“More than happy to. Besides us, who knows about this flight?” John Lohman inquired.
“Just the people in this room and my mother and brother. I did deliver DVDs that I made to the media. They should be arriving by messenger at two local TV stations about now.
Paul Christian’s mother, Louise, and his brother Tony inserted the DVD into the laptop computer he had left for them to view at the appropriate time. They watched Paul’s tour of the Alpha and explanation of today’s test flight.
“Visual com link now established with remote unit,” alerted AIMI over the loudspeaker in the hangar console.
“Hi, Mom! Hi, Bro! Say hello to everybody.”
“Hello, Son. Are you getting ready to fly?” questioned Louise.
“Very soon, Mom, and you’ll be able to view it on the laptop that I left you,” replied Paul.
“Good luck, and please be careful son!”
“That goes double for me, Bro!”
“Thanks. Just follow the quick reference guide and you can toggle between Alpha external and Alpha internal view.”
“Got it, Bro. We love you. Be safe!”
“Not to worry. Safety is my first and middle name. Love you guys, too!”
Everybody shook Paul Christian’s hand several times and embraced him.
“Well, I guess it’s about that time.”
Paul Christian hugged and kissed his children. He then boarded the Alpha and secured the door.
5
The courier had managed to get the receptionist to call out the person in charge of local news items. That person sent out the station’s public affairs liaison. He accepted a small package. “It’s very important that you view this DVD as soon as possible.”
11:15 was illuminated on the station’s DVD player, as KPLT Public Affairs Liaison, Ralph Seaton, popped the DVD into the cradle.
There was Paul Christian, standing next to the Alpha in the hangar. He explained how he was going to challenge the sub–orbital altitude record set by an independent aerospace group in the California desert.
Paul then did a basic tour of the internal and external of the ALPHA. Some simple graphics explaining the flight plan.
“Hmm, the DVD says he is taking off at 12:00 noon local. Might be worth getting a video mobile crew out there,” Ralph Seaton thought to himself. He did just that.
The DVD that Louise and Tony had viewed was the same as the one Ralph Seaton watched. But where Seaton’s DVD ended, theirs went on. It went on to explain how Paul had been driven by dreams and premonitions.
Finally, Paul stated how the Alpha would make history today, not just headlines, but also a significant historic event that would have an impact on the entire population of the planet earth.
“Alpha Ground, this is the Alpha. How do you read?”
“Loud and clear, Alpha,” replied Steve Christian.
“AIMI, Pre-Start checklist from the top, please.”
“Master power switch on.”
“On.”
“Master power override to auto.”
“Auto.”
“Quantum core mode control to static.”
“Static.”
“Hydrogen intermix to auto.”
“Auto.”
“Quantum field emitters to neutral.”
“Neutral.”
“Quantum drive pre-start check list complete. All systems and pre-start functions nominal.”
As Paul pressed the start button, he wondered why he felt so calm and relaxed. He was about to make history - no jitters, and no butterflies.
“Quantum drive online; all indicators nominal.”
“Thank you, AIMI.”
Paul double-checked all the quantum core mode controls from static to dynamic. He then switched the quantum field emitters from neutral to normal.
“AIMI, my system status display show green on all systems. Let’s verify current systems status. Structural integrity?”
“Online and green.”
“Life support, environmental?”
“Online and green.”
“Inertial dampers?”
“Online and green.”
“Quantum drive system?”
“Online and green”
“Navigation?”
“Online and green.”
“Flight controls?”
“Online and green.”
“Primary and secondary thrusters?”
“Online and green.”
Everyone in the hangar and Paul’s mother, Louise, and brother, Tony, followed the entire dialog.
“AIMI, open the hangar doors.”
As the hangar doors opened, he moved his right hand to the thrust controls. Slowly the Alpha began to rise off its landing struts. The crowd in the hangar was cheering and clapping. Paul maneuvered the ship out of the hangar, at first a few inches per second, then a few feet per second. The only sound was a medium pitch hum that increased as the thrust increased. He had the Alpha up to about 50 feet as he increased the forward thrust, the crowd still clapping and cheering, as the KPRT news crew arrived. The video technician jumped out of the van and began filming.
Assistant Homeland Security Director John Robinson was expecting the phone to ring; he briskly grabbed the phone off its cradle.
“Hello?”
“Assistant Director Robinson, the ship is airborne.”
“Yes, thank you. I see he is right on schedule, per his FAA flight plan. Is the video feed online yet?”
“It’s being transmitted as we speak. A news crew has shown up as well.”
“Ok, I am getting the video feed now. It looks just fine, not washed or fried like the surveillance video. I guess he wants to show off his new ship.”
“Do you want us to continue surveillance on the hangar?”
“Yes. I am monitoring Seattle Air Route Traffic control center as well. We knew he was going to take off at 12 noon by his flight plan, and as we discussed in our briefing this morning, the flight plan just has him going south to Medford, Oregon, northeast to Bend, Oregon, then back to where he started. Just a simple triangular flight plan.”
