Chapter 3
Out of Mothballs
Friday morning was overcast but the heat had not disappeared, Blake and Jo awoke at eight when their alarm call came through. They arrived in the dining room thirty minutes later to find a note from Doug, which read:
Blake/Jo
There seems little for you two to do today, we have already left for Kennedy and NASA offices for telephone calls etc. The engineers will be crawling all over Atlantis today, and you are not insured to do that, yet! I have placed a car at your disposal, the driver will be in the garage from 10pm, he will take you where ever you wish to go, shopping, sight seeing, (Disney's only ninety minutes away, and the Florida Mall in Orlando is great), do what you want. Atherton will be here for dinner, so if you can be back here for eight, please. I hope you two have talked things through and made the right decision.
See you tonight, your friend,
Doug.
So the pair set off for a day relaxation whilst the remainder of the team worked in the steamy heat at Kennedy. Will and Doug went straight to the NASA offices overlooking the visitor centre, whilst the other three engineers made for Atlantis. Will spent almost four hours on the phones, and after the last call he found Doug was still working the phones. Will took a seat by the utility metal desk where Doug was on the phone, and waited reading his notes on a tablet device. Almost a hour and three calls later Doug replaced the receiver and looked up, “Lunch Will?” The two walked in silence to the employee's restaurant, they each selected their cold lunch and took seats, joining the engineers who were already finishing their lunch. “So, what news Will?”
“I have mostly good news actually, but I want to know how you three are doing, answered Will.
John scooped the last of a portion of ice cream into his mouth and and looked up at Will, “I am still amazed at the condition of Atlantis, she's pristine, if we can get a standard turn-around kit, get the cabling sorted and the engines in, she'll fly, any thing we are missing we may be able to cannibalise the other three Shuttles.”
“That's great news, better that I expected,” said Doug, and Will nodded.
“We'll be getting back to the tin-can now, we have started making an up-grade list, parts, jobs, to do lists, etc.” said John. The three left their seats, saying that they would see everyone later.
Once they had left, and in-between eating, Will was first to open his tablet-device and started to tell Doug of the progress he'd made, “The big one first,” Will said, “Aerojet Rocketdyne have agreed to give us, yes that's a donation, give us three RS-25E engines, they are not new, but they have only been on test programs, they will 're-con' the engines for us and help to fit them, even with the modifications, if we need to.”
“That's wonderful Will, well done,” said Doug.
“There's more,” laughed Will, “I have located a company called 'Space Systems' in Britain who say they can supply, and at cost, all the engine control systems we need as soon as we need it, someone will be over next week and visit Rocketdyne to start the design work. I have also located two external fuel tanks at Ocean Salvage items, but I am assured that there is no damage.”
“That's lucky,” said Doug, I never thought about those tanks, we've been so focused on the Shuttle itself, and of course we'll have no problem with the solid fuel strap-on boosters, NASA has a stock of those we are still using. Anything else?”
“Sure is, I phoned a contact at Rockwell division, they have a full turn-around kit, and possibly enough to get three together, however,” Will pushed on,”in an abandoned hanger, one that's used for storing unwanted things, my friend remembered seeing more Shuttle cast-offs. He went off and checked and rang me back from the hanger, hidden in there is an experimental supplementary personnel cabin, and also some cryo-tanks.”
“Sorry, you will have to explain.”
“When the ISS started Rockwell wasn't sure about how many astronauts would need to be carried up to the station, I remember we started looking at how we could accommodate more people and we built an extra cabin that fitted in the forward section of the payload bay, bolts right into the bulkhead. We knew the extra weight would be an issue so we also designed extra fuel tanks, cryo-tanks to hold extra LO and hydrogen. It doesn't leave much room in the bay but they may be useful, I have put my name on both and Rockwell are going to dig them out.”
“We are very grateful Will, you have worked a few miracles today,” said Doug. “I can't claim so much success, but I have located all the original drawings and specifications for the launch facility, and I have engaged, tentatively, a construction company to rebuild 46b. They say they can manage it in about three to four months. I also have the people on board who built and dismantled the gantry tower, believe it or not, they kept some of it for display, like the lift and mechanism. That last call was to NASA Operations, and I have to say that was the most difficult, but I got them to check with the President's office and that changed everything, we are officially a mission, these missions are named alphabetically, and we are 'Mission Reaper', I think it fits, don't you?”
