by T I WADE
“What about my asking price of $25 million a load?” Ryan countered. “That doesn’t leave much money to run my establishment here in Nevada.”
“I understand that it is costing you twenty million for each launch, but they want to test your system with the first of your ten launches over twelve months. We, NASA, will supply the three-ton single-use only protective lead shield around the cargo of radioactive waste and which will protect your employees and pilots for up to twelve hours from the time it reaches your airfield.”
“As you are aware, Bill, we are still testing our shuttles and expect to do so until the first protective cargo arrives, as you said, in twelve months’ time. If we are not ready, we might need to still test your protective lead units with one or two filled with rock or soil, and see what happens when we get up there to release them. Bill, please make Washington understand that it takes time and practice to get these new types of space flights operative. Remind them how long it took NASA to get things right, and even when they were right, there were always snags and problems. I certainly don’t want one of my shuttles exploding in atmospheric flight, or even 100,000 feet above ground, spewing three tons of radio-active waste across the United States.”
“I will do my best, but you understand Washington, Ryan. They want to see results and fast.”
“Just ask them if they are going to hold me liable if they rush me, and one of my shuttles explodes and sends tons of radioactive waste through the walls of Capitol Hill.”
“That is my next topic, Ryan. They want you to move your entire operation to Florida. I was sure that idea would cross their minds. They don’t care if Europe gets the fallout from an exploding shuttle, but they don’t seem to want Washington as a potential target. They are very brave in Washington. I know what you are going to say, you can’t do all this in a year and move your whole operation. So, Ryan, I fudged the discussion and told them that your live shuttles full of waste could head out in a southeastern direction over Texas instead of the East Coast. This suggestion seems to have done the trick for the first contract of ten cargoes, and gives you more time to change your computer programs and prepare your move over to Cape Canaveral. So try a few liftoffs in this direction, they will be watching through the eyes of the National Security Agency. It was the only way to buy you time.”
Ryan thanked his friend. “Without NASA’s knowledge, Bill, I sent out a small unmanned space craft to the moon as a test last week. The mining craft that went up in one of the shuttle tests is fully automated and has a sweeper-type, rock collection system which can pick up any loose small rocks and return them to us on earth. Bill, I hope to have a ton or two of native platinum to sell in a few weeks, if the craft can transfer its cargo to my shuttle, which will return its cargo to earth during one of my orbital test flights.”
“No wonder you lost the Space Race, you clever guy. I’m sure your treasure would be of more value than the first prize. How much can this machine of yours carry in one load?”
“I’m hoping for about two to four tons of precious metals, or at worst some iridium or rhodium,” replied Ryan.
“I have a friend at the Federal Reserve Bank. I’m sure they would be interested in any wholesale gold or platinum you bring back and, I will gladly pay top dollar for any iridium or rhodium, or any other rare earth metals I can get my hands on for our new space program. How much could your cargo be worth, Ryan?”
“About fifty to two hundred million dollars, Bill. Between you and me, the money is getting short, and the mining craft could get to the moon and back three or four times in the next twelve months. I know you need iridium and other rare earth metals for your program, so work with me, and you won’t have to buy that lousy Chinese-mined stuff for your program.”
“Deal, partner. I will help you to keep sending up these test shuttles for as long as I can. I knew there was a reason why you were doing so many test launches all of a sudden.”
Ten days after that discussion with Bill at NASA, Ryan learned that Astermine One might not be coming back at all; he was even more perturbed a couple of hours later when Jonesy sent through the first readings of the rock VIN had tested. It was pure native platinum, exactly what he had been told to expect on this asteroid by his friend at Hubble, and one 20-ton load would pay for the balance of his whole project.
This news caused him to worry about his two brave astronauts three million miles away, who might be there for eternity.
Throughout this time he spent most of every day in Hangar One watching the more powerful hydrogen thrusters being fitted into Astermine Two. The experts had been designing and building the first four hydrogen powered side-thrusters for the new space station for nearly ten years. Luckily for Ryan they were in their final stages of production, and could be fitted onto the shuttles instead.
