Stellarium (Origins): A Space-Time Adventure to the Ends of our Universe

by Fabricio Simoes

  “With ‘probability’, responded Allison. “I say that because it really is a question of probability. The classical description of a wormhole includes a black hole on one end and a white hole on the other. One side sucks matter in, and the other expels it. However, we were never able to recreate that concept. So, we changed our strategy: we decided to try to create black holes that would connect two different points in space, and then turn off the accelerator, with the expectation that the spaceship would be on the other side once the hole closed. This would only be possible if the spaceship “becomes” the black hole. In other words, in this case, the ship doesn’t move in space. What it does is create a mini-black hole around itself, thus opening the hole in space and then immediately closing it. Upon closing, there is a 50% chance of the ship having stayed in the same place, and a 50% chance of it having gone to the other side. There is no way to control it. So, the probes that we have sent thus far always had enough energy for several activations. If they ended up staying in the same place after carrying out this process, they would attempt it a second time. Usually, when they weren’t able to ‘jump’ to the other side of space on the first try, they were almost always able to do so the second time around.”

  “And why were all those probes shaped like flying disks?” asked a curious young man behind extremely heavy glasses.

  “So they could pretend to be aliens!” yelled a voice from the back, getting a laugh out of everyone in the room.

  “That’s a very good question,” said Allison to the laughing students. “You all really studied quite a lot for this talk, didn’t you? There are lots of pictures of the probes of the Stellarium space program at NASA. So, let me explain: dark matter must be accelerated in a circle, which is why the ship has a sort of ring around its exterior. So, we use the tubes in that ring to accelerate the matter through electromagnetism. What happens is that the gravitational disturbance occurs around that ring, becoming larger in the center, like a disk. So, the most efficient shape for the ship—and the simplest one—would be a disk. However, for a manned mission, the ship will need to be quite large, which is why it will look more like a sphere. It will have two perpendicular rings. This means that the gravitational disturbance that will be created will be more like a sphere. In fact, the more rings the ship has, the more spherical its gravitational field will be. And the bigger the ship, the more rings it needs.”

  A student interrupted: “So, if you were to make a giant ship, for example, and you had to make it with eight of those rings, the ship would end up looking like that picture on the wall?”

  The student pointed to a classic depiction of an atom, with a round core surrounded by circles with electron orbits.

  “Exactly,” said Allison, “that’s a great example. The ship would look like this classical picture of an atom. However, in our case, in order to reduce costs, NASA limited the size of the ship, meaning we’ll only need two rings, one horizontal and one vertical, both making their way around the entire ship.”

  At this point, the teacher realized how late it was, and thanked Dr. Allison for coming, but one student wanted to know if he could ask one more question:

  “Ms. Allison, just one more question: once you all have gone through the black hole, or the wormhole, as you explained before, how will you communicate with Earth?”

  “That’s also an excellent question! Once we are on the other side, there’s no way to communicate with Earth. The ship has a Communication Module, but that’s for us to use before we go through the wormhole. Once we arrive at the point in space where the jump is supposed to happen—that has to be at least two times the distance between the Earth and the moon away, to make sure we don’t create a black hole too close to our atmosphere—this module is undocked. It remains about 1,000 feet from the ship, with sensors and cameras pointed in our direction. The control center in Houston observes everything from that module. They not only see the ship disappear, but they also receive measurements from the module’s accelerometers, confirming that the gravitational disturbance actually occurred and that the system worked properly.”

  “By the way,” she reinforced, “when the ship goes through the wormhole, the people inside it can’t even tell. It’s not like in the movies; there’s no beam-filled tunnel or anything like that. It’s instantaneous. When the dark matter’s acceleration gets really close to the activation, the light around the ship may seem distorted, but that’s it. And it’s also really fast.”

  “Everyone, our guest needs to go. I know that we all still have lots of questions, but we will talk more about this topic next class. That way, we can write out a list of our most relevant questions to send to Dr. Scheffer, if she agrees,” said the professor in closing, thanking Allison once more.

  “Of course, teacher,” she responded. “It would be my pleasure. And thank you for the invitation and for letting me be here with you all. I hope I can return once I’m back from the mission to tell you how it went” she said, to which the room responded with applause.

  A few hours later, Allison was flying over the Amazon rainforest on her evening flight out of São Paulo. She couldn’t see a thing when she looked down, but she knew that the largest tropical forest in the world was down there, possibly as unknown as our universe. Looking up, she could only see a few stars. It was clear to her that the unknown surrounded and accompanied human existence in a number of ways. She didn’t know exactly what she would find, and she wasn’t sure if she would return. But she was happy to have the opportunity to contribute to the advancement of human knowledge.

  She suddenly felt a deep sense of harmony come over her. At that moment, the astronomer and future astronaut was completely and fully at peace.

  Image 03 – Representation of a wormhole (Einstein-Rosen bridge), where two different points in space are connected as the universe bends.

