother, Paul, due to his spice-given precognitive skills. This makes her a feared freak, though what role she has to play in the saga is yet unknown.

There are some interesting bits, but for the most part, a could-be fascinating epic is marred by amateur writing, some laughable errors ("A head popped up into the con-bubble beside Gurney — the factory commander, a one-eyed old pirate with full beard, the blue eyes [emphasis added] and milky teeth of a spice diet."), and the damnable constantly switching viewpoint.

A very low three, I guess.

After Action Report

In the end, dreary as it was, Analog was far from the worst SF mag this month. Though it only scored 2.6 stars, it was surpassed in lousiness by Amazing, IF (2 stars), and Gamma (1.9 stars). Galaxy was a little better (2.7), followed by Science Fantasy and Fantastic (2.8), and then Worlds of Tomorrow (2.9). Only New Worlds Fantasy and Science Fiction made it to orbit, and only just — 3 and 3.1 stars, respectively.

As with the real Space Race, women are mostly (though not entirely) unrepresented; only Jane Beauclerk and the amazing Zenna Henderson were published this month. Perhaps more women astronauts…er…writers can rescue us from this dark chapter in our genre.

One can but hope!

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Magazine/Anthology, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Serial

[March 28, 1965] Detectives, Curses and Time Travel New Worlds and Science Fantasy, March/April 1965

March 28, 2020 Mark Yon 5 Comments

by Mark Yon

Scenes from England

Hello again!

As the weather changes to Springtime, things seem to be gathering a-pace here. So, I’ll get straight to it.

First up: Science Fantasy.

Another ‘arty’ cover – though to me, being uninitiated in such matters, the photo that makes up the cover just looks out of focus. The artist is (perhaps justifiably) unknown.

The Editorial this month takes on the issue of reader’s opinions made through letters to the Editor. The Editor comments on how both gratifying and depressing it is to read the letters, those that say how good the newly reinvigorated magazine is and those that ask why the magazine is not like ‘the old days’. He then launches into the now-familiar refrain that the magazine and the genre itself has to adapt and change to survive.

Which it seems to be doing very well at the moment.

Despite his protestations that he enjoys reading them, it seems that the Editor has agreed to give a Letters Column a try. Suspect that’ll be a job passed down to the (relatively-new) Associate Editor, then!

To the stories themselves.

A Man in His Time, by Brian Aldiss

Another month, another big name. Last month it was the usually wonderful Harry Harrison, this month it is Harry’s friend and often co-collaborator, Brian Aldiss.

A Man in his Time is a time travel story, of sorts. Despite this being a hoary old cliché, Brian uses his formidable skill to write a story that takes the cliché and turns it into something new. Jack Westermark is the only survivor of an expedition to Mars but has been mysteriously found on Earth with no memory of how he got there. Over the course of the story it appears that he is living 3.3077 minutes ahead of present Earth time, an event which has considerable effect on himself and his wife and family. There’s a lot of disjointed, fractured sections to reflect Westermark’s state of mind, and put forward the idea of a non-linear temporal existence – that Jack may be living both in the present and the future at the same time, something that may be due to different planets having their own time field. By travelling to Mars it may be that he has crossed over, so to speak, into a later time, but has returned to Earth at its earlier time.

A Man in his Time is pleasingly mature in nature and the sort of thoughtful and literate story that shows the more serious side of Aldiss’s writing. The story focusses on the various consequences of the temporal event by concentrating on the psychological effects on Westermark and his family – the dislocation between Westermark and his wife and also his mother, the effect on the children and even suggests that the situation may be leading to Jack having a mental breakdown, which gives it that New Wave kudos and a story firmly placed in its time. Less 1940’s sense of wonder, more 1960’s inner musing, to bring an old cliché (dare I say it?) bang up to date. Another strong start to an issue. 4 out of 5.

The War at Foxhanger, by Keith Roberts

To lighter material now. This is another Anita story, which is an ongoing series. This time teenage witch Anita and her annoying Granny are involved in an ongoing feud with the newest member of their sisterhood, who lives at the titular Foxhanger Farm. In this story things quickly escalate and become more of a personal attack, so much so that at one point the frantic battle makes the story read like a demented version of Mickey Mouse’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice in Fantasia.

Although Anita is involved, this tale focuses on Granny, so expect lots of writing in a strangled dialect. Nevertheless, this is up to par with previous stories and will therefore be equally loved by some readers and create annoyance in others. 3 out of 5.

The Chicken Switch, by Elleston Trevor

A story of the Space Race, set in what is presumably the near future. Scientists and astronauts are preparing for Mankind’s exploration of the Moon. The story deals with the stresses and strains on those involved, with ‘the chicken switch’ (the button pressed to bail out on the deal) always being an option. Unsurprisingly, there’s lots of angst and drama, which read easily enough.

