by Paul Reaver
“Will do,” said Mark.
John said, “Ok, Joanne, here’s what I have in mind for your work with antigravity as it applies to the ship. It is going to be our main propulsion, so it becomes of utmost importance. If we can expand the power of antigravity to a high enough level, it will not only act as our means of escaping Earth’s gravity; it will enable us to move at extremely high speeds over long distances. To use an example with how this compares with current technology, we might be able to reduce the time it takes for a round trip to Mars from 500 days using conventional propulsion to 30 days using gravity propulsion. I’m just throwing out these numbers, you understand, but the potential is there. And I’ve given out what our long-term goal will be somewhat early in the game: a round-trip to Mars and back. I know it seems like a long reach, but we have the technical talent – all of you – and the equipment to do it. I’m telling you this now so that every step you take from this point forward will be toward that goal. This is as an appropriate time as any to give you some crucial information: the trip to Mars is to remain within this group. Even with as much assistance as Alexandra and her team are giving us, James has advised me to keep the Mars mission compartmentalized with us. We are going to the Moon as a beta test before the Mars mission, and we will share the Moon mission with them, but Mars is strictly on our plates. I can’t say that I’m 100% comfortable with this, because it’s thanks to Alexandra and her team that our Mars mission is possible thanks to the ship her team is building for us. However, we don’t know how far up the chain of command this directive is from, which would be a ‘need to know’ item, but we don’t need to know. We just have to follow it. With that in mind, we’ll handle the dissemination of information regarding Mars at the same level.”
John’s team understood. They played this role, the role of secrecy and compartmentalization, every day. They were, however, astounded at the idea of going not only to the Moon but to Mars!
John continued, “Once we implement the antigravity device to push us away from Earth, if there is enough power from that reaction, I would think we could gain significant, perhaps phenomenal, acceleration. The farther away from Earth that we get, the less force of gravity we will have to ‘push against,’ but our speed would still be increasing incrementally. Regardless of the strength of gravity propulsion available once we are out of the Earth’s atmosphere, our acceleration will be higher due to lack of air friction.”
“Well,” said Joanne, “we have developed the technology to push away from a gravity source such as a planet or sun, but while working on that, I also developed the ability for the antigravity engine so that it can ‘pull’ toward a source of gravity as well. But we need to do some calculations. There are a couple of possibilities. For one, instead of using a ‘push-pull’ technique to get from Earth to Mars using the gravity of those two planets, we could use the Sun’s gravity to create a higher velocity for the ship and get there more quickly. We would push off from Earth, and then, using the Sun’s gravity, we would push from the Sun to Mars. We might use gravity to pull toward the Sun instead. This reminds me of a sailboat tacking into the wind. It depends on the orientation of the planets and the Sun at the time. Another idea would be to use techniques already in use: we could allow the ship to accelerate toward the Sun, and then slingshot around it at a high rate of speed; this would be more for some far-flung destinations. We don’t necessarily need that kind of massive acceleration for the trip to Mars, although it would probably make it a fast trip. The caveat is that we might be traveling so fast after the slingshot maneuver that we would not be able to reduce our speed quickly enough when we reach Mars. But that’s something worth investigating.”
“That’s true,” said John. “It’s good to talk about these things, but I think we are getting ahead of ourselves. We need to do some simple things first. Some Earth orbit experimental missions followed by a trip to the Moon would be a good way to test the systems and gain experience with interplanetary travel with the ship. Once we’ve done that, we’ll evaluate where we are.”
“I have a bit of a surprise regarding the antigravity work,” said Joanne.” I think that we will undoubtedly encounter various types of space debris on our missions. It would not take much of a small asteroid to damage or even destroy the ship. I know that our efforts in space so far have not encountered much debris that has heavily damaged or destroyed a spacecraft. Of course, vehicles like the International Space Station are protected by shields that can resist the hypervelocity impacts of particles up to the size of nearly a millimeter. These are called MMOD shields, which stands for Micro Meteoroid and Orbital Debris shields. They are always on the lookout for larger particles, and if they detect one that is on a collision course, they make a minor navigational change that moves the station out of the path of the object.
“However, our missions will be on a much grander scale, and we’ll be out in open space for reasonably long periods of time. I thought it better to be safe than sorry, so I built a new antigravity device. This device surrounds the ship with a ‘bubble’ of antigravity so that any object that would approach us on an intersecting trajectory would be pushed aside by the protective antigravity force field. Since the strength of this force will be ‘fueled’ by the gravity of the nearest planetary body with the most substantial amount of gravity, or even the Sun, we could push aside some pretty large objects. However, the greater the force that is needed to be used against the object to deflect it, meaning the more mass the object has, the more the reaction could push us away from our intended path as the equal and opposite reaction. In other words, Newton’s third law. Pushing away the object will likely alter our course, which would require that we change it back. This gravity force effectively acts as a shield for protection. But if we end up on a collision course with any object more substantial than, let’s say a basketball, we should just move and let it go around us. Then we will be in control instead of reacting to the push of an object that is on a collision course.”
“That is excellent,” said John. “You folks never cease to amaze me. Thanks, Joanne.”
