A 20th Century Future

On January 1st 1968, 2001: A Space Odyssey premiered becoming one of the greatest science fiction films of the twentieth century. The series continued with a total of four novels and two films captivating readers for decades more. But the world that was predicted for the years 2001, 2010 and 2061 diverge from our own timeline significantly. But as we hope to show you, the viewer, was that such a world was entirely possible. What if, rather than decades of stagnation in Spaceflight the twentieth century became the time Space was opened to humanity. But like so many things, it will take hardwork sweat and most of all blood to achieve such a vision.

NOTE: THIS IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND IS NOWHERE NEAR COMPLETED.

The 1960's
1968

POD Republican Candidate for President Richard Nixon is died unexpectedly from a major heart attack, he was rushed to the hospital but was dead on arrival. Lyndon B. Johnson announced his heartfelt condolenses for the Nixon family and friends. Following this Johnson announced he was running for a second term afterall (despite declining to seek a second term months earlier).

Apollo 7 launches ontop a Saturn IB rocket on October 11th as the first manned spaceflight of the Apollo Command/Service Module (CSM). The three-man crew spent 11 days in Low Earth Orbit before safely landing in the Pacific Ocean on October 22nd.

On October 28 The Paris Peace accords stike a breakthrough as North and South Vietnam agree to a cease in hostile, agressive fighting and the United States agrees to a full military withdrawal, Newspapers in the US read "War in Vietnam Ends", "Peace Reached in Vietnam" or even "LBJ Ends Vietnam War".

The United States Presidential Election occured on November 5th and it was obvious which candidates would win. Ronald Reagan (the head of the Conservative wing of the Republican Party) was not considered a serious candidate but rather the only Republican option after Nixon's death and having ended the Vietnam War LBJ was left in a fairly strong position in the Polls winning by an overwhelming 70% of the vote.

Apollo 8 launched by a Saturn V rocket on December 21 leaves earth orbit and became the first manned mission to leave LEO and travel to another celestial body. The spacecraft Orbits the Moon on Christmas eve and broadcasts a reading from the book of Genesis to 500 million viewers on Earth.

1969

POD On January 22nd, just two days after Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in for his second and final term as President an event of world significance took place. As Soviet leader Lenoid Brezhnev was preparing to meet a team of Cosmonauts when he was shot dead in his lomosine by deserter of the Red Army deserter Viktor Ivanovich Ilyin. Alexei Kosgin was immedietly elected General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, leaving behind his old office as Premier.

On March 3rd Apollo 9 launches for the first in-Space manned test flight of the Apollo Lunar Excursion Module (LEM). The crew spend ten days in Low Earth Orbit practicing the rendezvous, docking, undocking and Extravehicular Acitvities (EVAs or "spacewalks") they will need to perform before NASA attempts to land on the Moon. The crew returns safely on March 13th.

On March 9th Alexei Leonov and Oleg Makarov piloted L1-1, the first Soviet manned circumlunar spaceflight. After their Soyuz 7K-L1 was launched by a UR-500 "Proton" launch vehicle they spent 7 days traveling to and from the Moon with about one day spent swinging around it at close range (closest aproach of 128 km). It was also notable the first time American and Soviet cosmonauts are in space at the same time. This spaceflight reinvigorated the space-race leading many in the Public to believe the Soviet Union and United States were neck-and-neck in the race to land on the Moon.

On May 5th Valery Bykovsky and Nikolay Rukavishnikov launched onboard L1-2, the second Soviet circumlunar spaceflight. This mission was the first manned Soyuz 7K-L1 mission to have actual scientific objectives such as photographing the landing sites of unmanned Luna spacecraft and communicating with unmanned Luna Orbiters.

On May 18th, just six days after L1-2 landed in the Khazackstanian SSR, Apollo-10 launched on a lunar-orbit dress rehersal mission. Over the coarse of eight days NASA performs all the various activities neccesary for a Manned lunar landing. The mission is a resounding success and brings hope back to Americans routing for NASA to reach the Moon first.