Mr. Trevor is a seasoned writer – you may know him for his novel The Flight of the Phoenix published last year – though not an author usually known for sf, and it shows in this well written story. At times it did feel a little like something out of a soap opera, but it can’t be denied that the twist at the end was a good one. 3 out of 5.

Susan, by Alastair Bevan

Another story by Keith Roberts under his pseudonym.

Susan is a schoolgirl who is more than she seems to be in this strange little tale. It works, but reminded me too much of the first episode of Doctor Who in its telling of the effect Susan has on things at school and what happens to her on her way home. Well written but not particularly original. 3 out of 5.

The Excursion, by B. N. Ball

This is about what happens on a day excursion as part of a holiday tour to Old Sol and its planets. Its simplistic caricatures of personalities (pompous military man, stuffy academic, young woman as an ex-escort, old woman more concerned with finishing her knitting than the visit) make this at first feel like it is going to be one of those lighter efforts, but it does turn darker when the tourists inadvertently find themselves incarcerated and put on trial by an automatic defence system as suspicious aliens on restricted territory. The two styles don’t mix very well and even if this implausibility wasn’t enough, there’s even an unfortunate racial aspect, with talk of ‘Orientals’, ‘Asiatics’ and ‘Neo-Negroids’. It left me thinking that this is this issue’s weakest offering; an unbelievable adventure story of the type I thought we’d left behind. 2 out of 5.

Over and Out, by George Hay

And covering similar ground, Over and Out is a short one-idea story told through telex messages sent by someone who has been locked into their home by the computers whilst they rewrite history. It was difficult to take seriously after the story before it, but it is very short.

Like the computer’s attempt to change history, its point is quickly forgotten. 2 out of 5.

Hunt a Wild Dream (part 2), by D. R. Heywood

This story started well last month but then bizarrely stopped dead just as it was getting going. This one starts exactly where we left off – no preamble, no explanation. Hunter Cullen continues his expedition into the African savanna searching for the something rather odd. He finds it, and a strange connection between Cullen and the creature is revealed. I did say last month that this story could develop into an interesting and scary story or fizzle to nothing. Sadly, this one fizzled. Not sure why it was split but it wasn’t worth the effort. A bit of a damp squib to finish the issue. 2 out of 5 this month.

Summing up Science Fantasy

After last month’s Science Fantasy was nothing too special, this month’s was slightly better. It’s not perfect, but it generally was a good read, with some noticeable disappointments. The Aldiss is a stand-out. As Kyril said in his Editorial, “Look – we have survived where others have failed – and we are still improving.” I can’t disagree with that.

The Second Issue At Hand

This month’s New Worlds features the return of a veteran: stalwart E. C. Tubb, whose name is displayed with enthusiasm on the cover. Whilst we’re still on the circles theme for the cover, it can’t be denied that it is eye-catching.

The Editorial is a short one, extolling the merits of Anthony Boucher’s The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, presumably for those who find it hard to get copies over here. It then repeats the message already given in Science Fantasy that things are changing, then asks whether New Worlds should accept science-fictional material of a substandard quality but which is obviously science fiction or whether it would be happy to accept material less obviously science-fictional but outstanding.

Personally, I think that’s a tough call. There is a risk that by broadening its remit the magazine may lose its identity, although at the same time it might just pick up newer readers who wouldn’t have previously considered looking at the magazine. But it is, nevertheless, a gamble.

The Life Buyer (part 1 of 3), by E.C. Tubb

[Art by aTom]

So, here’s the first part of a three-part serial from a long-time SF writer who is one of ‘the old guard’, but one Moorcock has said before is one of his favourites, and is here, according to the banner, “By popular request”.

The setup is intriguing. Marcus King is a billionaire with unlimited wealth in a future world where, for the right price, most things seem possible. An assassination attempt leads detectives Markham and Delmonte to try and discover whodunnit, which becomes more complicated the more is revealed. The twist is that the pilot of the plane that flew into King’s building was wearing one of King’s products – a krown, which when fitted to your head can adapt mental and physical reactions. It has replaced drugs, anaesthetics and provides restful sleep if the wearer wishes it.

This then raises questions: Who is to blame? Why are they trying to kill King? And why is King haunted by dreams of death and decay. What do they mean and why is he getting them?

A well-written story, it shows how much things are changing in SF. This is a detective story, which is not that unusual in SF, but it is also a psychological story – the dream state and the ability to manipulate the brain makes this a tale of inner space, if you like. The pacing is great, the setup is clever, and the cliff-hanger ending left me intrigued enough to want to read more. And one of the lead characters is named ‘Marcus’ – I’m sure my fellow traveller will be pleased! A great story and a good start to the issue. 4 out of 5.

The Changing Shape of Charlie Snuff, by R. L. Mackelworth

Another odd one by Mackelworth. It’s the story of a shape-changing alien currently in human form and his connection with a young girl and an atomic scientist. The key aspect is that his shape changes depending upon the need of the person he is with – the greater the need, the more likely it is to change to what they want. A nice idea but limited in its development. It’s quite dark and deliciously cynical. 3 out of 5.

