Conquest of Space (1955) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Eight months into the voyage, General Merritt becomes increasingly unstable due to space fatigue. He interprets the death of Andre Fodor during the planetoid incident as divine punishment, convincing himself that the Mars mission violates cosmic law. When the ship approaches Mars, he attempts to crash it to prevent what he believes is a transgression against God's will.

Foreshadowing: Early in the journey, Merritt is shown reading his Bible and questioning whether the mission is righteous, foreshadowing his eventual breakdown.

• general merritt
• space fatigue
• religious conviction
• mission crash
• divine punishment

When the spaceship narrowly avoids colliding with a glowing planetoid, General Merritt fires the engines to evasively maneuver. The planetoid's debris tears through space and punctures Sgt. Fodor's spacesuit, killing him instantly. His body is later cast adrift in space following a religious ceremony.

Foreshadowing: The radar failure earlier forces crew members outside for repairs, establishing the vulnerability of the crew to external space hazards.

• andre fodor
• death
• spacesuit
• planetoid
• debris

After landing on Mars, Barney discovers that the water supply has been sabotaged, apparently by General Merritt, who has become convinced the mission is cursed. During their confrontation, Merritt threatens Barney with a .45 caliber pistol. The struggle ends when the pistol discharges, killing Merritt. It remains ambiguous whether this was intentional or accidental.

Foreshadowing: Merritt's erratic behavior throughout the journey, including his fixation on Fodor's death as divine judgment, builds toward this violent confrontation.

• general merritt
• barney merritt
• death
• pistol
• mars
• sabotage

Mahoney witnesses only the final stages of the confrontation between Barney and General Merritt. Though he considers charging Barney with murder, he recognizes that pursuing a court martial would tarnish the memory of the general, a man who led them to Mars and made the ultimate sacrifice. Instead, he chooses to honor Merritt's legacy and acknowledge Barney's capable leadership during the crisis.

Foreshadowing: Throughout the journey, Mahoney demonstrates loyalty to the mission and respect for the general, making his eventual decision to protect the general's legacy consistent with his character.

• sgt mahoney
• barney merritt
• court martial
• legacy
• reconciliation

Sgt. Mahoney volunteers to join the Mars mission, but General Merritt initially resists, citing Mahoney's age and concerns about the physical toll of such a long voyage. Mahoney secretly hides inside a crew spacesuit to stow away, determined to be part of the historic mission despite the risks and the general's objections.

Foreshadowing: Before launch, Mahoney's willingness to volunteer despite the general's reluctance establishes his dedication to the mission.

• sgt mahoney
• stowaway
• spacesuit
• volunteer
• mission

After Fodor's death during the planetoid near-miss, General Merritt begins suffering from undiagnosed space fatigue. His mental state deteriorates to the point where he interprets Fodor's death not as a tragic accident but as divine judgment against the Mars mission. This belief drives his subsequent attempt to destroy the ship to prevent what he sees as cosmic transgression.

Foreshadowing: Shortly after liftoff, Merritt is shown fretting and reading his Bible, already questioning the mission's righteousness.

• general merritt
• religious belief
• space fatigue
• fodor
• divine judgment

After landing on Mars, the crew discovers their water supply has been sabotaged. The planet proves harsh and arid, with resources extremely limited. They must wait nearly a year for the return window to Earth. Their salvation comes when a rare Martian snowstorm occurs during their first Christmas on Mars, replenishing their water reserves and giving them hope to survive until departure.

Foreshadowing: The sabotage of the water supply directly follows the general's breakdown, creating an immediate survival crisis.

• mars
• water
• survival
• christmas
• snowstorm
• resources

As the launch window reopens and the crew prepares to leave Mars, a violent Martian quake shakes the surface. Rocks rain down and the ground shifts beneath their ship, causing it to tilt dangerously. The crew fires the rocket engines to shift the ground under the landing legs, propelling the ship upward just as the Martian surface collapses beneath them.

Foreshadowing: The harsh, unforgiving nature of Mars has been established through their year-long struggle for water and survival.

• marsquake
• launch
• escape
• rocket
• surface collapse

As the ship approaches Mars, General Merritt attempts to crash it to prevent what he believes is a sinful mission. Barney, recognizing his father's unstable state, physically intervenes and wrests control away from his father. He then guides the craft to a precise, courageous landing on the Martian surface, demonstrating his readiness to lead and saving the mission.

Foreshadowing: Barney has spent a year aboard the Wheel space station and volunteered as second officer, establishing his competence and ambition.

• barney merritt
• control
• landing
• mars
• leadership

While en route to Mars, the ship's piloting radar antenna malfunctions, leaving the crew unable to navigate properly. Two crew members must venture outside the spacecraft in spacesuits to repair the antenna. They successfully restore the system just as their monitors detect a glowing planetoid on a collision course with them, forcing the emergency maneuver that leads to Fodor's death.

Foreshadowing: This mechanical failure establishes the fragile nature of the mission and the danger of external space repairs.

• radar
• antenna
• failure
• repair
• planetoid
• navigation