Several months earlier he had asked the design team to remodel more of these new powerful thrusters to fit into all of the space craft, as well as on the side walls of the mother ship. These motors were still small compared to the massive aft thrusters in the shuttles, about twice the size that were on Astermine One, but pushed out three-times more thrust. Upon hearing about the problem on the asteroid, he immediately told the team working on the new shuttle to help the hydrogen team fit them onto Astermine Two’s side struts.
These engines would now be needed on any craft heading out to DX2014. The first two engines were a week away from being completed on Astermine Two.
A few hours after hearing about Jonesy’s problem, Ryan had the solution that would actually save him and his company from financial disaster; he would send up Ms. Sinclair and Ms. Sullivan, who were both ready to fly Astermine Two; they could help Astermine One off the asteroid with their craft’s additional thrust. If they couldn’t get the first craft off, then they could return with his astronauts, and their load of cargo. Again he thanked God that he had thought to upgrade the living compartment aboard his second mining craft.
Working his teams day and night, he also had several days to change the next shuttle’s payload, and get VIN and Jonesy some help. He knew that they would never get off DX2014 with any decent load and the next ten days would be a gamble. It could even mean a double load in both spacecraft returning, or nothing!
Chapter 24
DX2014 - Can we get them back?
Jonesy and VIN, unaware that Nevada had finally realized that they were not going to leave their new home with cargo, continued collecting rocks. Even though Jonesy had to stay in the cockpit most of the time to monitor the inner workings of the craft and VIN’s spacesuit readouts, he ended up nearly going crazy, often getting into a suit and joining VIN to collect the heavy rocks.
The view was breathtaking, especially when the asteroid rotated to show them earth and the sun, or the opposite way when the Milky Way was close enough to jump up and touch; VIN was sure he had touched a star or two while trying to jump up to get them. Never on earth were the stars so close and so bright.
Jonesy, who had flown thousands of night flights at high altitude, had never seen such beautiful space views. He promised VIN that next time they would bring a telescope and on downtime, become avid astronomers.
During the first ten days both men collected a thousand rocks, about a quarter of the smaller rocks from a large area around the space craft. There were many larger rocks, rocks both men couldn’t lift, which wouldn’t fit into the canisters anyway. Working on near earth-type gravity VIN was able to get the Magnetic Metal Analyzer to compute the weight of the load. So far the two men had collected four and a half tons of rock, of which 91 percent was pure platinum, 7 percent was iridium and 2 percent could not be identified.
One rock gathered by VIN from the other side of the forward part of the crater, three or four hundred feet from Astermine One was a pretty, very bright silver-colored oblong rock, a little smaller than a tennis ball. There were thousands of very small rocks like these, the bigger ones the size of toy marbles that looked exactly like the first one, and actually l
it up this whole area of the crater when the sun was visible. The extra light made the area look like morning dew shining in the morning sun. There was so much rock to collect that VIN still hadn’t visited the rear area of the massive crater.
Both men got excited when the readout came. The MDS showed 67 percent RH45; rhodium, 21 percent was platinum, iridium, 10 percent, and 3 percent palladium. So there were different rocks in the crater VIN realized.
VIN sent a message back about adding rhodium and small amounts of palladium to the load.
“I need to begin your flight briefing by telling you that your next mission has changed,” stated Ryan two days before Maggie and Kathy Pringle were about to replace Penny Sullivan and Michael Pitt, who was now Penny’s happy co-pilot. Michael had been told to connect up all the panels he had up there so that the spiders could work while he was back on earth. Suzi was to help with the next load; but, as Maggie was about to learn, their next load wasn’t panels, it was Astermine Two.
Ryan explained about the gravity problem on DX2014, and he watched as Maggie’s face drained of blood.