In One Sad Day, by George Collyn

This is also a story about odd creatures by another returning author. It’s a sombre piece about what seems to be an alien on a strange world whose communication with another being leads to a revelation at the end. I didn’t see the twist coming, but it is a bit of a cliché once revealed. 2 out of 5.

Death of an Earthman, by Gordon Walters

It’s good to see some fiction from this author, otherwise known as George Locke, and last seen in the January 1965 issue of New Worlds writing a non-fiction article about Space Drives.

Death of an Earthman is another detective story with a science-fictional setting. The lead character this time is a police detective who works on empathy, an issue that comes to the fore when there is a murder onboard The Seas of Deimos, the spaceship that he is travelling on. What makes the story interesting is that the key suspect is an ex-Captain of the spaceship – a man who, when he lost his captainship, also lost his arms. This is an issue as the victim appears to have been strangled! A great setup that works well, except at the end where it all falls apart in some kind of awful Flash Gordon type melodrama. As a result, this one scores between 2 and 3 out of 5, but I’m going to suggest 3 out of 5 in the end.

Third Party, by Dan Morgan

Morgan is a new name to me. This short story deals with the future of marital relationships. Harry Pierce has had an affair and as a result he and his wife Madge have had a month-long Trial Separation Period, the consequences of which are to be decided by the Marriage Integration Department. Things all get a bit Kafka-esque. Although definitely chilling, it does seem a little far-fetched. 3 out of 5.

What Next?, by Edward Mackin

And here’s a Mackin novella that many readers of the old New Worlds and Science Fantasy will appreciate, as it involves fan-favourite character, the cyberneticist Hek Belov (last seen in Science Fantasy in October 1963.) This time around, Hek is employed by Jonas Pinquil, an eccentric with lots of money and seemingly not too much of a grasp on reality. When asked to help setting up a matter transmitter with an old adversary, Meerschraft, Hek finds himself involved in a scam that goes awry. It’s a jaunty little novella that was great fun to read and not to be taken seriously at all, towards the end turning into some sort of science-fictional screwball comedy. I like Hek as a character, who for some reason makes me think of a grumpier version of Asimov’s detective, Wendell Urth. 3 out of 5.

The Flowers of the Valley, by Keith Roberts

We just can’t get away from the prolific Keith Roberts, can we? As if it wasn’t enough with him taking up almost permanent residency over at Science Fantasy, here he is in New Worlds with a strange tale about how Nature will be manufactured in the future, and at the same time deals with a fractured relationship between the botanist narrator and his partner Priscill. It’s odd, but remained with me after I finished reading it, so 3 out of 5.

Reactionary, by P. F. Woods

And lastly a story by Barrington J Bailey under his nom-de-plume.

Reactionary is about a dinner-table gathering who are drawn together to witness something seemingly impossible – something that proves that Newton’s third law of motion is wrong. It’s a slight little tale, but the last paragraph has a good little twist. 2 out of 5.

Articles and Books

There are no Articles this month, which is interesting considering the push they have been given in the last few issues. (Surely the feedback can’t have been that bad already?)

In terms of Books this month, Assistant Editor Langdon Jones points out what I suggested earlier – that Sf is changing. To illustrate this, he reviews Arthur Sellings’s The Silent Speakers and The Sundered Worlds by New Worlds’s own Editor, Michael Moorcock.

Sellings’s story is a ‘fascinating’ tale of a meeting of minds, whilst Moorcock’s is typical of ‘the outward-directed story’, all galaxies and space opera. It is full of ideas, but Langdon Jones dares to criticise the writer/editor by saying that the ideas get in the way of the story. Lastly, Richard Matheson’s A Stir of Echoes is a welcome reissue.

The Letters Pages are surprisingly brief this month – there is one (admittedly quite lengthy) letter! It is one of praise, discussing the value of magazines in the past of bringing SF to people’s attention and then pointing out New Worlds’ importance as a result. Again, it is a nice summary of where we’ve been and how things are changing.

Ratings this month for issue 147 (that’s the February 1965 issue). We have another tie, this time between John Baxter’s More Than A Man and John Hamilton’s When The Skies Fall. The winner, Arthur Sellings’ second part of The Power of Y isn’t a surprise, though.

Summing up New Worlds

Another strong issue. Particular favourites were The Life Buyer and Death of an Earthman (until the last part), although One Sad Day was a cliched low point.

Summing up overall

Another good issue for Science Fantasy, but New Worlds is again the winner this month.

And that’s it for this time. Until the next… which will include the 150th issue of New Worlds!

