Virgil DepartsLaunch day came, at mission control
Nicola Fernley paced around watching the green lights come on one at a time on her console, they were getting closer and closer to take off time.
"Another launch another step towards dreams?" someone asked, Nicola glanced to her right and saw her boss
Gary Hale standing there
"I hope so." Nicola said
"So a two for one." Gary said smiling
"Yep." Nicola said "We get them up there, we send Virgil on its way and then get them down."
"And then?" Gary asked
"Then we wait for Virgil's results and we prep Homer." Nicola said
"That's not what I meant." Gary said "This is science star and that project has more to it than this."
"Lance and Ellen are looking over the follow up missions." Nicola said she tapped her earpiece "
Athena this is control do you read?"
Aboard the
Athena, the final checks were just about finished
Sophia in the commanders seat and
David in the pilots seat.
"Control this is
Athena" Sophia answered "Final checks are completed we're green across the board, waiting the word."
"Have that." Nicola answered "Standby."
"You heard the rumors about the next batch of spacecraft being developed?" David asked
"Yep, all things point to the unknown." Sophia said
"And we get to be part of it." David said
"T-minus two minutes to launch." Nicola's voice came over their coms
This was game time, the two astronauts kept quiet concentrating, then right on time Sophia ignited the engines and a few seconds later David threw the throttle forwards and they were away.
"Clock's running." Sophia said
"I see it." David said
"Handling?" Sophia asked
"We're right down the middle." David said "SRB separation on the horizon."
"Call it." Sophia said, flicking the guards on the buttons away as she did so, David narrowed his eyes as they approached
"Mark." he said, Sophia hit the buttons and the SRB's were dropped
"Control we have SRB separation." Sophia said
"Have that." Nicola answered
"MECO in two minutes." David said
"Right on the numbers." Sophia said, she flicked another button guard away "Say when." again David kept his eyes on things and then smiled
"Now." David said, Sophia pressed the button
"We have MECO Control." she said as David pushed the
Athena out into orbit.
"Copy that, you're in the driving seat." Nicola said
"Everything looks good." David said
"Good." Sophia said "Establish orbit, I'm going to run the final checklist on Virgil."
"Copy that." David said he looked out of the cockpit window "I never get tired of seeing this."
"You know considering I was never planning to be an astronaut." Sophia said as she went about her work to the rear of the cabin "I don't know what I'd do now if I couldn't do this."
"I hear that." David said "Ok we're in orbit."
"Virgil checks out." Sophia said she tapped her com "Control we're standing by to deploy Virgil."
"Proceed." Nicola said
"Copy that." Sophia said "Open the cargo bay doors."
"Opening cargo bay doors." David said, Sophia waited a few moments
"Releasing Virgil." Sophia said, she hit the button and waited
"We have Virgil control." Nicola said "You've got thirty six hours up there have fun."
"Do you want to sleep first or second?" Sophia asked
"Well I could put her on autopilot and we could..." David said
"Just because Vince and Imogen got real intimate on the last project when they were up here doesn't mean we're going to." Sophia said
"You're not the least bit curious what doing that in zero-G's like?" David asked
"Not yet." Sophia said "Close the cargo bay doors."
"Closing them." David said, as he did that Sophia hit another button "That's the auto pilot"
"I know." Sophia said
On the ground Nicola and Gary were pleased, they had Virgil fully deployed and they had it heading off towards the asteroid belt
"So that's Virgil on the way." Gary said
"Yep" Nicola said "Virgil has left the planet."
"And now the forward planning begins" Gary said
"It does." Nicola said