The team came back together just before eight that evening and dinner was taken up with a full de-brief from everyone, even Jo told of here shopping trip to Orlando. Atherton had arrived during the afternoon and had a grin on his face, after being briefed by Doug, he was obviously pleased with the results of the two day's work. Between the main course and the sweet, Atherton asked Blake if he could have a word, and the two slipped into the bar. “Have you had a chance to think over my offer of leading the team Blake?”
“Yes,” said Blake, “Jo and I talked about it last evening, Jo is more for it that I was, but I guess it's an opportunity that will never come again; to make first contact with another civilisation. So, yes I'd like to accept your offer.”
“That's terrific Blake. You will have a great deal of autonomy, and you will report to Doug or myself, mainly Doug I imagine,” Atherton told Blake, “I'm real glad that you and Doug have hit it off, that make things easy, NASA has always been a family and values relationships.”
“Good to know,” said Blake, “we'll need to go back to the UK for a while soon to tie things up over there, the house, Jo's job, paying providers and all.”
“That's fine Blake, let me know when and I'll organises a Gulf-stream to take you there and back, any time, believe me it's more convenient than schedule airlines,” Atherton offered, “I believe there is a British Navy base real close to you.”
“Yes, it's Caldrose,” said Blake with some amazement, “they allow you to use that?”
“Sure, NASA can use any NATO base in the world,” Atherton informed him. “Next week, I will need to go over some stuff with you, sign some papers and talk about our budget, that Congress is approving for us tomorrow.”
“When Blake and Jo arrived at Atlantis the following day they found a team of contractors with jack-hammers ripping up the concrete around the undercarriage of the vehicle. Atlantis' wheels had been been removed on decommission and anchors fitted to the struts, which were encased in concrete against the hurricanes and tropical storms, that Florida sometimes suffered. At eleven a big truck arrived, with an on-board winch, and unloaded the Shuttle's wheels. By lunch time Atlantis was free again from her manacles. The afternoon saw the Shuttle winched up, the anchor struts removed and replaced by the newly arrived wheels. The work team fitted sheathed cables over the craft and fixed them to the ground, as a precaution. Sunday nothing happened, Blake and Jo found a small chapel in Cocoa Beech and had a nice time, they were again surprised that several people recognised Blake from the TV news. It seemed that coverage had been continuous for almost a week, but neither Blake nor Jo had seen any of the reports. Several of the congregation were keen to ask Blake how the discovery had affected his faith, but Blake told them all that it had not made any difference at all. The pastor asked if they would be back in Florida, and if so would he, at some future date, speak to the church, Blake agreed and he exchanged telephone numbers. The couple spent the afternoon on the beach relaxing and swimming in the Atlantic
Monday Blake and Jo arrived at the Atlantis site in mid morning and found a crowd barring the way, many of the tourists were upset about the exhibit being closed and were grumbling. The couple started the push their way through the crowd and thanks to the NASA Security Officers, who recognised the passes that Doug had provided, managed to get through the tourists and the temporary barrier. John was there and and seemed to have taken charge, “Hi Jo, Blake, good weekend,” he asked. Atlantis was suspended about twenty foot from the ground by a series of slings and several people were holding cables to keep her steady.
“What's happening,” asked Blake.
“We're just waiting for the low-loader trailer to come across so we can load her up,” explained John, “Then we will prepare her over-night for the journey and first thing, hopefully before dawn, she starts her journey.”
“Where are you taking her,” asked Jo.
“Back to her birth place at Palmdale,” John explained, “ and by road; we no longer have the seven-forty-seven, so it's congestion all the way to California. It's the only place we have the facilities.”
“We have to get across to the Air Force Base to fly back to Washington now, but we wanted to see where things were up to,” said Blake, “No doubt we will be seeing you again soon.”
“Awe yes, I forgot, you're the boss now, congratulations Blake,” offered John.