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Magazine/Anthology, Science Fiction/Fantasy

[March 26, 1965] Digging Up the Past (April 1965 Fantastic)

March 26, 2020 Victoria Silverwolf 5 Comments

by Victoria Silverwolf

Out of the Depths

One of the more intriguing events this month was the discovery of the wreck of the Confederate cruiser Georgiana by a young man named Edward Lee Spence. The teenage diving enthusiast — he's been finding shipwrecks since he was twelve years old — located her remains in the shallow waters of the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina.

The steam-powered vessel, said to be the most powerful cruiser in the Confederate fleet, was on her maiden voyage from the Scottish shipyards where she was built. She ran into the Union gunboat Wissahickon while attempting to reach Charleston.

The crew of the Union ship that defeated the Confederate ship.

Seems Like Old Times

Given the fickleness of those who listen to AM radio and purchase 45's, a year is a very long time in the world of popular music. Proving that they are hardy veterans, ready to brave the storms of fame and oblivion, those old pros the Beatles repeated what they did way back in early 1964, by reaching Number One on the American music charts with Eight Days a Week, another expertly crafted, upbeat rock 'n' roll number.

The front cover; or is it the back?

The back cover; or is it the front?

Yesterday and Tomorrow

Fittingly, although many of the stories in the latest issue of Fantastic take place in the future, they often involve days gone by in various ways. Others are set in ancient times that never really existed, or in a version of the present with a very different history.

Cover art by Gray Morrow.

Bright Eyes, by Harlan Ellison

Opening up the issue is a new story from a writer who is mostly working for Hollywood these days. I hope you caught Soldier and Demon with a Glass Hand, the episodes he wrote for The Outer Limits, because they're really good.

So what's he doing back in the pages of a magazine that can only afford to pay him a tiny fraction of what television can offer? Well, according to fannish scuttlebutt, Ellison was at the World Science Fiction Convention in Washington, D.C. (Discon, 1963) when he saw the drawing shown below. Impressed by the work of this fan artist, he remarked that he would write a story for it if somebody bought it. Cele G. Lalli, editor of Fantastic, happened to be present, and took him up on the offer.

Illustration by Dennis Smith; the only one in the issue! Maybe Lalli spent all of the magazine's art budget on it in order to snag a story by Ellison.

Bright Eyes is the only surviving member of a race of beings who inhabited Earth long before humanity showed up. He feels compelled to leave his underground home for an unexplained purpose. On the back of a giant rat, carrying a bag of skulls, he encounters wild dogs, bleeding birds, and a river of corpses, before we learn the reason for his excursion above ground.

This is a brooding mood piece, full of dark imagery and an overwhelming sense of vast eons of time. Ellison writes with great passion, creating vivid scenes of apocalyptic destruction. Once in a while his language goes out of control — acoustically-sussurating is a phrase you're likely to stumble over — but, overall, his work here is compelling.

Four stars.

The Purpose of Merlin, by Colin R. Fry

We're way back in time, during the reign of King Arthur. Our protagonist is a man of Roman ancestry, in the service of Arthur. He investigates an island inhabited by a lone madman and a lion-like beast that killed a boatful of men who landed there. With the help of a local villager and a band of warriors, he sets out to learn the truth of the matter and slay the creature. Merlin doesn't show up until near the end of the story, when we find out that this isn't quite the fantasy adventure we thought it was.

The way in which the author makes the legendary Arthurian era seem like real history was interesting. The unusual plot held my attention throughout. You may figure out the twist ending long before the story is over, but it's worth reading.

Three stars.

The Other Side of Time (Part One of Three), by Keith Laumer

I haven't read Worlds of the Imperium, to which this new serial is a sequel, so I was a little confused when it started. As best as I can figure out, the hero is a guy from our world who wound up in a parallel world ruled by the Imperium. I'm guessing that the World Wars never happened in this alternate reality, because the Imperium seems to be a British/German empire.

The protagonist appears to be comfortably settled in this strange place. He's happily married, has a loyal sidekick with whom he's shared previous adventures, and works for Imperial Intelligence. His boss is none other than Manfred von Richthofen, better known as the Red Baron in our reality, now in his eighties. There's also mention of Hermann Goering working for the Imperium, so I suppose the horrors of the Nazi regime never occurred.

The Imperium has technology allowing them to visit other parallel worlds. It seems that improper use of this gizmo causes entire realities to vanish, leaving only a few worlds surviving in an emptiness known as the Blight.

All of this is just background information, and the author plunges us into the plot right away. Baron von Richthofen, for unexplained reasons, asks the hero a bunch of questions with answers that should be obvious to both of them. After this ordeal, he follows a figure who skulks around the headquarters of Imperial Intelligence, leaving blood and signs of burning behind. The mysterious person appears to be glowing with extreme heat.

