The Astronauts
Encyclopedia
The Astronauts is the first science fiction
novel by Polish writer Stanisław Lem published as a book, in 1951. (The SF novel The Man from Mars was serialized in a weekly during 1946.)
To write the novel, Lem received advance payment from publishing house Czytelnik (Warsaw). The book became an instant success and was translated into several languages (first into Czech
, published in 1956). This success convinced Lem to switch to careers to a science-fiction author.
The Astronauts was written for the youth in form of an Utopian space opera
. Inability to ever understand alien civilizations, a frequent motive of Lem's future works, appears here for the first time. To get published under the communist regime in Poland Lem had to insert frequent references to the ideals of communism
. Decades later, Lem didn't value The Astronauts very much:
The term cosmonaut, used in countries of Eastern Bloc
, was not yet created when the text was written, hence the name Astronauts.
. The hypothesis about the crash of a cosmic ship is mentioned.
Fast-forward to the year 2003. Communism has won worldwide and humankind, freed from oppression and chaos, is engaged in gigantic engineering projects - irrigation of the Sahara
, the construction of a hydro-energetic plant over the Strait of Gibraltar
, and the ability to control the climate. The latest project is to thaw the Antarctic
and Arctic
regions by artificial nuclear-powered "suns" circling above.
During the preparation of earthworks in the Tunguska area a strange object is found and later identified as an extraterrestrial data record. The record contains details about the travel of the cosmic ship from Venus
(which crashed in Tunguska) and the data ends with an ominous message: "After two rotations the Earth will be radiated. When the radiation intensity drops to half, the Great Movement will commence." Scared, the government of the Earth (consisting of scientists) decides to send the newly built cosmic ship Kosmokrator (equipped with vacuum tube
-based computer Marax) to Venus.
After a few weeks the international crew of Kosmokrator arrives on Venus but finds no traces of life, only strange, half-destroyed technological structures like the White Globe, a giant anti-gravity device.
It turns out that Venus was inhabited by a warlike civilization planning to occupy the Earth. Before they managed to destroy the life on Earth they themselves perished in nuclear civil war, leaving only ruins of the cities and scattered electronic records.
. A much shortened 1962 Crown International Pictures
English dubbed release in the USA used the name First Spaceship on Venus
. Lem had disowned the movie.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel by Polish writer Stanisław Lem published as a book, in 1951. (The SF novel The Man from Mars was serialized in a weekly during 1946.)
To write the novel, Lem received advance payment from publishing house Czytelnik (Warsaw). The book became an instant success and was translated into several languages (first into Czech
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
, published in 1956). This success convinced Lem to switch to careers to a science-fiction author.
The Astronauts was written for the youth in form of an Utopian space opera
Space opera
Space opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes romantic, often melodramatic adventure, set mainly or entirely in outer space, generally involving conflict between opponents possessing advanced technologies and abilities. The term has no relation to music and it is analogous to "soap...
. Inability to ever understand alien civilizations, a frequent motive of Lem's future works, appears here for the first time. To get published under the communist regime in Poland Lem had to insert frequent references to the ideals of communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
. Decades later, Lem didn't value The Astronauts very much:
- Everything is so smooth and balanced; among the heroes we have a positive Russian character and a sweet Chinese; naiveté is present on all pages of this book. The hope that in the year 2000 the world would be wonderful is indeed very childish....
The term cosmonaut, used in countries of Eastern Bloc
Eastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
, was not yet created when the text was written, hence the name Astronauts.
Plot summary
The introduction describes the fall of Tunguska meteorite (1908) and subsequent expedition of Leonid KulikLeonid Kulik
Leonid Alekseyevich Kulik was a Russian mineralogist who is noted for his research into meteorites....
. The hypothesis about the crash of a cosmic ship is mentioned.
Fast-forward to the year 2003. Communism has won worldwide and humankind, freed from oppression and chaos, is engaged in gigantic engineering projects - irrigation of the Sahara
Sahara
The Sahara is the world's second largest desert, after Antarctica. At over , it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as Europe or the United States. The Sahara stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean...
, the construction of a hydro-energetic plant over the Strait of Gibraltar
Strait of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain in Europe from Morocco in Africa. The name comes from Gibraltar, which in turn originates from the Arabic Jebel Tariq , albeit the Arab name for the Strait is Bab el-Zakat or...
, and the ability to control the climate. The latest project is to thaw the Antarctic
Antarctic
The Antarctic is the region around the Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica and the ice shelves, waters and island territories in the Southern Ocean situated south of the Antarctic Convergence...
and Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
regions by artificial nuclear-powered "suns" circling above.
During the preparation of earthworks in the Tunguska area a strange object is found and later identified as an extraterrestrial data record. The record contains details about the travel of the cosmic ship from Venus
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows...
(which crashed in Tunguska) and the data ends with an ominous message: "After two rotations the Earth will be radiated. When the radiation intensity drops to half, the Great Movement will commence." Scared, the government of the Earth (consisting of scientists) decides to send the newly built cosmic ship Kosmokrator (equipped with vacuum tube
Vacuum tube
In electronics, a vacuum tube, electron tube , or thermionic valve , reduced to simply "tube" or "valve" in everyday parlance, is a device that relies on the flow of electric current through a vacuum...
-based computer Marax) to Venus.
After a few weeks the international crew of Kosmokrator arrives on Venus but finds no traces of life, only strange, half-destroyed technological structures like the White Globe, a giant anti-gravity device.
It turns out that Venus was inhabited by a warlike civilization planning to occupy the Earth. Before they managed to destroy the life on Earth they themselves perished in nuclear civil war, leaving only ruins of the cities and scattered electronic records.
Film adaptations
In 1960, a movie Der Schweigende Stern (The Silent Star, in Polish Milcząca Gwiazda) based on the book was shot in East Germany, directed by Kurt MaetzigKurt Maetzig
Kurt Maetzig is an East German film director who had a significant effect on the film industry in the GDR. He is one of the most respected filmmakers of East Germany. He currently lives in Wildkuhl, Mecklenburg, and has three children....
. A much shortened 1962 Crown International Pictures
Crown International Pictures
Crown International Pictures is an independent film studio formed in 1959 by Newton P. Jacobs Jacobs was a former branch head of RKO Pictures until 1947 when he formed his own company "Favorite Films"; a film releasing organisation. Jacobs became one of the first franchises for showing American...
English dubbed release in the USA used the name First Spaceship on Venus
First Spaceship on Venus
First Spaceship on Venus, German: Der schweigende Stern , Polish: Milcząca Gwiazda, is a 1960 East German/Polish film directed by Kurt Maetzig and based on the novel The Astronauts by Stanisław Lem...
. Lem had disowned the movie.