Launch

by Richard Perth

  After the before-start checklists were complete, David transmitted, “Ready for engine start.”

  “Roger. Cleared to start.”

  Claire started the engines. In the cabin, surrounded by fuel tanks, sound insulation, and storerooms, the sound was barely audible. Outside, she knew, each engine sounded like a horrendous thunderclap that did not stop.

  NASA cleared the ship for launch, and Claire smoothly increased all four engines to full power. Quad Fusion Thunder became a reality that people could clearly hear and feel for miles in all directions.

  Side four was down, supporting the weight of Origin with all the fuel that it could lift from Earth. The ship looked like a pyramid with engine E-4 at the top. Because of its location, that engine could only produce partial thrust using six nozzles angled down.

  It took five minutes after launch to climb to a position 2,000 feet above the ocean. Claire hovered there and carefully rotated the starship until the edge between side one and side two was up. Origin then looked like a giant wedge positioned to split the heavens. Tons of fuel lighter and with all four engines producing maximum thrust from nozzle 1-2, the ship began to accelerate in a vertical climb.

  Somebody in the control room pressed a mike button. Claire and David heard cheers and the sound of distant thunder as the ship climbed into the clear blue sky.

  Spectacular views of Earth and space appeared on Claire’s monitors as the starship climbed into space for the first time, but she did not have time for sightseeing. Everything on board had to be monitored as closely as possible. The onboard computers helped, but they had never flown before either.

  After completion of long safety checklists, Claire and David were thrilled during tests of the four engines and 52 nozzles. Neither had ever flown anything with Origin’s performance, and the maneuvers they had practiced in their simulators became gut-wrenching reality. Claire invented a maneuver she called the pinwheel that spun the ship while she changed its orientation to test engines and nozzles.

  With that done, they took off their space suits to work on the remaining checklists more comfortably at the shirtsleeve control console.

  The end of their planned workday seemed to come quickly. David transmitted. “First day checklists complete. We’re going to suit up for return to base.”

  Jim Baldwin answered instead of the expected Vandenberg controller. “The winds here and at altitude are calm,” he said. “How do you guys feel?”

  They knew what he was asking. The empty fuel tank that would store their fuel in space had to be lifted into orbit.

  Claire nodded and David said, “We are go for tank pickup.”

  ▼

  The fuel tank resembled a giant ice cream cone with its wide end on a concrete pad. A fuel transfer connector, called the “ring”, was at the point. It was bigger than the circle a man could make with his arms, but even so, it was tiny compared to the vast bulk of the starship.

  Origin’s fuel transfer connector was called the “grip.” Connecting the grip and the ring would be like gently touching the tip of a person’s nose with an aircraft carrier.

  While putting on their space suits, Claire said, “Would you mind taking the ship down to initial pickup altitude? I would like to rest my eyes a bit.”

  “I would like that,” he said. “Thank you.” It would be his first time to actually fly Origin.

  She did relax and close her eyes in her maneuvering control couch while he descended over the Pacific Ocean with the edge between side two and side three down: the grip was in the center of that edge. When he leveled off, he called Claire on the intercom. “Level at three thousand feet, edge 2-3 is down. Your ship.”

  “Roger. Level at three thousand, edge 2-3 down. My ship. Thank you, Buni.”

  “You’re quite welcome, Cougar.”

  While approaching the fuel tank from over the ocean, Claire opened the doors covering the grip. Lights and 3-D video cameras surrounding it came on automatically.

  She came to a hover directly over the tank, and then began a measured descent while keeping the grip centered over the ring. Bit by bit she lowered the enormous ship. The images drifted slightly off center. She stopped the descent, brought the ship back into perfect alignment, and ever so slowly, began to lower the ship again. Mentally, she was prepared to accelerate back into the sky if alignment appeared to be too far off for a small correction.

  Almost imperceptibly, the grip crept down to the ring. Movement seemed to stop. Claire considered reducing thrust slightly, but the connectors were very close. An almost imperceptible descent began again, latches locked into place gripping the ring around the tank’s connector, and a green light appeared on Claire’s monitor.

  Keeping side loads on the grip and ring to a minimum, she deftly lifted the tank into orbit on the dark side of Earth. Then she set the tank to flip end over end once every orbit. With the sun shield on the blunt end of the tank always pointed at the sun, Origin’s fuel could be kept cold and liquid.

  On the intercom, she said “I show orbit, orientation, and flip are correct.”

  “I agree,” David said.

  Claire did a successful transfer of fuel from the starship to the tank, keeping enough for a safe landing. Then she released the tank and backed the starship a short distance away. She smiled when the Sun came into view. It was perfectly centered on the blunt end of the tank.

  Claire landed Origin just before sunset with side one down so side four could be inspected from the outside for the first time.

  Cougar Flight entered the control center to loud cheers from the controllers and Team Thunder. Dr. Perry Wright beamed at David. “That was better than optimal! That was excellent!”

  David put his right arm around Claire’s shoulders and nodded. “I think she flew very well.”

  Dr. Wright appeared to be startled but recovered quickly and said, “Congratulations Claire–Cougar,” as he shook hands with her.