Before we get any explanation for this bizarre turn of events, our hero gets knocked out. He wakes up to find himself in what seems to be the world of the Imperium, but all living things have vanished, even plants. As if two unexplained mysteries weren't enough, he soon discovers ape-men with their own vehicles that can travel between realities. He manages to sneak aboard one of these devices, and winds up a prisoner in the world of the ape-men, who make slaves of folks from parallel worlds. He meets a fellow prisoner who is a much more sophisticated kind of hairy fellow. The unlikely allies manage to escape, but the protagonist winds up in hot water in his new friend's reality.

As you can tell, a heck of a lot goes on in the first third of this novel. In typical Laumer style, the action never stops. It's a wild roller coaster ride all the way, never slowing down to let you catch your breath. We'll have to wait to see if the author manages to tie all these plot threads together into a coherent whole.

Three stars.

The Dreamer, by Walter F. Moudy

This is the only other work I've seen from the author of No Man on Earth, which was an interesting and unusual novel. This lighthearted story doesn't resemble the book at all.

Told in the fashion of a fairy tale, the plot involves an unsuccessful shopkeeper and his talking parrot. When his business fails, the fellow heads for another planet. The local ruler gives him his daughter's hand in marriage in exchange for the bird. The man has never seen the woman, so he suspects he's made a bad bargain. It all works out for the best in the end.

The whole thing is very silly but inoffensive. You may get a chuckle or two out of it.

Two stars.

Trouble with Hyperspace, by Jack Sharkey

In this brief yarn, faster-than-light travel allows a vehicle to arrive at its destination before it leaves its home base. (The author apparently thinks light is instantaneous, and that therefore anything faster than light is more than instantaneous, if you see what I mean.) After some discussion of the obvious paradoxes caused by this phenomenon, we get a weak punchline.

The premise reminds me of Isaac Asimov's joke articles about the imaginary substance thiotimoline, which dissolves before it is placed in water. The Good Doctor's pieces are just bagatelles, but they are far more cleverly done than this trivial attempt at humor.

One star.

The Silk of Shaitan, by John Jakes

Once again the mighty barbarian Brak faces magic and monsters in his quest to find his fortune. This adventure begins in medias res, so it takes a while to figure out what's going on.

It seems that Brak was beaten and left to die by a bunch of bandits. A man and his daughter happened to come by. In exchange for a healing potion, Brak agreed to accompany them on a dangerous mission. (By the way, there's also a servant along. You can tell right from the start that he's going to be the first victim.)

The leader of the bandits, a powerful sorcerer, demands that the man turn over the fabulous treasure that is to serve as his daughter's dowry. The man seems to accept this, but really plans to have Brak kill the magician. This isn't going to be easy, given the monster that lives in a pool, and magic silk that has a particularly nasty effect on those it touches.

As he has many times before, the author uses a vivid writing style to create a pastiche of Robert E. Howard's tales of Conan the Barbarian. This particular yarn has a more tragic ending than most, but otherwise it's up to the usual decent standard.

Three stars.

Predator, by Robert Rohrer

Finishing up the issue is a science fiction horror story. The main character works as a waiter aboard a luxury space vessel. Someone — or something? — altered his body so that it contains various electronic components, with a sinister purpose. Whoever it was left his hand in a gruesome condition, hidden behind a bandage, as a sadistic reminder of what happened to him. Without giving too much away, let's just say that very bad things happen.

The main appeal of this grim and bloody shocker is the author's intense, subjective, stream-of-consciousness style. We really get into the poor guy's head, and it's not a pleasant place to be. Although the motives of the unseen villains are never explained, and the ending isn't surprising, the story sets out to chill your bones, and pretty much succeeds.

Three stars.

Trash or Treasure?

Always nice to see honesty in advertising.

Like an antique store full of old stuff of uncertain value, this issue is very much a mixture of the worthy and the worthless, with most of the items falling somewhere in the middle. The Ellison is definitely a nice find, and the Laumer may turn out to be the same, if the author maintains the same level of interest. As far as the other stories go, you may prefer to spend your time entertaining yourself some other way.

Maybe catch a great old movie on the tube.

We'll be talking about these space flights and more at a special presentation of our "Come Time Travel with Me" panel, the one we normally do at conventions, on March 27 at 6PM PDT. Come register to join us! It's free and fun…and you might win a prize!

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Fashion, music, politics, sports

[March 25, 1965] We still get letters!

March 25, 2020 GalacticJourney 2 Comments

We still get letters from our contemporaries in 1965. This one was just too cute not to print. Feel free to keep sending them — maybe yours will get an off-schedule run!

by Jimmy Croff

Hi Mister Time Traveler Man,

Here are some photographs and stuff I have collected.

I am twelve years old. My birthday is March 26! I am in the sixth grade at Will Angier Elementary School. My teacher is Miss Blickenstaff.

I am an altar boy at St. Columba church and am a Tenderfoot Boy Scout in Troop 275.

I like seeing your pictures and stories. I like to write poems but I don’t know much about the science fiction stuff you talk about. I am reading the Narnia books and just about cried when I found out there are only seven.

