1950January opened with Soviets working up a functioning geological survey sensor. Eager to test it out, Comrade Bushuyev designed a missile that could carry such a sensor to Luna and thus prove Soviet superiority. Stalin agreed and work proceeded to prototype R-2
Geodezist. It would be launched from the same R-10
Desna launcher as the nuclear-tipped R-1
Desna missile.
In April, Americans finally formulated a comprehensive Trans-Newtonian Theory and the White House, together with the Congress, announced massive subsidies and incentives for industry across the board to convert and upgrade to TN-standards as quickly as possible. This government program was accompanied by a massive propaganda campaign created by the best minds in Hollywood and advertising, to ensure swift and as comprehensive compliance as possible. Decisionmakers were growing concerned with the way the USSR was pulling ahead.
Near the end of May, the first Krivak was launched from Baikonur. Kapitan Dubinin was commanding the 4 man crew:
OWP-01 Krivak 001 (Krivak class Orbital Weapon Platform) 479 tons 4 Crew 37.4 BP TCS 10 TH 0 EM 0
1 km/s Armour 1-5 Shields 0-0 HTK 5 Sensors 0/0/0/0 DCR 1-20 PPV 3
Maint Life 30.55 Years MSP 48 AFR 2% IFR 0.0% 1YR 0 5YR 1 Max Repair 10 MSP
Magazine 20 / 0
Kapitan tret'yego ranga Control Rating 1
Intended Deployment Time: 3 days Morale Check Required
OKB-1 R-10 Desna (2) Missile Size: 10 Hangar Reload 158 minutes MF Reload 26 hours
OKB-1 SON-3 Fire Controller (1) Range 6.2m km Resolution 1
SKB Pegmantit-1 Area Monitor (1) GPS 2 Range 1.8m km MCR 160.6k km Resolution 1
This design is classed as a Fighter for production, combat and planetary interaction
This design is classed as a Fighter for auto-assignment purposes
Though the Americans did not know it, its two launchers were empy as no missiles had been built yet. Nine more Krivaks would be constructed before the program would pause for review and evaluation. This would change soon as in June, Comrade Bushuyev came through with a functioning R-1 missile, production of which started immediately. In the same month, Americans figured out how to create a backup control deck inside a satellite in case of emergency or battle damage. This was something that the Admirals of the US Navy had been adamant on based on their experience fighting the Japanese across the Pacific and as the Navy was taking a larger and larger role in this new area of military, the admirals got their wish despite protestations from the Army Air Forces which still had not gained its independence from the Army. This was not a surprise as everyone wanted to control the branch that would become the most important one in space and the Army generals correctly estimated that if the Air Force became independent, the Army would be relegated to a lesser importance vis-a-vis the other branches. The bureaucratic fight between the Navy admirals and the reluctantly united Army-Air generals continued.
25 August 1950 would go down in history books as the first Nuclear Scare. Without informing Washington, the Soviets launched two missiles from Krivak 'Moscow'. The missiles were exactly the same size as the R-1 Desna nuclear missiles, that CIA had heard of but had not seen. It was only the fact that that the other two Krivak satellites, 'Leningrad' and 'Stalingrad' remained quiet that the White House did not launch their conventional nuclear bombers into air. In just ten seconds it became clear that the missiles were headed towards Luna and not anywhere on Earth.
The missiles reached Luna in just few minutes and stayed in orbit for several hours before going silent and tumbling against the Lunar surface. On 30 August, the 'Moscow' launched two more missiles. This time Kreml had informed the White House beforehand and the world watched in wonder. Despite pleas from the international scientific community, the Soviets did not release any information publicly. In private, Comrade Stalin was furious that four valuable missiles had been wasted in a very public manner, although Russian geologists pleaded with the Politbyro that just few more missiles would do the trick. Instead, the manned Luna program was approved of. Stalin was mollified when Comrade Zaytsev informed him that the prototype for the DKT 100mm C1 IR Laser would be tested before the end of the year. And indeed, on 29 October, the members of the Politbyro were dazzled to see a giant laser cannon in action.
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