The Trouble with Telstar

"The Trouble with Telstar" by John Berryman is a science fiction story that is set in the early 1960s and spotlights the difficulties revolving around the functioning and maintenance of communication satellites, using Telstar as its main subject. The narrative looks closely at the complexities of space technology and the political games within a business environment. The book focuses on Mike Seaman, a fresh test engineer at COMCORP, who gets caught up in a corporate battle over a malfunctioning solenoid in the Telstar satellites. As he maneuvers through accusations and internal disagreements, Seaman is unexpectedly assigned to a critical mission to fix the satellites in space. Throughout his journey, he encounters technical obstacles from the faulty satellite and deals with workplace relationships, including a growing connection with a secretary named Sylvia, and highlights themes of determination, innovation, and humanity's pursuit when faced with the enormity of space as he takes on the difficult job of making repairs in zero gravity.