basic sputnik

THE BASIC SPUTNIK
Another report followed in a few minutes that Sputnik was detected by another
ground site, then more and more ground sites reported. It was clear that the event
had happened, and the room started humming with jubilation. People were running
to and fro. They hurried to report to ballisticians about the time, location and the azimuth
of the detection. Common rank generals stood up and watched the happening
with increasing curiosity.
The focus in the room shifted from Nedelin to Sputnik. You could see that Nedelin
realized this, and he began to loose his scenic posture and become an ordinary military
officer. Having discussed the status with his escort, marshal decided to personally
confirm the event and meet the people in the flight control room.
Nedelin went from one desk to another. Sokolov accompanied him by his side, Levin
followed behind and then the escort generals. They stopped by each participant and
listened to officers shouting their status reports. Marshal nodded patronizingly, and
the escort generals smiled reverently. Finally, they approached the desk where Eliasberg,
Yatsunsky and Narimanov had been working. This is where the Sputnik orbital
period was estimated. Excited, each of them, independently from each other, exponentiated
with slide-rules, multiplied and divided, added and deleted with Felix calculating
machine to find out later that the period was 98 minutes.
Nedelin stood by the desk and watched the busy fuss with an apparent curiosity. For
some reason, no one would spring up or shout in a roaring voice to report to Comrade
Marshal of the Soviet Union. Everyone had his nose in his papers, people were red
and perspirated with excitement, calculated and recorded something jerkily. Marshal
was silent and no one of his escort dared to break this silence.
Narimanov was the first to see Nedelin. He stood up deftly, and was about to start
shouting out his report, when Marshal gestured him not to disturb his colleagues.
Yatsunsky also began to get up from the desk, checking the buttons on his uniform
in a confused manner. Pavel Ephimovich kept on writing, mumbling something,
throwing the remaining hair from one side of his bold head to the other. This was
the climax of the dumb show: everyone is standing at attention, Sokolov was looking
gloomy, the escort froze anticipating the unfortunate Lieutenant Colonel would
be taken to task, and Marshal gave an ironic smile.
Narimanov was the first to break the silence. He said quietly to Eliasberg: ‘Pavel Ephimovich,
Marshal Nedelin…’ Pavel Ephimovich did not bother to raise his head, waved
away and said vexedly: ‘Leave me alone!’ And went back in his work again, stooping
over his papers. Then he suddenly limpened, stopped, raised his eyes, saw Nedelin,
smiled embarrassedly, and started arranging himself slowly: fastening upper buttons
on his uniform with one hand and searching for the cap on the desk with the other.
He stood up awkwardly and tried to compose his mind figuring out what he should
say and do.
Nedelin cleared the air.
THE BASIC SPUTNIK
The short answers and routine tone of the dialogue between Eliasberg and Marshal as
peers shocked the people. Marshal took this gently. He realized that there is no need
to stimulate the enthusiasm in the scientist standing in front of him, and disciplining
him would be useless and wrong.
To break this abnormal situation, Narimanov started explaining how the period is
estimated, but Marshal could not care less. Having listened for a while, he asked suddenly:
‘How can you be sure that the spotting we received from the anti-ballistic missile
defense is not a mistake or worse, a provocation from the potential enemy?’
A dumb show again, but now everyone watched Nedelin not without a slight sarcasm.
Marshal realized his question was odd and he managed to find a way out from the
confusion:
‘Yes, I believe you are not a person to answer this question. Keep on working.’
Pleased with himself, Marshal headed towards the exit from the flight control room.
By the next morning Sputnik has made three orbits, and now everyone realized that
the epic event has happened. Information from the observers was forwarded to the
flight control room, was processed, orbital evolution and Sputnik life span were forecasted.
Nedelin’s appearance was not shocking to the inhabitants of the room anymore.
Marshal would sit calmly in his chair and listen to Sokolov’s and Narimanov’s
reports.
…It was about 10 in the morning. The door burst open and Sergey Pavlovich Korolev
showed up. He did not stop and went straight to Nedelin. His face expressed satisfaction
and concentration.
Ryabikov was also here. Small in stature, lean and fit, he was walking next to Korolev
to Marshal.
Vasiliy Pavlovich Mishin followed them. His smiling face radiated happiness and he,
a good deal taller than his Leader, transmitted jubilation to all in the room. The feeling
of boyish happiness was even further amplified by standing out ears of the deputy
Chief Designer.
Upon seeing Korolev, Nedelin stood up from his chair and greeted and congratulated
Glavny as a peer with a handshake. Nedelin, Korolev and Ryabikov started a discussion.
Korolev, slightly stooping, was smiling modestly. Nedelin was open and complacent.
Ryabikov looked focused, inappropriately resolute and ready for action.
Mishin was viewing the room with curiosity. The room was viewing Mishin. The joy
he radiated was transmitting to the people in the flight control room, reflected back
and made Vasily Pavlovich shine even more.
After a brief exchange Korolev, Nedelin and Ryabikov headed for the exit. The escort
rolled after them at an appropriate distance.
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‘So, what do you have here?’ He asked in what appeared as a friendly tone.
‘The period is about 98 minutes, Comrade Marshal’, said Eliasberg in an embarrassed
voice.
‘It this too much or too little?’ Nedelin asked.
‘It’s normal’, concluded Eliasberg.
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