  She smiled. “Thank you, sir.”

  ▼

  A spontaneous party was in progress as Jim Baldwin walked with Dr. Wright to his car.

  “I know Buni is a decorated fighter pilot,” Dr. Wright said. “But he must have balls the size of the biggest bells at Notre Dame to let Cougar fly that mission. I’m surprised he doesn’t clang when he walks.”

  Jim grinned, “He knows she’s a good pilot. She has to fly to maintain her confidence and skills, so they’ll be there when needed.”

  Dr. Wright turned as they reached his car. He put out his hand. “Good pilot is an understatement. They are superb because of your supervision and training, Jim. Congratulations.”

  Jim said, “Thank you, sir,” as he shook hands. He knew he couldn’t take credit for Claire and David’s flying skill, but he also knew better than to contradict his boss when he was being complimented.

  As Dr. Wright drove off, Jim returned to the party and his friends in Team Thunder.

  Chapter 21

  Cougar Flight made two more test flights in May and two in June, each time carrying the maximum fuel that the ship could lift from Earth. Fuel not required for the flight was transferred to the orbiting fuel tank. After the fifth, and final, test flight, the orbiting tank was full, Claire and David were experienced starship pilots, and Origin was ready to go.

  ▼

  The premier of Porgy and Bess was held at the Chinese theater in Hollywood. The media reported that fans were very pleasantly surprised to see Cougar Flight emerge from the limousine with Joanne and Michael.

  ▼

  A week before launch, they hosted a bon voyage party for Claire and David at their house near Santa Barbara. In bed after the party, Claire told David that Commander Susan Wolf was pregnant. “She’ll be staying here with everybody she knows and loves,” she said wistfully. “Her baby will be in her arms before we get to near-light speed.”

  “Do you want to back out and let Leah and Matt take the flight?” David asked.

  “We have an obligation to NASA and everyb
ody who has trusted and supported us,” she said. “And to ourselves and our children. I think it will be hard–it is hard–but we’re committed. We’re going.”

  Claire went to sleep that night in David's arms with tears in her eyes.

  ▼

  Michael took custody of Claire and David’s possessions as co-trustee of their living trust. Everything would be given to charity after one year except David’s antique MG. That would be refurbished and sold at a charity auction soon after the launch to get maximum yield.

  They were taking a few personal items with them, including a small but heavy going-away present from Michael.

  “Open this when your journey is half done,” he said as he gave it to Claire, “and know that Joanne and I love you both.”

  ▼

  Five days before the launch, David received two sets of orders: One was from the United States Air Force promoting him to full colonel. A second set from NASA, signed by the President of the United States, gave him command of Origin. Claire also received two sets of orders: The first promoted her from Captain to Lieutenant Colonel. The second made her second in command of Origin.

  David read Claire’s orders and grinned. “From second lieutenant to captain, from captain to lieutenant colonel. You like skipping steps, don’t you?”

  She nodded and grinned. “Yes, and the next skip is going to be a biggie—for both of us.”

  ▼

  Just before 10 o’clock in the morning on July 4, 2050, David started the four fusion engines: four perfect storms whose noise went from earsplitting to unbelievable as they came to full power. Origin lifted off and rotated to edge 1-2 up. Then it climbed majestically straight up over the Pacific Ocean as if time, speed, and distance were of no serious consequence.

  Joanne and Michael watched the launch from the soundproofed VIP section of the Vandenberg launch control center. They should have had a clear view, but their vision was blurred by tears.

  Part 2 Space

  Chapter 22

  Claire monitored the ship’s status on her maneuvering console while David flew. She usually felt a thrill when the spectacular image of Earth’s blue and white ball appeared on her monitor. But this time, she felt anguish that forced her to take several deep breaths.

  David docked with the orbiting fuel tank, filled the ship’s tanks with all they would hold, and then he filled the non-pressurized passageways with fuel. That fuel would be burned first.

  He moved the saturated starship clear of the orbiting tank, carefully aligned the ship on course, and fired the engines at maximum thrust. Origin began its flight on a path that took light 250 years to travel.

  The news that Claire and David had begun their journey flashed around the world. They received wishes of Godspeed from the other members of Team Thunder, NASA, and the President of the United States. People from many nations sent messages of encouragement in a variety of languages. Some sounded a bit like English.

  ▼

  As the starship burned off fuel, computers gradually reduced thrust to keep acceleration exactly equal to gravity on Earth, one g. Then each Earth day, Origin flew almost 1.9 million miles per hour faster than the day before. Each Earth month, the ship flew almost 56 million miles per hour faster than the month before. The goal was more than 670 million miles per hour, very close to the speed of light.

  The cabin was quiet and free of vibration as Origin hurtled through space. Claire thought it felt like being back in their quarters at NASA.

  Life for Cougar and Buni settled down to a relaxed routine, a relief after the long, hectic days before launch. Computers flew the ship and scanned space in all directions, but Cougar Flight did not rely completely on automation. They established a staggered sleeping routine whereby one of them would be awake to monitor the systems much of the time while the other slept. Yet every day, they had at least one meal together. Frequently they made love and slept together, especially after a massage or an exciting dogfight with the maneuvering controls in the simulator mode. The days, weeks, and months passed with a relaxed routine of work, sleep, study, love, laughter, fun, and ever more blinding speed.