On July 3rd, a third and final Soviet manned circumlunar flight L1-3 is launched by yet another UR-500 "Proton" rocket. The failure of the Soviet N-1 super-rocket to work has all but eliminated any possibility of the Russians beating the Americans to the Moon but it's hoped this flight will continue the percieved parity in space between the USSR and the US maintained over the years. Pavel Popovich and Vitaly Sevastyanov were selected as the crew.

July 20th, Apollo 11 Successfully land on the moon bringing the first human there! Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin spend 23 hours exploring the lunar surface while Micheal Collins spends his time in Low Lunar Orbit. Despite several difficulties the mission is an overall success and a triumth for the United States.

Post-Apollo planning immedietly begin as NASA decides it's coarse for the next few decades. The President adds billions back in to the 1970 NASA's budget and works with Democrats and Republicans to get it passed. The new budget returns spending for the space program to the 1966 level or about .5% of the GDP. This is sufficient to fund the "Space Transportation System" a network of reusable Launch Vehicles, Landers, Tugs, Ferries, Space Stations and Bases throughout the solar system. The goals are clear, permanent outposts in Earth Orbit, on the Moon and Mars by the 1980s. With the Vietnam war over, funding has become availible.

November 14th, Apollo 12 performs the second successful lunar landing on the Moon this time coming within just several meters of the unmanned "Surveyor 3" lander as well as a short distance from unmanned Luna 5 lander and Ranger 7 impactor. The 1960s ends with the Moon quickly becoming a real destinations for human explorers to visit (with 18 people having already flown by, orbited or landed on it). But it's just the begining.

1970

During the first State of the Union Address of the new decade, President Hohnson outlines his agenda for the coming years which includes, in addition to his space project, an educational plan to expand scholarships for students seeking a science or engineering degree. His plan will also have provisions to increase high school graduation rates for Africa-American students; with the hope those rates will match those of whites by 1975. Senator Edward Brooke, America's only black Senator, will lead this committee. The President sees these initiatives as crucial if America is to keep up with the Soviet Union with its larger population base.

April 11, the Apollo 13 mission is a partial failure due to an oxygen explosion in the service module; it makes it back to earth safely. The President orders an around the clock investigation to find the fault of the accident; he also states this event will not deter or slow down the space program. While two more H-Class missions, Apollo 14 and 15 were planned for this year, they have since been delayed putting back the introduction of the more advanced J-Class missions.

The Fall of Saigon occures as North Vietnam reunifies the country under a Communist government, overthrowing the currupt South Vietnamese government. Fighting had resumed quickly after LBJ's withdrawal leading to the inevitable defeat of the South.

1971

The Soviets announced their 8th Five Year Plan to run from 1971 -1975 in the plan it includes manned lunar landings and a large permanent space station. Out of concern because of American economic power, the Soviets cut back on defense spending and reorganises the economy into a Market-Socialist economy similer to Yugoslavia (With the rest of Eastern Bloc following in suit). this move surprises the world and shows how serious they have become in regards to the space race and reforms. Any threat to single-party communist rule however is delt with swiftly. As detente sets in and military threats diminish, economic competition appears to be the future.

The Soviets follow up their threats with action as Salyut 1, the first manned space-station of any kind is launched on April 19 1971. The space station is quickly visited by Soyuz 10 (launched just four days later on April 23rd) which successfully docks and spend 30 days performing experiments. Soyuz 11 launches just a few months later on a 45 day expedition. Despite a decompression the crew survives thanks to a new safety feature imposed by the new Kosygin administration which required cosmonauts to be fully suited on launch and reentry.

Apollo flights resume as Apollo 14 and 15 return America to the Moon. While still ahead in the Space Race the United States government realizes the Soviets are catching up and even surpassing them in certain areas.

The American Mariner 9 and Soviet Mars 2 & Mars 3 arrive in Mars Orbit. Mars-2 and Mars-3 successfully deploy landers with their own mini-rovers to the surface while the Mars-2, Mars-3 and Mariner-9 orbiters maps the planet in detail. They discover dry rivers, lakes and oceans. gigantic Mountains, volcanos and valleys are all imaged in great detail increasing the scientific rationale for visiting Mars with humans.

1972