“Ms. Sinclair, are you ready to fly to DX2014 to help Mr. Jones and Mr. Noble?” Maggie looked at him in shock. Ryan continued. “I just want to thank whoever it is up there for looking after me and my team and allowing me to always be ahead of the curve. We have fit Astermine Two with the more powerful thrusters to pull Astermine One off this metal asteroid. Ms. Sinclair two new and far more powerful hydrogen thrusters are being installed on Astermine Two right now. You will not need to take any mining gear, but you will take extra food, water, oxygen cylinders, xenon fuel, hydrogen fuel and empty canisters to fill with rock.
“Your new thrusters will use up fuel at a faster rate, but with more powerful motors, the extra fuel could be minimal. Also the new thrusters could be used to treble your acceleration and reduce time by half. Astermine Two will be a far faster craft than Astermine One, until we get the same changes made to Astermine One. Unfortunately, we will have to bring Astermine One back to earth to have her new engines retro-fitted, something I didn’t expect. Ladies your new mission is to head out towards DX2014 exactly seven hours after you reach Ivan. Astermine Two’s five computers are being reprogrammed to get you to the asteroid; it will be a million miles closer to earth than when Astermine One arrived on the rock, and your flight time will be seven days.
“You will locate Astermine One. Your inter-craft communications will work within a few hundred miles as usual, and you are to land as close to her as possible. We will send out instructions to Astermine One in forty-eight hours telling them of your arrival, and that they must leave all the machinery they can on the asteroid, even as much of their gravity electromagnet as Mr. Noble can cut out. The reason for this emergency flight is that the gravitational pull on the metal rock is nearly as much as earth’s. Astermine One doesn’t have the power for lift off, loaded. We don’t even know if she can lift off empty. Also her reserves of hydrogen fuel are minimal, and we don’t want Mr. Jones to attempt takeoff until you have arrived with extra hydrogen.
“Astermine Two’s electromagnet is being re-designed to be easily removed in sections, if it is necessary to do so. Once Astermine One has the aft two thirds of her electromagnet out, Mr. Jones will try for liftoff with a load, any load. If he can’t get off you are to help him by getting the four Kevlar cords you will take with you, connected to the bolts inside the spacecraft’s cargo area. Then, with both craft working together, you will pull Astermine One off. It will be OK to leave the roof doors of Astermine One open until you are off the asteroid and, if you can, load her up as well. So, Ms. Sinclair, with your excellent flying ability and your extra thrust, you will attempt to help Mr. Jones lift off the asteroid.
“Leave everything from both craft you don’t need to return with. Make sure that there is sufficient food, water, oxygen, xenon and hydrogen for both craft to return to Ivan with at least a week of reserve supplies, over and above your craft’s usual seven-day reserves. Remember, there is nobody here able to come and get you if something goes wrong. Ms. Sullivan, Mr. Pitt, with Suzi and me as co-pilots, will have to complete the shuttle flights in and out for the two shuttle flights you will be away.
“Hopefully, both craft can return fully loaded, but I would suggest a three-quarter load; fifteen tons of rock per craft to help you get off the asteroid. Try to lift off with five tons, then ten tons and finally attempt fifteen. Ms. Sinclair, you must not use any more than 66 percent of your maximum thrust for liftoff, as the other third might be needed to aid Astermine One.
“Our next mining mission will be to return to the asteroid within a month, after the new thrusters are fitted to Astermine One. The same equipment will be there to continue mining.”
****
It was two days later and just as Astermine Two reached Ivan, that Ryan received the good news from VIN. He had found rhodium, a lot of it and, with the value of this precious metal twice as much as gold and a third more than platinum, and a lighter metal, he sent back orders to continue loading the silvery rocks instead of the heavier gray platinum. He also gave them the news that Astermine Two would be there in a week and Ms. Sinclair and Ms. Pringle were coming to help them get home.
****
“Hey, partner, it looks like mission control has finally figured out that we can’t get out of here loaded,” VIN told Jonesy over breakfast, as he decoded the long message.
“I could have told him that a couple of weeks ago,” mumbled Jonesy. “What are they doing about it? Sending a UPS package of new engines or something?”