John continued. “Max, I have a couple of goals for your cold fusion efforts. Primarily, I’d like to see you create an engine that can be used to power the spacecraft as a backup for antigravity propulsion. In my opinion, with space travel, you need a backup for everything that is essential, and propulsion is obviously essential. Therefore, I think we need to add fusion propulsion to the ship, or better yet, use it to replace the conventional propulsion. We’ll need to evaluate those options. Secondly, I’d like to have some small fusion generators that we can use to power equipment. And we’ll need at least two generators that can provide power for a habitat on another planet. The reason for two generators is, again, that I think we need a backup for everything that is essential. I know that we can repair or replace almost any equipment with our nanotechnology processes. But it takes time. And with some things, like generators, you don’t want any downtime. What do you think?”
“I agree with you on every point,” Max said. “I’ll also try to make sure we have generators for other needs that we haven’t discussed so far. If I think of anything, I’ll let you know.”
“That’s great,” said John. “Thanks. Roberta, what’s the latest from the nanotechnology world?”
“Well, you’ve commented on how we can duplicate spare parts and equipment,” she said. “I have created a device that we can use to scan any item we want to duplicate and save the information to a file. This means we don’t have to carry any spare parts for areas of the ship that we’ve scanned; we only need the computer file with the information that tells the nanites how to duplicate a part or piece of equipment. That not only simplifies the mission by circumventing the process of deciding what spare parts to carry and providing storage space for them. There is a limit to what we can duplicate. For example, we can’t duplicate the entire ship. Yet! But I’ll tell you, John, the day that we can do that is in the near future; the technology si
mply needs to mature a bit more.”
“That’s outstanding!” said John. “Great work, that’s just what we need. Ok, everyone, starting now and on a continuing basis, start documenting parts and equipment that you are working with that we will need to scan for duplication. I’d like to receive a list from each of you with an update once a week until we are ready to fly the actual Mars mission. If you find you’ve completed your list at some point before then, please let me know.”
“Abigail, how’s it going with you?” John asked.
“Well, as I told you during our last conversation, I can render almost anything invisible within reason. The larger the object, the more power it takes. However, I can make the ship invisible with the technology I have right now. It occurred to me that if we don’t make the ship invisible, we will become the newest UFO.” She smiled.
“You’re smiling, but that’s a great point,” said John. This is an extremely classified project – we need to protect it from prying eyes.”
“We’re in good shape, then,” said Abigail. “It took some doing, but I’ve found a way to make an object invisible from any direction. And there’s an additional plus: since I can bend light around an object, I can also bend any other wave-based energy. That means that I can protect the ship from any frequency of radiation. Since we are covering new ground here, we don’t know what to expect. I think this additional protection is essential. We may find other things we want to protect the ship from as well.”
“I really like the way everyone not only aces their projects but also thinks outside the box, as the saying goes. You guys are way outside the box! Jose, it looks like it’s your turn.”
Jose smiled. “Well, I’ve also got some good news for you,” he said. When we last talked, I told you I needed to work with primates who could speak, so I could make sure that they could still talk after the teleportation was complete. In other words, that they were still in the same state of good health. Each subject passed with flying colors. The next step was to work with a human subject, a volunteer. I decided that I could not ask anyone else to do what I wouldn’t do myself. So that’s why I needed your permission to be the volunteer as the first human to be teleported.”
“That was asking a lot because we can’t afford to lose you,” said John. “But I figured it was no different than asking for someone else to volunteer. It still involved a human subject. You have made it clear that you have a high level of confidence in the technology, or you wouldn’t have volunteered to use it on yourself. Since you and I have been the only two people to be aware that you were going to teleport yourself, I know that you were successful. Do you still feel ok? No residual effects?”
“None,” said Jose. “But let me tell you, what an experience that was!”
Several people in the room were wide-eyed at this revelation.
Since Jose was still in the experimental stage of teleportation, he had only sent himself for a distance of approximately 50 feet, and then back to the origin. It had to work both ways, or it was no good. If something negative were going to happen, it would have occurred regardless of the distance. What he wanted to do now was to teleport from the ground to an airplane flying at a high altitude. This was an experience that simulated teleportation from the ground to orbit reasonably well. The tricky part was tracking the destination, in this case, a moving 747, so that he didn’t materialize out in the open air, 30,000 feet above the ground! But his tracking equipment was extremely precise. He also would be wearing a suit to protect him from the cold, a helmet with an air supply, and a parachute, just in case he did inadvertently miss the flying target.
“Per your permission,” said Jose, “I have set up the teleportation to the 747 for three o’clock this afternoon. I will be the volunteer.”
“Please check in with me right before the experiment, and as soon as you’ve completed it,” said John.
“Will do,” said Jose.
*****
Jose performed the teleportation experiment to the 747 precisely at three o’clock. It worked like a charm. It was very disconcerting, though, to be on the ground in one moment and then in an airplane traveling at 30,000 feet in the air the next moment. He had a particular device on the plane that transmitted a signal that he could scan from the ground. His equipment was able to determine the speed of the aircraft by following that signal so that he could teleport slightly ahead of the plane’s path and have his position correspond with the spot that marked his materialization pad inside the plane. The teleportation process also matched the speed of the flight.
