Astounding Science Fiction (British edition) — page 27: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

PIONEER 25 “Not safely,” Dick reminded him. - Don sighed with exasperation. “Look, I’ve told you the boys at Point Mugu say the Nomad will get into circular orbit O.K. Those twin gyro units were only precautionary.” “Only precautionary, huh? Are the Point Mugu boys going to ride the ship?” “Want to see their report?” “No. Just ask the boys at White Sands about the single gyros on the V-2 back in the Forties,” the pilot countered. “I know better than to trust a single gyro-stabilizing unit. Gyros have a nasty habit of tumbling. I’ve seen them.” Double gyro systems were standard equipment on the Navy’s KX-238 Karlter transocean rockets, providing a stand-by unit in case one system failed. Then, the stand-bys took over, keeping the rocket under control. Sometimes the stand-bys tumbled too, but rocket pilots didn’t live to talk about that. Taking up a rocket with a single set of gyros was sheer, calculated suicide. Project Nomad, Karlter’s naval round-the-world rocket, had been de- signed with twin gyro units, but four days ago in the mock firing, one set had burned out. The next day, they learned that Zeiss-Jena could not deliver another set for six weeks. And Dick Crowell, who had been with the project since its inception and the only man who knew enough about the Nomad to fly her, had refused to take it up with one gyro system. That was Friday; today was | Monday, scheduled shoot-day. “That ship is not safe,’’ Dick said emphatically, “but I’m willing to take the chance on one gyro system—for a price.” Karlter sat back down and put his cigarettes on the desk again. ‘“‘Friday you said you wouldn’t fly the Nomad for a million bucks,’ he observed. ‘““What’s your price today?” “Fifty grand.” “What?” “Take it or leave it.” “Dick, I can’t pay you that much! How about twenty-five?” “I said fifty—just another entry in your cost-plus contract.” Don looked pained, then glanced at the wall clock. ‘“‘Dick, we can’t afford to stand here and haggle. That ship is scheduled to go in seven hours. Take it up, and we'll talk money when you get down.” “IT may not get down. We'll talk now.” Don fidgeted nervously. “I can’t pay that price.” *“O.K., wait six weeks,” Dick said, “and put the other gyro in. Then I'll fly her for the original price.” Karlter knew that was too long. The Navy wanted that orbital space- ship now. It would be the first to circle the world like a small moon. But the - Air Force wanted the orbital rocket for its own also, and it was a race against time for jurisdiction. The Navy claimed that an orbital rocket could be landed only on the ocean, while the fliers contended that the practical design was one that could easily land on level ground by means of large series parachutes. Neither method had been tried with a manned orbital rocket. If the Navy could prove that ocean landing worked, theirs would be the jurisdiction over orbital rockets, and the space stations and interplanetary travel that would follow. But they had to get the Nomad up there first. Great Western Aircraft was within a week of attempting to put a ship into orbit for the Air Force, and the Navy could not afford to bet failure for the Air Force project. Project Nomad had to go up on connicloooks. conn