Once back in Washington the car took them directly to the Grand Hyatt Hotel again, where there was a message waiting for them to ring Atherton or Doug. At four in the afternoon Atherton was in a meeting so Blake rang Doug's number. “Hi Blake,” Doug answered, “thanks for ringing, Atherton wants to meet with us both in the morning, the car will be there for nine, we've also made arrangements for Jo to visit the Smithsonian tomorrow, and to have full access to the library and archive, the Director thought Jo may like to make a start researching that part symbol we can see on the alien craft.” Blake asked Jo, who indicated that she would appreciate that and stop her feeling like a spare part. “I'll confirm that with the Smithsonian then,” said Doug, “I'll see you tomorrow then,” and Doug was gone. The following day the car arrived as promised and dropped Jo off at the museum, then continued to NASA headquarters, where a US Marine escorted Blake to Atherton's office. Atherton jumped to his feet as Blake walked in and welcomed him with a handshake.
“Firstly,” said Atherton, “we need you to sign these few forms, this is your contract to NASA, as you can see it is open-ended, but has a blank space for the termination. This is the most important one, just fill in your international bank details, so that we can pay you,” Blake signed that one as well, “then we have the Non-disclosure agreement, it covers anything deemed a secret other than that which is released to the public domain. NASA is a very open organisation, because we are owned by the American public, almost everything we do is open to scrutiny, so I doubt you will have and issues.” Atherton continued, “Next of kin forms, and lastly use of NASA resources, which limits any personal use of NASA resources.”
Having obtained signatures on all the forms, Atherton presented Blake with his staff badge and pass, “This will get you into every area of NASA other than those that are restricted at level three, either because of of sensitive activities or for health and safety reasons.”
“Impressive,” said Blake.
“I am sorry to do this on your first day, but I am afraid we now have to go through the budget for Mission Reaper.” The remainder of the day was spent on the spreadsheets that the Congressional money-men had sent across that very morning.
“What's the bottom line,” asked Blake, Atherton pointed to a figure at the foot of the very large data file, with his pen.”
Blake whistled, and said “Wow.”
Later that afternoon the car collected Blake from the garage station and pulled away, “Your wife is already back at your hotel Sir,” said the driver, “I dropped her off just after three.”
The next four days were consumed with endless introductions to both NASA people and others, visits to the Boeing, and Lockheed plants, Palmdale, where the Atlantis Shuttle would eventually arrive, and several other visits to potential suppliers. Blake and Jo spent the weekend as guests, with Doug and his wife, on a private Yacht on Chesapeake Bay, the yacht was that property of the NASA Director Nelson Hargrove. The captain had continually pointed out the places of interest along the coast and the crew saw to their every need, including a five star selection of food. It was an ideal weekend. Blake and Jo were due to fly back to Cornwall on Monday afternoon after a final meeting with Doug and Atherton at the headquarters building.
When the couple arrived at NASA on Monday they found the main entrance surrounded by a crowd of people, some waved banners and many were shouting slogans they they could not quite make out. Blake saw that there were two separate groups here, some held banners appealing to the US Government to, “Nuke the Aliens” whilst other banners proclaimed, “Make Peace.” One of the mob saw Blake, and obviously recognised him, something that he shared with others, the result was that the car was attacked by protesters beating the car with their placards. The car managed to nudge its way through to the secure garage and the elevator took then up to the Sky-Watch main office, which Blake regarded as Doug's office. “You've seen the mob downstairs,” asked Doug.
“Yep. What's that all about?”
“It started over the weekend it seems,” said Doug, starting to explain, “one of our esteemed generals went on the weekend news and expressed a very personal opinion about what was going on. Do you guys never watch TV?”
“Very rarely,” said Jo, “we usually have the Times newspaper delivered at home, as well as the Helston Packet, a local newspaper, and we only watch TV when there is something specific we want to watch. We believe that TV stops communication between people.”
“Right,” said Doug with strange look, “General Croft McFarland, member of the Joint Chiefs and to be honest a real pain in the butt, he was a left-over from two previous administrations. The chief came close to sacking him last year over an issue in the Middle-east. Very much a warmonger that has a military solution to every problem, even domestic.”
“So what did this general say,” asked Blake.
“The gist was that any race that just parked a spacecraft in our space and just sat there watching us in full view was up to no good,” explained Doug, “and we should expect an attack at any time. He urged the people to tell the president that they wanted this craft destroyed immediately. The anchor-woman did her best to make the point that we had no missiles that were capable of reaching four-hundred thousand miles and that if the civilisation that could build something like this craft, would no doubt be capable of warding off any attack from us, which would be considered provocation.”