  (credits and details on the final page)

  Chapter 4

  Evening had arrived at the Johnson Space Center, NASA’s command and training facility in Houston. Allison was finishing up her last day of preparations. Months earlier, NASA had successfully performed their final test on the ship that would take the crew through a wormhole to the Draco Galaxy. Everything had gone according to plan. The definitive launch of the mission had been scheduled and communicated to the world. On that last day, the three astronauts felt excited and determined.

  The spacecraft had five modules. NASA had looked to the Orion Multipurpose Crew Vehicle as a starting point, a spaceship which had been designed to take the first astronauts to Mars in 2030, and which had ushered in a new phase of space exploration for all of humanity.

  Nonetheless, the ship would require a few significant modifications. The original Orion had two main modules: the Crew Module and the Service Module. The adapted ship, called the Orion-II, would include three extra modules: an Accelerator Module, which had two large ring-like structures (making it possible to create wormholes); an Investigation Module, which included the probe that would travel to the planet Sater; and a Communication Module, which would be undocked from the system approximately 1,000 feet from the jump point.

  There were also several scientific instruments onboard. There were ultra high-resolution cameras all around the ship, and the spacecraft had a telescope mounted on the outside, controlled by the navigation computer. This device, connected to a giant database stored on the spaceship, would allow the crew to pinpoint their exact location—there is no GPS in space, and the only way for them to know where they were would be to look at the stars.

  The same rocket that had sent the Orion to Mars in 2030, the SLS (Space Launch System), would be used for this launch, departing from Cape Canaveral.

  It could be said that the Orion-II was the most technological vehicle ever created by mankind. Its rings were made of an extremely rare material that had only very recently been synthesized: Unbihexium.

  Unbihexium (Ubh) has atomic number 126. In comparison, the periodic table up until that point only reached
Uuo, atomic number 118. Thus, Ubh was not only a new element, but also one that was much heavier than anything discovered previously. It had been synthesized by fusing Thorium (Th) and Krypton (Kr), which involved a very complicated process.

  Shortly thereafter, scientists observed that, by applying an electromagnetic field to a metal alloy made of this element, they could produce a strange phenomenon: a gravitational disturbance.

  After years of study, it was discovered that this element, when unbalanced by electrical voltage, had the ability to attract dark matter. This attraction was so intense that said dark matter, invisible to the human eye, created a type of vortex, a gravitational whirlwind around the material, thus causing a distortion in the gravitational field and explaining the previously observed phenomenon.

  One research project led to another, and another, until Ubh ended up being part of the rings on the first probe of the Stellarium space program.

  Just like the original Orion, the interior of the Orion-II had enough space for six crewmembers. However, for this mission, they had decided to only fill half of those spots. There were two reasons for this choice: first of all, they would need the extra internal space. For long missions, like the one to Mars, the Orion also included the Deep Space Habitat (DSH), an extra module that offered the astronauts some additional space, allowing them to travel and live together for months in a reasonably comfortable environment. Nonetheless, they wouldn’t be able to take the DSH on this mission. The entire ship and its modules would have to fit inside two rings. Remember, the ship itself would be a kind of “nucleus”, surrounded by two big rings that would accelerate dark matter… yes, the DSH was certainly just too large.

  However, this journey wouldn’t be a long one. NASA had planned a 15-day mission, although there would be enough food and life support systems for 40. This was a feasible timeline because the ship wouldn’t travel very far: the plan was to arrive at a distance three times as far away as the moon and then activate the accelerator, thus making the jump to Draco.

  Once they arrived in Draco, the crew would launch the probe and remotely steer it to the planet Sater. Then, once in orbit, the probe would send information to the Orion-II, which, when the mission was over, would jump back—once again activating the accelerator and recreating the wormhole—and then return to Earth.

  Three crewmembers would be the limit. Additionally, despite NASA not having made any explicit clarifications, they were all well aware the mission was extremely risky, and the space agency didn’t want to put any unnecessary lives at risk. They would have sent only one astronaut if they could.

  “It’s almost time,” said Allison as she took off her suit for the last time. “What are you going to do for the last three days before the launch, Russ?”

  Commander Scott Russell was, without a doubt, the most experienced astronaut at NASA. He had led the mission to Mars six years earlier, and was responsible for the first human landing on the red planet. Russell also had a long list of accomplishments from his time in the Air Force, having participated in tours to the Middle East before joining NASA in 2017. From that year until 2022, he served as a test pilot for the Orion, later manning this new ship’s first trip, which orbited the moon in 2024. For years, he managed the frustration of not being able to land on the moon, but, nonetheless, he felt proud for having been part of such a successful mission.

  Then he participated in missions to the International Space Station (ISS) and, in 2028, began preparing for the mission to Mars, on which he would serve as commander two years later. Russell became an American hero.

  “I’m going to stop by my parents’ ranch in Colorado,” he responded. “Then, I’m going straight to Florida. I plan on arriving in Cape Canaveral a day early so I can meet up with few colleagues. What about you? What are you going to do for the last few days before the launch?”

  “I don’t have any plans yet... but I’m thinking I might just stay home, go for a run in the park, watch a few movies… a few ‘normal’ days off. I’m really tense… to be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever felt this scared in my entire life.”