“Yes, Assistant Director. We will continue surveillance.”
Paul had flown the Alpha up to 10,000 feet and was moving along at about 250 knots according to the instruments.
“Alpha Ground, this is the Alpha at 10,000, 250 knots, on a magnetic course of 180 degrees.”
It was time to exercise the flight controls to their limits. As Paul rolled into a 60-degree bank turn, it should have felt like twice the force of gravity, or 2G’s, pushing him down in his seat.
Instead he felt the normal force of gravity, or 1G. Pulling hard back on the control stick, he pulled the nose up to vertical. 4-6 G’s should have pushed him down in my seat, but just as in the turn, 1G - normal gravity - gently kept him seated.
As a result of his ground test, Paul knew the Quantum drive worked. Now he knew the same about the inertial dampeners. From theory to fact, in less than 10 minutes.
It was time to call Seattle Air Route Traffic control center. Below 18,000 Paul was on his own, above that would take a clearance and the activation of his previously filed flight plan.
“Seattle Center, this is November 1 Alpha, requesting clearance to Medford.”
“November 1A - squawk 1307 and ident.”
“Squawk 1307 and ident.”
“Alpha Ground - Alpha. She flies great. As you heard, I am getting clearance from Seattle Center.”
“Roger, Alpha, we hear you loud and clear. Great views from the internal and external cams.”
“November 1 Alpha - you are cleared direct Medford. Climb and maintain flight level 410.”
Paul pointed the Alpha to Medford and adjusted the horizontal and vertical thrust vectors.
“November 1 Alpha - Seattle Center. We show at 500 knots and the computer can’t keep up with your altitude.”
When an air traffic control computer screen can’t keep up with a vertical climb or descent rate, it goes into coast mode and the data block displays lines where the altitude readout would be.
“November 1 Alpha - Seattle Center. Say altitude,”
“November 1 Alpha is out of Flight level 250 for 410.”
The air traffic controller was surprised: this was a civilian experimental aircraft, yet its performance was that of a fighter.
“November 1 Alpha - Seattle Center. What kind of aircraft are you?”
“Seattle - November 1 Alpha is a home-built experimental, and now requesting clearance above flight level 600.”
“November 1 Alpha - you are cleared as requested. Just curious, how high are you going to climb?”
“Orbit.”
“November 1 Alpha - Seattle. Say again?”
“Geosynchronous orbit.”
“Good luck, sir.”
At that point the controller called in his supervisor. The Seattle air traffic supervisor walked over to the controller who had summoned him.
“What’s up, Bill, need a break?”
“No, sir, but you need to see this, and perhaps NORAD and Space Command need be apprised as well.”
“You seeing UFOs, Bill?” laughed the supervisor.
Seattle controller Bill Stewart pointed to the computer screen data block with the identification tag of N1A. The supervisor’s jaw dropped in shock.
“This must be an equipment malfunction. Nothing short of military aircraft has this kind of performance.”
“Equipment is just fine, and I have never seen a military jet capable of performance like that.” The supervisor nodded.
The view was fantastic. As the Alpha climbed through 100,000 feet, the blue sky was turning dark and stars became quite visible.
“AIMI, please establish a communication link to US Space Command via NORAD on the Satcom.”
Bill Stewart’s supervisor was talking with NORAD, who was also tracking the Alpha with notable disbelief.
“Thank you. We will handle things from here, now.”
“Bill, it’s in NORAD’s court, now.”
“He’s just turning over Medford toward Bend, supersonic and still accelerating, and last radar hit, he was out of 150,000 and climbing.”
“Com link established with NORAD.”
“NORAD, this is November 1 Alpha.”
“November 1 Alpha, this is Major West speaking. Please state your intentions.”
“N1A is a civilian experimental aerospace vehicle.”
“N1A, we are tracking you at Mach 3 and accelerating, and 200,000 and climbing. I say again, what are your intentions?”
“Geosynchronous orbit, and we are changing course to the west. Projected orbital interface just north of the Hawaiian Islands in 19 minutes.”
“Alpha Ground, this is the Alpha!”
“Go ahead, Alpha. We are somewhere between euphoria and shock!”
“Well, stay calm, and I hope you’re enjoying the view as much as I am.”
“AIMI - activate Flight Plan 1, part Bravo and display on screen.”
“One Bravo activated and displayed.”
The screen displayed the earth, with a representation of the Alpha and the international space station, Freedom. Just above the Hawaiian Islands was marked the point of orbital interface and a green course to the Freedom.
As the Alpha climbed thru 300,000 at the speed of Mach 10 - 10 times to speed of sound - Paul visibly checked all systems.
“AIMI, systems status, please.”
“All systems online and green.”
“Thank you, AIMI, I concur.”
He looked at the altimeter - 400,000 and climbing at better than 10,000 knots, in excess of 15 times the speed of sound.
“Approaching orbital interface.”
“Thank you, AIMI.”