When you talk about negroes marching for rights, I don’t understand why they have to march or why people are mean to them. There is a negro girl in our class, she is really nice.

Hey, I saw you write about a holiday called Purim. I never heard of that. My teacher says it is Jewish. There is a kid in my class named Larry who said he is Jewish. He is nice too but I still don’t know what Jewish means.

I like your space stuff because I want to be an engineer or join the Peace Corps because President Kennedy said we should.

You can use my stuff if you want but I mainly just wanted to show you a little about a twelve year old kid.

Sincerely,
Jimmy Croff

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Science / Space Race

[March 24, 1965] New Leaps Forward in Space (Voskhod 2, Europa F-3, Ranger 9, and Gemini 3)

March 24, 2020 Kaye Dee 1 Comment

by Kaye Dee

Returning to university kept me pretty busy in February, so I knew I wouldn’t have time to write, but this past month has seen yet more leaps forward in space exploration with the world’s first spacewalk and the launch of NASA’s first manned Gemini mission.

Soviet Space Achievements

It’s hard to believe that it’s just under four years since Yuri Gagarin rocketed into orbit as the first man in space. In that short time we’ve seen six flights in the Soviet Union’s Vostok program, including the first dual missions with two space capsules in orbit at the same time, and the first woman in space (how I’d love to meet Valentina Tereshkova!)

The first man and the first woman in space, Soviet cosmonauts Yuri Gagarin and Valentina Tereshkova

Just last year, the USSR gave us the first flight of its new Voskhod spacecraft, carrying a crew of three. At that time, my fellow writer, Gideon Marcus asked, what would the Soviets follow it up with? (see October 1964 entry)

Now we know. On March 18, the USSR launched a new Voskhod mission that has once again denied the United States a significant space first. This time, the Voskhod 2 mission included the world’s first spacewalk – about a year ahead of when NASA has anticipated accomplishing the same feat.

A Mystery Spacecraft

One of the few Voskhod images released so far, showing the inside of Voskhod 1. The orange cladding may be covering up many of the spacecraft's instruments

We don’t know a lot about the Voskhod spacecraft as the Soviet Union has released few pictures of it or statistics about it. It clearly must be substantially larger than the Vostok, since it has proved capable of carrying three people on its first flight, and two cosmonauts plus an airlock device on the recent spacewalking mission. We do know that, according to official figures, Voskhod 1 weighed 11,728lb, while Voskhod 2 weighed in at 12, 527lb – presumably because of the extra weight of the airlock it carried.

Newly Revealed Cosmonauts

The crew for this historic space flight were two cosmonauts whose names were previously unknown to us in the West: Colonel Pavel Belyayev, the mission Commander, and Lt. Colonel Alexei Leonov, who performed the actual spacewalk, or Extravehicular Activity (EVA) as NASA terms it. Leonov’s name will now go down in the history books as the first person ever to step outside a spacecraft into open space. Soviet cosmonaut biographies don’t really tell us very much, but both men are apparently Air Force fighter pilots, and are married with children. At 39, Col. Belyayev is the oldest person so far to make a space flight; he is also the oldest and highest ranking of the cosmonauts we know about.

Official TASS photo of Belyayev (left) and Leonov (right) with Yuri Gagarin at a radio interview after their historic flight

Onboard Airlock

Voskhod 2 was launched at 07.00GMT (5pm Australian Eastern Standard Time) and it was just 90 minutes later, on the second orbit, that the spacewalk took place. At the time, Voskhod 2 was about 300 miles above the earth – the highest orbit by a manned spaceflight to date. Soviet sources describe the airlock that Leonov used to exit the ship as being mounted on the outside of the spacecraft and entered from the Voskhod cabin via a hatch. After the completion of the spacewalk, the airlock was jettisoned before the ship returned to Earth. Because the spacewalk would expose the crew to the vacuum of space if the airlock malfunctioned, both cosmonauts wore spacesuits for the duration of the mission, unlike the Voskhod 1 crew, who made their space flight in lightweight suits, which would seem to be an indication of Soviet confidence in the performance of the spacecraft.

Belyayev (left) and Leonov (right) in their spacesuits on the way to the launch site. Voskhod 1 cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov is between them

Stepping into the Void

According to the TASS news agency, Lt. Col. Leonov spent 20 minutes “in conditions of outer space”. Since his actual spacewalk lasted about 10 minutes, the rest of the time must have been spent in the airlock. I’ve heard a rumour from my friends at the WRE that the spacewalk did not go as smoothly as the Soviets would like us to believe, and that Leonov actually had some difficulty re-entering the airlock, which might explain the times reported by TASS. But stories of Soviet coverups of problems with their cosmonaut program occur after every mission, so it’s hard to know quite where the truth lies in this instance.