  “Don’t worry,” said Russell, trying to calm Allison down. “I can tell you, even with all my experience, I feel the same way. And, unfortunately, that feeling will only pass once we're in space.”

  “Yeah, Frank said the same thing,” Allison agreed.

  Frank Wood was the third astronaut who would go on the mission. He had been one of the few civilians to be accepted into the Mars program. He had participated in all of the trainings but, from the start, it was clear that he would be a backup. The team was composed of eight astronauts, but only six would travel to Mars. The other two would only get to go if one of the chosen six were to get sick or leave the program – which didn’t happen.

  Frank was good-natured, had lots of energy, and was father to a four-year-old girl and a two-year-old boy. He was a mechanical engineer with a specialization in Electronic Systems and a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering. He had always wanted to go to space. Once he got his Ph.D. diploma, he didn’t hesitate to sign up for NASA’s astronaut recruitment program.

  At first, they trained Frank to operate at the space station. The goal was to make him the lead engineer in charge of maintaining and replacing some of the older systems as part of a big refresh project. Frank spent eight months on board. During this period, his calm attitude, the ease with which he solved unanticipated technical problems, and his expertise in engineering all made him a great choice for the trip to Mars.

  However, Frank was still considered too young for that mission; if it had taken place two or three years later, he certainly would have been part of the main crew. So, he settled for being a “reserve astronaut”. He would participate in all the trainings, and would get to know the Orion inside and out. He would have been a natural choice for the next trip to Mars, if it hadn’t been canceled after the ninth probe of the Stellarium space program successfully traveled through a wormhole with living beings.

  Frank hadn’t understood well why the second mission to Mars had been canceled. In fact, the Stellarium program functioned independently from the Mars program. What he didn’t know was that, after the success of the ninth probe, and before launching the tenth, which would take primates into space, NASA had already formed a plan to take humans to the outskirts of Valkiria. For that, they would need a ship... and before they could transport humans, that ship would need to be tested. Mars was left without a second mission, and the program was placed on hold.

  After discovering that the Orion was being modified for a mission that had thus far barely been publicized, and determined not to miss out on a chance to travel beyond the space station, Frank sought out his superiors. He offered to be part of the next mission for which they were preparing the ship, regardless of the nature of the trip.

  That peculiar and even naïve approach got NASA’s attention. They remembered his name when it came time to find a third astronaut for the manned mission to the Draco Galaxy.

  The Stellarium-10 mission, which had transported a primate through a wormhole, successfully returned to Earth. After that, the Stellarium-11 mission was launched to test the Orion-II with the exact setup to be used for the three astronauts’ trip, but without a crew.

  It was now time for the long-awaited launch of Stellarium-12, with the first astronauts who would travel to another galaxy through a wormhole, creating a mini black hole three times as far away from Earth as the moon.

  The team was hand-picked: Scott Russell would be the pilot, responsible for getting the ship to the jump point and then returning back to Earth. Frank Wood would be the engineer who would release the probe after the jump, in addition to operating the dark matter accelerator. And Allison Scheffer would be the navigator, responsible for mapping the data captured by the spacecraft after the jump to find out exactly where they were located, and thus allowing Frank to establish the correct settings for the probe to reach the planet Sater.

  Everything was ready. There we
re only a few days left before NASA’s largest space mission would be launched. In a few days, if the crew was successful, the first human beings would be going beyond the Milky Way. The first astronauts would travel through a wormhole, the first people would arrive in another galaxy, and, last but not least, the first detailed images of a new and magnificent planet would reach Earth.

  Chapter 5

  Night was falling at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It was exactly 7:05 PM on the first day of December 2036. The launch rocket was positioned and ready for the mission. Press representatives from all over the world were there to cover the event, and images of Cape Canaveral were all over TV and the internet.

  The countdown began. When only five seconds were left before the launch, the engines were ignited, letting out a great noise and lots of smoke, which proceeded to fill the platform.

  “T minus 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... and lift off!” said a voice in the launch center. The crowd looked on as the giant launch rocket slowly emerged from the ground and began to gain altitude.

  Inside the Orion-II, the three astronauts are concentrated, doing their best to resist the extreme acceleration. The intense vibrations cause them to be pressed against their seats as the rocket increases in speed. Through the capsule window, they can see the light of the stars as the blue sky becomes darker.

  At this point, Allison’s mind starts to disconnect from the outside world. The overwhelming noise, the jolts caused by the intense acceleration, the pressure and sweat all around her, the pain in her back and neck—everything starts to disappear, drowned out by a great silence. Allison starts to visualize everything going on around her in slow motion. Inside her helmet, she can feel her own heartbeat and hear her breathing. She is overcome with a sense of joy and gratitude. She suddenly feels completely at peace, as if she had literally been touched by God. Then, she remembers Edward, the happy times they shared, the games, and the plans they were never able to carry out. For a few short moments, her happiness and her sorrow mix together. She feels proud of herself, and knows that Edward, wherever he is, would be proud of her for having come so far. Allison would be the first woman to travel to another galaxy.