As Paul surveyed the flight display, the speed was 20,000 knots and accelerating, just climbing through 500,000 feet. Instead of feeling weightless, he felt that same 1G normal earth gravity. The inertial dampers were operating flawlessly.
Less then 30 minutes had transpired from lift-off at the hangar.
“Alpha Ground - this is the Alpha.”
“Go ahead, Alpha.”
“I guess I am officially an astronaut. The Alpha is at orbital interface.”
Hawaii looked so small - it was over 144 miles below the Alpha.
“Space Command, this is the Alpha. We have achieved
Geosynchronous orbit, and we have a request.”
“November 1 Alpha - Major West here. What you have done is incredible! We show you in geosync orbit. Go ahead with your request.”
“N1A would like to dock with Space Station Freedom. Our ETA - 35 minutes.”
Major West’s aide handed the major computer printouts and some pictures.
“Major West, this is the real deal, verified by NASA, JPL and several surveillance satellites. That craft is in orbit.”
“November 1 Alpha - Space Command. Please standby.”
Major West then picked up the phone and selected the White House switchboard.
“Get me the President, please. This is NORAD.”
“Since you are not coming in on the emergency line, can I assume this not an emergency?”
“Yes, that is correct, but it is urgent and requires his immediate attention.”
“Urgent in what sense?”
“NORAD is tracking, and in communication with, a civilian spacecraft that is requesting permission to dock with Space Station Freedom in less than 35 minutes.”
“Where is it from? What country?”
“It is a US civilian ship, November 1 Alpha, who took off from a civilian airport less than 1 hour ago.”
“I have just been informed that the President is currently being briefed by Homeland Security and NASA.”
“You might want to patch me into that brief.”
“Mr. President, I have Major West, would you like me to patch him in?”
“Yes, please.”
“Major West, here with me is the Director of Homeland Security and our NASA liaison.”
“Yes, Mr. President.”
“The craft is at 180 miles in geosync orbit, traveling at over 20,000 knots. He has requested to dock with Space Station Freedom.”
“Gentlemen, do you see any danger or threat here?”
“The Director of Homeland Security has briefed me on Mr. Christian, and he does not view this situation as a threat or a security concern.”
“I concur, Mr. President. I would recommend giving him conditional permission.”
“What conditions, Major West?”
“That he explains his intentions, and is forthcoming with answers to the many questions we may have.”
The Director of Homeland Security added, “I agree.”
“NASA, what are your thoughts?”
“The technology demonstrated today could have some incredible possibilities for NASA and this country; perhaps even the world. I think we should be cooperative and supportive.”
The President grinned, “So we are all in agreement?”
“Yes, Sir,” added Homeland Security.
“Yes, Mr. President.”
“Major West, advise November 1 Alpha he is cleared to dock with the space station.”
“Yes, Mr. President, and thanks.”
The President asked NASA who was currently aboard the Freedom.
“Commander Jim Andrews, USAF/NASA, and Russian cosmonaut Armstrong Gagarin.”
“Get on the horn and advise them company is on the way.”
“The
re goes the neighborhood,” added Homeland Security. The President and the Director laughed.
“NASA, will he be able to dock safely?”
“Mr. President, if this guy can build a ship like this and do what he has accomplished so far, I am sure docking will be a walk in the park.”
Just then the White House Press Secretary entered the room.
“Bill, has this hit the media yet?”
“Not quite, Mr. President, but it is imminent, probably a few minutes. So far, just a local station remote unit from KPLT.”
“Good, let’s keep our distance from his ground people and the media.”
“Let’s send someone from NASA to Oregon Meadows Airpark as an observer, with permission, of course.”
Astronaut Maxwell Michaels phone rang at his desk about the same time his cell phone rang. He enjoyed his time in Sunnyside, California, working at Moffett Naval Air Station.
His eyes widened as he was given a quick brief and order to launch his NASA T-38 fighter as soon as possible. In less than 15 minutes he was airborne. In 1 hour and 15 minutes, he would be touching down and paying a visit to Alpha Ground. Enroute he received a full brief. While he was quite skeptical, he had to admit NASA does not send an astronaut in a T-38 to a general aviation non-commercial, non-military airport without a damn good reason.
Maxwell was thinking about the Space Station Freedom commander, Jim Andrews. They had flown a shuttle mission together a couple of years ago. He was a great shuttle commander, and a great guy to work with. What must be going through his mind now?
“Freedom? Houston. Do you read?”
“Go ahead, Houston, this is Freedom. Andrews speaking.”
“Jim, you are not going to believe this, but you are going to have an unexpected visitor.” The NASA communications officer gave the commander a short briefing of recent events.
“You’ve got to be kidding, Houston! That’s not possible. Nice practical joke though. How are things in Texas?”
“Jim, this is the real deal. We are sending all the data we have on this ship, November 1 Alpha. Its pilot is Paul Christian, an airline pilot and apparently a pretty good engineer and inventor.
“ETA less than 30 minutes. He has been cleared to dock by the President, NASA, and NORAD/Space Command.”
The Alpha Premonition: Book 1: A Gathering Storm Page 6