  NASA did not want the mission to get far from Earth if Cougar Flight was not in perfect health. Every week, and the day before Origin reached near light speed, Claire gave David a physical examination. With a few special instruments and his enthusiastic help, she also gave herself a physical examination.

  As the starship approached the speed of light, Claire and David were wearing their spacesuits and belted into their maneuvering consoles, and everything aboard was secured and ready. All five onboard computers crosschecked each other, because error could not be tolerated. If engine thrust was shut down too late, the ship could exceed the speed of light with unknown and possibly fatal consequences.

  Claire watched the countdown on a precise digital clock that seemed to slow down. Each second seemed to hang separately. Then she realized she was weightless and the engines had shut down precisely on time. The stars on her display were a comforting sight. If the ship had exceeded the speed of light, the screens might have gone blank.

  “I see stars,” Claire said.

  “Me, too.”

  “I still don’t understand how we can travel two hundred and forty-nine light years in only four hours of ship time if we’re not exceeding the speed of light,” she said.

  “Because of our speed, one hour to us equals more than sixty-two Earth years,” he said. “Time dilation is complex. I can’t explain it better without a lot of math. We can do that after engine restart if you like.”

  “No, thank you. We’ve been through that. But the fact that we are, in effect, traveling at more than one-half million times the speed of light just boggles my mind.”

  “It boggles my mind, too,” he said. “Just think of it as a special gift to us because you are so beautiful . . . and sexy.”

  “Kissing the blarney stone you are.”

  “That’s not all I’d like to kiss.”

  She smiled. “Later.”

  David ejected a test missile from the ship. When it was a safe distance away, he fired it. The small missile accelerated rapidly at a slight angle that would take it away from Origin’s course. All signals from the missile stopped as it reached light speed and vanished.

  Claire asked, “Is it in another dimension now?”

  “Maybe,” David said. “I think we’ve demonstrated it’s possible to exceed the speed of light and that results in loss of contact. What happens beyond that, if it’s possible to come back, and whether people could survive the trip, are more questions to be answered.”

  “Why didn’t NASA program the missile to come back if it lost contact?”

  “Too dangerous. Our primary mission is to explore Minor and its planetary system. We could be highly vulnerable to missiles whizzing around at light speed.

  “This experiment was a success by the standards NASA set, so I’m not going to fire the second test missile. We'll be passing near here on the trip home, and there’s no point in taking unnecessary risks.”

  Before the half-way point, Origin began a programmed roll until side two was facing Minor. The three other sides of the ship, including side one, were now shielded by side two. The floors in the cabin rotated into a position parallel to side two. When the engines restarted, it would be the year 2300 on Earth, and the starship would begin slowing at one g. Again, it would feel like normal gravity to Cougar Flight.

  Joanne and Michael and everybody Claire and David had ever known were gone, deceased. Claire thought of their friends sorrowfully and wondered what they would find when they returned. Would Earth be decimated by war or disease or overpopulation? Would it be a better world?

  Another checklist confirmed everything was ready to start engines. Only three engines would be needed for braking because most of Origin’s fuel had been consumed. Here again, a precise start time was critical. A small delay could cause them to miss Minor by billions of miles, but the engines fired exactly o
n time.

  David said, “Side two facing Minor. Engines E-one, E-three, and E-four using nozzles E-two. Engine E-two is shutdown. One g deceleration. Your ship.”

  “Roger,” Claire said. “Side two facing Minor. Engines E-one, E-three, and E-four using nozzles E-two. Engine E-two shutdown. One g. My ship.”

  After a dinner that became a remembrance of friends gone forever, they comforted each other in bed. Each was now the only living soul the other knew.

  Chapter 23

  During the months of deceleration, David found eleven planets orbiting the star Minor. Except for one oddball planet in the eighth orbit, the planet distribution in the Minor System was similar to the Solar System: The densest planets were near Minor, and gas giants were in the outer orbits. Two planets orbited each other as they orbited Minor in the fourth orbit. Both were in the green zone where life similar to life on Earth was possible. One of the two emitted a weak radio signal.

  “What kind of signal is it?” Claire asked.

  “The signal resembles L band radar, used for long range surveillance.”

  “Can it see us?”

  “We’re much too far away now, but it could see us when we get close,” David said.

  “Could it be military?”

  “Yes, and it could be linked to an attack system. We’ll take precautions.”

  ▼

  The planet in the third orbit was relatively close to Cougar Flight’s direct course to Minor, from where they would begin their year of exploration. To avoid backtracking, Claire detoured to put Origin into orbit around Minor-3

  M3 was in Minor’s hot zone. It was smaller than Earth. The cracked surface was predominately sulfur yellow with bizarre patterns of green, blue, orange, and brown. Black scars radiated from dozens of erupting volcanoes. Lava boiled at the bottom of a deep canyon almost 500 miles long. The thin sulfur dioxide atmosphere did little to prevent asteroid and meteoroid impacts, and the planet was pockmarked with craters.