“Will he cause problems for us, do you think”, asked Blake.
“Maybe, he seems to be gathering a following, but we'll cross that bride when it becomes a problem,” advised Doug, “so let's get on with tying things up before you leave for little ole England.”
The meeting over, the Northfield's car slowly nudged its way through an even bigger crowd than before, the 'Peace' faction seemed to have left, leaving the area to the anti-alien people. Once through the mob of protesters the car sped out of Washington toward Andrews Air Force Base, and their awaiting Jetstream VII. After some delay over air traffic control, the jet took off just after four in the afternoon, Jo found that there was a bedroom cabin between the main cabin and the flight-deck and after dinner they decided to turn in, as an attempt to defeat the jet-lag that was so much worse travelling east than it was the other way. At just after six in the morning British summer time there was a discrete knock on the cabin door, Jo awoke first and tried to shout, “Yes,” she managed to say.
“We will be landing at Caldrose air-base in about fifteen minutes Ma'am, I need you and Mr. Northfield to be seated and strapped in for the landing,” said the co-pilot, “there's no hurry to disembark after we land.”
“OK, thank you,” answered Jo as Blake was struggling to come to full consciousness. The two dressed in the robes from the locker, and took up seats in the main cabin where they were buckled in. Blake looked out of the window as the plane skipped over the last of the Atlantic Ocean and then into the English channel, then, as it swung north he spotted their house on the cliff-top below. By that time the Jetstream was on final approach to Caldrose Naval Air Station and seconds later they heard the undercarriage descend, followed seconds later by the wheels touching the runway with a bump. An hour later, after breakfast on the plane, a local taxi picked them up from the bottom of the plane's steps and drove the fifteen minute rout to their house.
On Friday of that week Blake received word that Atlantis had arrived in Palmdale and that work had started on the modifications and upgrades, he was to get a daily report of the Shuttle's progress. After the U.S. Cornwall was a haven of tranquillity for those three weeks, whilst all the loose ends were tied up. A local company was engaged to secure, pack and seal the house; at Goonhilly Downs, Blake spent three days training and briefing his replacement, he was pleased to find that his old assistant had obtained the post, so the handover was brief. Jo also spent several days at Truro College, with her department staff and making some fine tuning to the syllabus for the following year. In addition to the tasks that they needed to achieve, they also received several invitations to speak at various locations some local but some in other parts of the country. Half way through the first week they received a message from Caldrose that their aircraft had been recalled to the U.S. Bake spoke at their local church, St. Peters on the Sunday morning and at the sister church of St. Keverne in the evening. St. Keverne village was a sister village to Coverack, and was set back about a mile from the coast. One further TV appearance from Truro, finished Blake's media carrier, or so he claimed. During the third week the Jetstream returned to pick them up, and on the Saturday morning the jet took off again heading west to Washington.
At Andrews Air Force Base, a car was waiting, with a fuel bowser, Doug jumped out of the car and came aboard the aircraft, “You two stay where you are, you're flying on to Palmdale, I want you to get immersed in the Shuttle referb,” Doug announced. “Get to know your team and learn as much as you can about Atlantis.” They enjoyed a drink together whilst the Bowser refuelled the Jetstream, and Doug left them seconds before the jet took off again, this time heading for California. An hour before they landed at Palmdale, the captain appeared, “Just to let you know Sir, we have some trouble at the Boeing plant with demonstrators, I am told that nothing is going in by road, there are so many people demonstrating.” As the aircraft flew into the Plant it was early evening and they saw the thousands of people amassed around the main gate, which from above looked rather like an ants nest. Palmdale, or Air Force Plant 42, is a classified facility of the US Government set in the south-western Mojave, in the Antelope Valley, approximately sixty miles from Los Angeles. The Jetstream taxied directly into a hangar before it stopped, the boarding steps were lowered and their friend John Armstrong climbed on board, “Hi Guys.”
After dressing in more suitable clothes for the desert climate, the two emerged from the bedroom and greeted John. “Things are well under way and going well,” said John, “come and look.” the three went down the steps, and there right beside their jet was Atlantis, the paint finish had been taken back to a base coat so she was grey. The heat dissipating tiles had been removed and technicians swarmed all over the Shuttle carrying out their duties. The window glass had been removed, and the engine bays and payload doors were open and empty, making Atlantis look like some giant insect.
