The novel takes place immediately after the American Civil War. After the end of the war, the «Cannon Club» was organized in Baltimore. Its founder, Impi Barbicane, got the idea to create a cannon, the projectile of which could reach the moon after being shot. Preliminary calculations showed that the technology of that time made it possible to build such a weapon. Barbicane manages to attract the attention of the whole world and raise about 5.5 million dollars for a large-scale project sponsored by many countries, including the United States. Development of the gigantic Columbiade cannon has begun. It was originally planned that an uninhabited spherical aluminum alloy projectile, reaching the surface of the moon, could attract the attention of its possible inhabitants. However, further the plans of the founders of the Columbiada project changed. The French traveler Michel Ardant suggested making a hollow metal cylinder pointed on one side as a cannon projectile, and he himself volunteered to fly inside it. As a result, it was decided to prepare a shell car for a team of 3 people. The shot took place according to the planned plan and the projectile car, carrying away the first cosmonauts, went to the Moon. Their further fate is described in the sequel to the novel «Around the Moon»
Performed by: Alexey Borzunov
Producer: Vladimir Vorobiev
© & ℗ SP Vorobiev V.A. 2013
© & ℗ ID SOYUZ 2013
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