If Soviets went to the moon first: What would the first words have been?

r r

Unveiling the Soviet Moon Mission

r r

Believe it or not, the Soviet Union (USSR) was the first to achieve numerous milestones in the race to the moon. Even though the U.S. Apollo program was more widely publicized, the Soviet Union accomplished the following achievements:

r r r The closest approach to the moonr Orbiting the moonr Taking pictures of the far side of the moonr Making first contact with the moon (unmanned probe)r Soft landing on the moonr Deploying a robotic rover on the moon, covering more distance than all manned missions combinedr r r

Despite these achievements, the Soviet Union never carried human beings on their moon mission. However, the hypothetical scenario where the Soviets actually landed on the moon with humans raises an intriguing question: what would have been the first words they spoke as they stepped on the lunar surface?

r r

The Impossible Question

r r

Is it even possible to know if the Soviets had reached the moon first? The very premise of the question seems flawed given the historical context. However, for the sake of imagination, let's explore a few scenarios:

r r

**Scenario 1:**

r r

Imagine an astronaut, possibly a cosmonaut named Volodya, stepping onto the lunar surface. He might have remarked:

r r

"Где спрятано виски? (Where is that stashed vodka?)"

r r

This humorous remark humorously suggests that even after achieving such a monumental milestone, the first thing the cosmonaut might have thought about was a bottle of vodka—perhaps a symbol of celebrating such an achievement or a tribute to the never-ending Soviet party spirit!

r r

Yielding a Cold War Victory

r r

In our imagination, the first words from a Soviet cosmonaut stepping onto the moon would be a regal and triumphant statement. Following in the footsteps of Yuri Gagarin's historic first space flight, which was marred by a political jab from Nikita Khrushchev, a cosmonaut might say:

r r

"Ха! Вы проигрываете капиталистические свиньи! (HA! We beat you, you capitalist pigs!)"

r r

This phrase encapsulates the tense political atmosphere between the U.S. and the USSR during the Cold War era, highlighting the nationalists' and communists' pride in their technological advancements over their rivals.

r r

A Peaceful Message from One Giant Leap

r r

Michael Armstrong, the U.S. astronaut, delivered a profound statement during his moon landing, representing a moment of unity and scientific collaboration rather than national pride:

r r

"Это один маленький шаг для человека, один гигантский шаг для человечества (That is one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind).

r r

A Soviet cosmonaut, wishing to convey the same universal message, might have spoken similarly but added a touch of environmental awareness:

r r

"Это один маленький шаг для человека, один гигантский шаг для человечества. Вот здесь мы стоим, подумаем и уважим все, от моря до гор (That is one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. Here we stand, let's think and respect everything from sea to mountains).

r r

This version of the speech aims to emphasize the global and environmental significance of the milestone, reflecting a more responsible and holistic view of space exploration.

r r

Additional Reflections

r r

One wonders if the first words of a Soviet cosmonaut could have included a reference to the agnostic view expressed by Yuri Gagarin during his first space flight. This was a political statement made by Premier Khrushchev, which aligned more with the philosophical climate of secularism in the 1960s:

r r

"Я не вижу никакого Бога здесь (I don't see any God up here).

r r

Reflecting on this, a cosmonaut stepping on the moon might have said:

r r

"Я не вижу никакого Бога здесь, но мы смотрим на нашу маленькую планету и все, кто на ней живет, и знаем, как важно беречь нас всех (I don't see any God up here, but we look at our small planet and all who live on it, and know how important it is to protect us all).

r r

This statement underlines the interconnectedness of humanity and the significance of space exploration in understanding our place in the universe.

r