Just once I’d like a launch where nobody calls it a miracle, a mystery, or a Gagarin poster and asks who actually built the thing. by Sergei Korolev

Mstislav, you spent three weeks correcting one decimal point and acting like you discovered gravity.

To be fair, Sergei also acts like a launch is a personal insult if it uses the wrong adjective.

Thank you. Finally someone understands that the engine is the star and the headlines are just decorative damage.

Because it is. One bad word and suddenly the whole program sounds like a circus with better hardware.

Sergei, you built the rocket, I did the smiling. Different skill sets.

Fine. Next launch I’m naming the rocket after the paperwork and seeing who becomes famous then.

The engine is the star, sure. I’m still the face, which is why everyone remembers the flight and you remember the invoice.

He says that like smiling is what got the equations through review.