Lt Colonel Alexei Leonov floating in the void of space during the historic first spacewalk, seen in frames from the film taken by a camera mounted on Voskhod 2

Whether he had a problem or not, Leonov spent about 10 minutes floating in the void, attached to Voskhod 2 by a long umbilicus, to prevent him drifting away. His breathing oxygen was supplied from a tank on his back. Leonov said that he could look down and see from the Straits of Gibraltar to the Caspian Sea. The spacewalk was filmed and photographed from the Voskhod and I imagine that very few of the readers of this article will not have seen the breathtaking footage of Leonov somersaulting and making swimming movements as he floats in space with the Earth behind him (actually below, of course).

Problems in Orbit?

Voskhod 2 completed 17 orbits before returning to the Earth on 19 March, but there was a mysterious silence from Moscow about the mission after the 13th orbit, which has led to some speculation that there was a problem with the spacecraft, especially as it was not until about five hours after the crew had landed in the vicinity of Perm, west of the Ural Mountains, that their safe return was reported. Belyayev is reported to have brought the Voskhod back to Earth using manual controls. Although official statements said that this was part of the planned research programme, it might also be a hint that the mission experienced problems.

Official TASS photo of Leonov (right) and Belyayev (left) after their return from the Voskhod 2 mission. Leonov is holding folders containing congratulatory messages

But whatever problems the mission may have encountered cannot detract from Lt. Col. Leonov’s historic achievement in making the first spacewalk, a technique that will be needed to advance future space activities. I wonder what new surprises Voskhod 3 will bring….

The Latest ELDO Test Flight

On 22 March, the ELDO program at Woomera also took another step forward with the third successful flight of the Blue Streak first stage of the Europa launcher. Launched at 8.30am local time, the rocket flew 985 miles, reaching a maximum altitude of 150 miles. This flight completes the first phase of the launcher development program: the next phase will begin with an all-up test of a live first stage with dummy upper stages.

The Blue Streak first stage for the ELDO Europa vehicle on the pad awaiting launch

America hits a Double

by Gideon Marcus

Three for Three

Despite the clear success represented by Voskhod 2, it would be folly to overlook the fact that it has been a tremendous week for NASA. The Ranger program, once the most ill-starred of NASA endeavors, has just completed its third successful mission in a row. Less than six hours ago, at 3:08 AM PDT, Ranger 9 crashed into the crater Alphonsus in the lunar highlands.

The prior two successful Rangers, 7 and 8, were largely handmaidens to the Project Apollo. They returned thousands of photographs of potential landing sites for the crewed lunar program. Ranger 9, on the other hand, was the first mission with a primarily scientific aim. In order for us to understand the Moon, its construction, and its history, we need close-up information on as many different types of terrain as possible — and no two regions of the Moon are more distinct from each other than the mountains of the lunar highlands and the relatively flat Maria or "seas". Alphonsus is particularly interesting as it has a large central peak that may be evidence of lunar vulcanism from an ancient period.

Launched at 1:37 PM PDT on March 21, the Atlas Agena carrying Ranger 9 quickly disappeared into the cloudy sky. The reliable booster's aim was true, propelling the spacecraft first into Earth orbit, and then off toward its final destination. The next day, Ranger fired its own engines, correcting its course to mathematical perfection.

Today, at Impact -20 Minutes, Ranger 9 warmed up its television cameras. Images began appearing at the JPL auditorium…and around the nation, broadcast to anyone who was up to see it (and who had an online TV station to tune into!) This was the first time a robotic mission had been simulcast, and it was very exciting. Now if only they could time their missions to be more accommodating to the aged thirty-nine year old science writers who cover them…

There were originally supposed to be 12, or even 15 Rangers, but because it took so long for them to work properly, there are now more advanced missions that are superseding them, namely Lunar Orbiter and Surveyor. This is just as well. While Ranger has been a triumph of engineering and science, bearing unexpected dividends in the successful spinoff spacecraft, Mariner 2, there is only so much one can learn from TV pictures. Indeed, initial reports suggest that while Ranger 9's photos discovered new craters within Alphonsus that might be evidence for vulcanism, as Dr. Harold Urey quipped, it won't be until we have chemists on the Moon that we can draw solid conclusions.

In any event, bravo NASA, and bravo Ranger.

Two in Three

After the spectacular mission of Comrades Tereshkova and Bykovsky in June 1963, there was a long pause in crewed spaceflight. The Mercury program had ended in May '63 with the day-long mission of Gordo Cooper in Faith 7. Talk of extending Mercury was poopooed (though you can get an idea of what might have happened if you read the excellent novel, Marooned). For more than a year, as Mercury's 2-seat successor, Gemini, suffered delay after delay, we waited for Khruschev's shoe to drop.

And the Soviets did beat us back to space with their three-man flight last October, though the success of that mission was somewhat eclipsed by the Soviet coup that took place just a couple hundred miles beneath the orbiting space capsule. Voskhod 2, with its remarkable space walk, only seems to further the Soviet lead.