“I remember Ryan showing me new, more powerful hydrogen side-thrusters for the large space station that were half complete before we left. It seems they’ve been now installed in Astermine Two, and Maggie and Kathy are coming to get us.”
Now that sounds better than what I’ve been thinking about,” replied a relieved pilot. “If Astermine Two has more powerful thrusters, maybe she can pop us out far enough to get out of this gravitational pull. I reckon that two hundred feet is all we need to get our craft out of the gravitational pull, and a load back to the “beer can” on schedule.”
“It’s now called Ivan,” admonished VIN, always enjoying his partner’s directness.
“Kid, you can name it what you want, but that Russian vodka supplier will always be called a “beer can” in my book. When are the ladies due?”
“Seven days and seven hours from about ten minutes ago,” was the reply. “And that silver rock is lighter than the gray ones, and Ryan wants them packed in the canisters and up to 15 tons, no more.”
“Good,” replied Jonesy. I think we should take out some of the canisters we have already packed away.”
“It looks like we need to take them all out,” VIN replied. “Ryan also wants us to cut out the electromagnet to help us get off. I’m assuming that this rock is more valuable than the magnet.”
“Losing the magnet will decrease our gravitational pull by a fair amount.” Damn, those canisters are heavy; it will take us a day to lift them out again. I wish we had a crane, or lift of some sort,” Jonesy replied.
“I will send a message back to Ryan telling him to design us one. Remember, both of our suits have the added hydraulic lifting mechanisms. We can move them like we did to the side door and lift them off from there and make a pile to repack them again.”
“VIN, why don’t we fill a canister with those silver rocks? The weight will be less and maybe we can fit these heavier ones into Maggie’s craft when she arrives. How many empty canisters do we have?”
“About twelve, and that’s a great idea!” replied VIN.
For the next three hours VIN and Jonesy worked hard, harder than they had ever worked on the asteroid. Both were wet with sweat when the returned to the cockpit and closed down the hatch for the next twenty-one hours to rest. In three hours they had emptied eighteen heavy canisters out of the side doors, each weighing about 500 pounds, the most they could lift in one canister.
> Each canister was less than half full, due to the added gravity. The scientists had worked out that 1,250 pounds of rock would fill each of the thirty aluminum canisters; with only 15-20 percent of gravity, the two men could easily carry them full, weighing only 200 to 300 pounds. Now, at 500 pounds, less than a half-full canister was the most they could lift and maneuver into the side doors. Being cylindrical, ten canisters would be lifted into position in each compartment and then individually tied down in the necessary pyramid formation.
The next day, they placed the heavier canisters in rows away from the craft, and then both men took an empty canister over to the other side of the crater and half filled it with the shiny silver marbles. VIN used the sweeper machine for the first time. It moved over the stones sweeping up the marble-sized rocks and placing them in a bag behind the sweeper. Every few minutes VIN would detach the bag and empty it into the canister. The sweeper was far faster than they could collect the small stones.
An hour later they carried the half-full container back to the ship. It was far lighter than the other canisters and they filled two more before their three-hour spacewalk came to an end.
They did the same for the next three days, filling all twelve empty canisters more than half full. Since they had no way of weighing the thousands and thousands of small rocks, they picked up one of the heavier canisters to get a sense of what 500 pounds felt like, and then judged each one they filled to be about 450 pounds, easier to carry and hopefully easier to get lift off.
On the fourth day, they received their fifth coded message from Astermine Two; they were now only twenty-four hours away, the rescue craft was on schedule, and the bath bags needed modification for cleanliness!
The next day, VIN looked up as earth passed by overhead and realized that they were actually closer; the planet had grown to look the size of a quarter again. He could even see the moon off to the left side of earth, and the distance between the earth and the moon had grown slightly. He worked the space-welding torch on the heavy batteries and Jonesy controlled the torch heat from inside the craft. VIN was careful not to get the torch near the outside wall of the craft, the half-inch flame was bright white.