Once he was on the plane, he stayed in the spot where he had “landed.” On the ground, automatic processes were at work that would teleport him back in one minute. In additions, the tracking was automated, and he also had a tracking device attached to his belt, so the teleportation equipment could find him and bring him back. And sure enough, after a minute, he was back in the lab. Abigail helped him run through a series of individual tests he had developed to make sure he was the same Jose who had left the ground in the first place. He was. He immediately reported his success to John, who had, truth be told, been on pins and needles until he heard back from Jose after the experiment. Needless to say, John was both relieved and delighted with Jose’s success. The next step was the trip to Alexandra’s labs.
Chapter 19
The following Thursday at one o’clock found John and his team in a white Mercedes SUV on their way to the meeting about the spaceship. Alexandra’s site was built very similarly to the site that John’s team used, and it had the same security precautions. With James providing them clearance, they soon found themselves eight stories underground at Alexandra’s location. John was familiar with the layout and security protocols from his previous visit. She was there to meet them.
“Follow me,” she said and led the way down the corridor where they had entered.
After a hundred yards or so, she stopped and went through the standard security tests to gain entrance to the lab where the spaceship work was done. John and his team followed her in, and all were quite surprised at the size of the room. Of course, it had to be large since Alexandra’s team was in the process of building three ships at the same time, and they were large ships. One appeared to be completed, and was in fact in the last stages of construction. It was this ship that the team was going to tour. Alexandra opened a hatch on the port side of the ship, and a ramp extended from the bottom of the ship near the cockpit area and allowed them to gain access. The first detail that caught everyone’s eye was how roomy the ship was inside.
Alexandra said, “I know that you’ve probably noticed that this is a comparatively large ship with a lot of interior space. You probably are already aware of that from the pictures, but it’s much more obvious when you see it. That’s because we expect to make some very long voyages in it, and we want the crew to have room to move around. It also allows us to carry cargo and equipment if necessary. We even have room amidships to make sleeping quarters, and a small galley with a dining table should the crew need to inhabit the vessel.”
She showed them the entire ship, pointing out details that were not necessarily obvious. This was a big help to John’s team because some of the things she showed them would affect how they would install their equipment. They were thoroughly impressed. The craft was sleek, modern-looking, and state of the art. There was plenty of room for their equipment installations, which was good because they had feared the opposite. Ships often carried so much equipment that they were cramped inside; the space shuttles were a prime example compared to how big each spacecraft was overall. They all took notes on their pads. The next step would be to transport their equipment and supplies to Alexandra’s lab for installation and storage. The ship might not be ready for six months, but it would take them that long to complete their work, if not somewhat longer.
Chapter 20
Two weeks later, several semi tractor-trailers left the location of John’s labs. They were full of equipment and supplies
for installation on the ship. The trucks left the facility using tunnels that made their egress point about a mile from the lab site. These tunnels were as well-protected as the entire facility; no one would be able to see them leave before entering the nearest two-lane highway. A similar set of tunnels
awaited the trucks at Alexandra’s facility. About a mile from her labs, the vehicles disappeared from the road and entered tunnels that took them into the underground location. Though it was not noticeable to anyone who might have been watching the trucks making the trip from one facility to another, they were closely watched and closely guarded. Planes high in the air watched them via magnification. Cars that seemed to be making nonchalant trips kept an eye on the trucks while they were on the highway. Once the vehicles had made their way underground, their “shadows” disappeared.
Now the real work began. Each member of John’s teams had put in long hours to plan their equipment installations. More long hours would be required to do their installations. Alexandra had arranged to provide some of her engineers to assist John’s people in putting the equipment in place on the ship. These engineers had designed the ships; they knew every square inch of them. They were all quite capable of understanding what they had to accomplish to achieve the ship’s completion. Each one of John’s team members had an engineer assigned to them. The combination worked amazingly well. With very few missteps, the equipment installation proceeded smoothly. One thing that helped was that they had designed the ships for easy modification for different missions. This meant that the wiring and control panels could be modified if necessary. For the work that they were doing, this turned out to be essential. For example, when installing the antigravity engine, all of the controls that made it work were added to the cockpit. This required that they install a relatively large amount of wiring from the engines to the controls. But the ship had been made to easily add wiring as needed through “tunnels” in the floor, ceiling, and walls. The addition of the controls themselves was easier because the control panels had extra room for this purpose. Still, it was a daunting task. But work proceeded at a steady pace. Each new installation required testing. Several times they would find mistakes, mostly small, that they needed to rectify. Finally, everything was complete. It had taken ten months instead of six. They were at the stage now where they needed to go down their checklists to be sure they had not missed anything. Each of John’s team members, working in tandem with one of Alexandra’s engineers, went through their checklists step by step. Since they had checked everything during the installation process, modifications due to errors or missteps were few. Checking everything was not enough. They rechecked everything and checked once again a third time. Finally, John and the teams agreed that everything was “go.”