“Are we on schedule,” Blake asked.
“We are a bit ahead if anything,” said John, “but we have a long way to go, getting the new engines designed and fitted will be the biggest and longest job. We have a team of designers standing by for when we get the mount details or the engines themselves.”
“By my reckoning we have five months left John, by the President's executive order and the budget limitations, said Blake, “will we make it?”
“I estimate, if we have the engines here in the next month, Atlantis will be ready in about four months, maybe earlier.” advised John.
Blake and Jo spent the following three months shuttling back and forth between Palmdale and their hotel in Los Angeles, the time was broken by days sampling the L.A. lifestyle, several visits to the beach, and shopping trips for Jo to the many malls and shopping areas, including Rodeo Drive. Nights out to both the theatre and as a special treat, Atherton had sent them tickets for a film premier, where they were treated like film-stars, as the couple's fame had spread. Blake also visited the Griffith Park Observatory, whilst Jo was in one of her shopping trips, and he was treated to a tour by the observatory's director herself. Three weeks after their arrival the the three engines had arrived and the designers at Palmdale started on the design of the modifications for Atlantis. It was a surprise when they found that Space Launch System had configured the RS-25E engines in a yoke, which make the designer's job much easier. All that was needed was to design the mounts for the yoke. A company by the name of Aero-Cables Inc, completely replaced the wiring loom, Blake thought this was best as he had experience with how cables deteriorate over time and cause problems. The personnel module and cyro-tanks in the payload bay were installed and an engine test was completed at the end of the third month. Just three months and one week after their arrival at Palmdale, John Armstrong greeted them at the helicopter with smiles and said, “She's finished, all we have to do now is run final diagnostics.”
“What about a pressure test,” asked Blake.
“The fuel-system's been done and the extra accommodation module's been tested,” answered John, and all systems are green.”
“What I'm talking about is a full-body pressure test, we seal Atlantis up and pump her cabin pressure up to four bar, leave her a couple of days and see if there is the tiniest leak,” suggested Blake, “give her thirty-six hours, maybe.”
“Each cabin has been tested, Blake” said John, “but you're the boss, we can get onto that straight away.” Atlantis was duly sealed and a test compressor connected to the ATP and four bar, or atmospheres of air pumped into her. The test started at mid-day and before Blake and Jo went back to their hotel at fifteen after five, they checked the pressure. In just over five hours the pressure had dropped zero-point one-four five bar. There was obviously a serious leak, the remote smoke marker, a smoky, was triggered and smoke, almost immediately, started to issue from the seal between the main fuselage and the personnel module in the pay-load bay. “What on Earth made you ask for that test Blake,” asked John.
“I don't really know, it was a thought that came to me last night,” explained Blake, “I really can't explain it.”
“Well thank God you did,” said John.
“Yes indeed,” said Blake, “you are sure right about that.”
By the following day the seal had been replaced and another test started, and thirty-six hours later another test showed that the Atlantis was free of leaks. The problem now was about transporting the Shuttle back to Florida. It took two days to prepare Atlantis and get it onto the same trailer that had brought her to Palmdale. The three were there to see the Shuttle slowly leave the plant via a little used gate to the plant, whilst the police tried to clear the main gate of protesters, as a diversion. Only a hand-full of protesters made it to the back gate as Atlantis pulled onto a perimeter road, made it to the highway, and then started its journey to the Cape. With a sigh of relief they turned and started to walk to the waiting helicopter, as John gave Jo a farewell hug, there was a distant thud of an explosion. The three twisted around in time to see a pawl of smoke rising from the direction of the highway, just where Atlantis should be. Blake shouted to them to get into the aircraft, and told the pilot, ”Get us over there as quickly as you can. The pilot started his engines and it seemed to take for ever to get the engines up to temperature and speed, at last it rose into the air and could see hundreds of Boeing workers running toward the security gate.
Their hearts were in their mouths as the chopper approached the Shuttle, they hovered over Atlantis and were relieved to see that it was the traction unit that had caught most of the blast. They landed to the side of the highway just as a cavalcade