Yet the American turtle still has ambitions to beat the Red Hare. The third Gemini mission (the first and second were uncrewed test flights) had been planned for this month for some time, and yesterday morning, Gemini 3 took off from Cape Canaveral carrying astronauts Gus Grissom and John Young for a three-orbit test flight.

A lot has changed since John Glenn's pioneering three-orbit flight in Friendship 7, just three years ago. Both Grissom and Young were kept busy with a slew of biological experiments to conduct in orbit. Grissom got to conduct the very first spacecraft maneuver, firing the ship's engines once per orbit to change its altitude and velocity. Neither Mercury nor Vostok had this capability, and I haven't read anything that suggests Voskhod has it, either. Score one for the home team!

In addition to the ordinary drama that attaches to every space mission, the astronauts created some of their own. A couple of hours into the flight, as Gemini drifted along its second orbit, it was time for the astronauts to sample their carefully prepared space food. This meal was lavishly prepared by NASA scientists to be nutritious, compact, and resistant to creating crumbs that could drift into and short vital ship components.

Whereupon astronaut John Young pulled out a corned beef sandwich from his pocket, ate a bite, and offered it to his commander. Grissom took a polite nibble, commenting on the sandwich's inability to stay together, and quickly put the thing in his pocket. Apparently, this was all the brainchild of Schirra, the most renowned prankster of the Mercury 7.

Beyond this incident, the very name Grissom chose for the first crewed Gemini was something of a scandal. Christening a spacecraft has always been the privilege of its commander, and Grissom, sensitive to the fate of his last ship, chose an appropriate name: "Molly Brown." This, of course, was the name of the eponymous character from The Unsinkable Molly Brown, a popular broadway musical about a survivor of the Titanic disaster.

NASA felt that the name lacked dignity and insisted on a change. Grissom dug in his heels, insisting that if he had to change the name, it would be to Titanic. NASA gave in.

Gemini 3 completed its three orbits without incident and reentered the atmosphere four and a half hours after leaving it. Unfortunately, Molly Brown plunged back into the atmosphere somewhat off course. Grissom tried to steer the capsule (such as it is possible to maneuver a shuttle-cock shaped craft) closer to the Atlantic recovery fleet, but the craft ultimately splashed down some 84 kilometers short. It took a good half hour for the carrier, U.S.S. Intrepid, to arrive. In the interim, Grissom and Young sweltered, the commander unwilling to open the capsule and risk another swamped spacecraft. It is my understanding that Molly Brown is still decorated with Schirra's sandwich…

Minor issues aside, Gemini 3 was a fully successful flight, officially man-rating the Gemini spacecraft. The next mission, currently scheduled for late spring, will feature the American version of the vacuum shuffle. The first American spacewalk was originally planned for next year, but Leonov's jaunt changed all that. Sometimes the rabbit gives the turtle a little goose…

(If you're wondering why the second Mercury astronaut got the honor of commanding the mission, it's because Alan Shepard, the first Mercury astronaut, has been taken off flight status due to an inner ear disease, and astronaut Slayton, the only Mercury astronaut who hasn't flown a mission, was grounded earlier for a heart condition. I'd assumed that Wally Schirra would command Gemini 4 (Glenn retired to go into politics; Carpenter retired to become an aquanaut), and that Cooper would take Gemini 5. Apparently, however, Ed White of the second group of astronauts so impressed his peers that he will command the next Gemini mission. Because of the shifting Gemini schedules, Cooper is still taking Gemini 5, but Schirra is going after him, commanding Gemini 6.)

The Score

So there you have it. In the last six months, the Soviets have orbited five men, one of whom stepped into Outer Space. The Americans orbited just two, but they autonomously drove their own spacecraft. Meanwhile, Ranger 9 raised the total of close-up pictures of the Moon to nearly 20,000 whereas the Russians still haven't added to the handful provided by Luna 3 more than five years ago!

I guess we'll see what happens. Will the next flight be Gemini 4 or Voskhod 3?

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Galactic Journey

[April 10, 1965] Furnishing the Home of the Future: Interior Design for the Space Age

[April 8, 1965] Twisted but Classy (Mario Bava's "Blood and Black Lace")

[April 6, 1965] The Early Bird Catches the Worm (INTELSAT 1)

[April 4, 1965] A Future of Rainbows: Psychedelic-40, by Louis Charbonneau

[April 2, 1965] SPEAKING A COMMON LANGUAGE (May 1965 IF)

[March 30, 1965] Suborbital Shots (April 1965 Analog)

[March 28, 1965] Detectives, Curses and Time Travel New Worlds and Science Fantasy, March/April 1965

[March 26, 1965] Digging Up the Past (April 1965 Fantastic)

[March 25, 1965] We still get letters!

[March 24, 1965] New Leaps Forward in Space (Voskhod 2, Europa F-3, Ranger 9, and Gemini 3)

55 years ago: Science Fact and Fiction