Project Gutenberg
2019-11-02
Public domain in the USA.
152
Thomas, Theodore L.
1920
2005
Thomas, Theodore Lockard
Satellite Passage
Produced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, October 1958
Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
"Satellite Passage" by Theodore L. Thomas is a science fiction novella written in the late 1950s. The story explores themes of tension and rivalry between nations as two satellites, one American and one Russian, find themselves on a nearly collision course in space, forcing the crews to confront their fears and uncertainties about the potential for conflict in the realms beyond Earth. The narrative follows three astronauts aboard the American satellite as they calculate their proximity to the approaching Russian satellite. As the tension mounts, they decide to remain stationary rather than alter their course, conscious of the political implications of appearing fearful. The men suit up and prepare for the pass, contemplating the possibility of interactions with the crew of the other satellite. When the two satellites finally draw near, an unexpected life-threatening situation arises as a Russian crew member becomes detached from their craft. Drawing on his sailing experience, one American astronaut successfully throws a line to save the floating Russian, leading to a brief moment of camaraderie as both parties wave to one another. The story concludes with a sense of bittersweet reflection, highlighting the unexpected connections formed in the face of potential disaster amidst the larger socio-political backdrop of the space race. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Reading ease score: 84.7 (6th grade). Easy to read.
en
Science fiction
Short stories
Astronauts -- Fiction
Space stations -- Fiction
Satellites -- Fiction
Cold War -- Fiction
PS
Text
Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy
Category: Novels
Category: American Literature
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