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    Pegasus: An interstellar travelogue
    Pegasus: An interstellar travelogue
    Pegasus: An interstellar travelogue
    Ebook275 pages3 hours

    Pegasus: An interstellar travelogue

    By Charles G. Dyer

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    About this ebook

    The Pegasus is a unique spacecraft that has been built by a consortium of nations. With it, the hopes of humanity may be realized. If the scientists are right, it should be able to distort space and time and overcome the speed of light barrier.
    The technology has not been tested. The Pegasus and her crew are out in space on what might be a suicide mission to test a theory that most scientists do not believe possible.
    The uncertainty about the mission and the technology is offset by the fact that the Pegasus is equipped to sustain the crew indefinitely. Will they be in space for a few hours, several years or a lifetime? Nobody knows.
    Follow the trials and tribulations of the Pegasus and her crew as they attempt to pioneer a way to the stars.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCharles G. Dyer
    Release dateJul 8, 2016
    ISBN9781310580147
    Pegasus: An interstellar travelogue
    Author

    Charles G. Dyer

    Charles Dyer is a consulting engineer, former senior lecturer and former technical magazine editor. He creates 3D models to help with visualisation and realism in his writing.

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      Book preview

      Pegasus - Charles G. Dyer

      Pegasus

      An interstellar travelogue

      CHARLES G. DYER

      Copyright © 2016 Charles G. Dyer

      All rights reserved.

      ISBN: 9781310580147

      Smashwords Edition

      License

      Thank you for purchasing this book. Names, characters and incidents are products of the author’s imagination. It remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to purchase their own copy at Smashwords.com, where they can also discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.

      It would be greatly appreciated if you could post a review on the site where you purchased this book.

      CONTENTS

      Chapter One

      Chapter Two

      Chapter Three

      Chapter Four

      Chapter Five

      Chapter Six

      Chapter Seven

      Chapter Eight

      Chapter Nine

      Chapter Ten

      Chapter Eleven

      Chapter Twelve

      Chapter Thirteen

      Chapter Fourteen

      Chapter Fifteen

      Chapter Sixteen

      Chapter Seventeen

      Chapter Eighteen

      Chapter Nineteen

      Chapter Twenty

      Chapter Twenty One

      Chapter_Twenty_Two

      Chapter_Twenty_Three

      Chapter_Twenty_Four

      Chapter_Twenty_Five

      About The Author

      Chapter One

      Frederick Pitt snuggled deeper into his seat as the shuttle's retrorockets rotated the spacecraft for docking. He could see over the pilot's shoulder through the shuttle's windshields. He stared in awe as the blue planet displaced the blackness of space.

      He held up a gloved hand at arm's length. Oh wow, Earth's so tiny from here. It's almost completely hidden by my hand.

      In the seat next to him, Nikita Jakchov fidgeted with his helmet. What did you expect, Fred? We're 40000 kilometres from home.

      Fred's excitement dropped a few notches. I know that. Seeing it in person is way different from expectations. Why's he always got to put a damper on everything?

      There was a slight bump as the shuttle docked against the temporary docking bay. The pilot released his seatbelt and stood up. He drifted to the centre of the narrow aisle where he braced himself against the low ceiling.

      This is it. He gestured and grinned. Make sure your suits are checked before going through the airlock. There's a temporary gantry from the docking bay to an airlock on the Pegasus. Don't worry about your gear and goodies, it'll be off-loaded separately along with the rest of the cargo. I probably won't see you again, so good luck to you all.

      Fred grinned and gave the pilot a thumbs up. Thanks man.

      The five passengers put their helmets on and began checking each other. The pilot went about his business of off-loading the cargo.

      Nikita pointed out of a window. Hey Fred, it looks like a giant noodle or maybe a Celtic knot. What would you call it?

      A weird skinny donut. Fred checked the oxygen valves on Nikita's suit. No seriously, I guess it's a double torus. Sort of like a figure of eight that's been folded back on itself to form a continuous loop. That's the whole idea really. It's meant to be a glorified tokamak. The particles get accelerated to phenomenal speeds within the coils of magnesium diboride superconducting magnets, and just keep on going round and round.

      I know all that, and the fact that it serves two purposes, Nikita said disdainfully. Firstly, as a magnetosphere that protects us from cosmic radiation, and secondly, to create the space-time distortion field we need for FTL. He went through the airlock.

      So why'd you ask if you're such a know-it-all? Fred shook his head and checked his oxygen gauge for the tenth time.

      When the green light indicated that Niki had passed through the airlock, he entered and closed the door and waited for the pressure to drop to almost a vacuum. The outer door was a small square hatch that opened into space.

      He stared at the flimsy aluminium tube girder. Oh my God, this truss wouldn't support the weight of a kid on Earth. Gee, I sure hope that I haven't made the biggest mistake of my life. He smirked inwardly. Too late to change your mind now, buddy.

      Even with his eyes protected by the golden visor of his helmet, he instinctively narrowed his eyes. The unfiltered sun glared brilliantly against the white satin finish of the Pegasus. The shiny bits sparkled like faceted and polished jewels.

      He hooked his tether onto the thin cable above the girder. Here goes. He hauled himself hand-over-hand along the rickety beam towards the airlock on the Pegasus.

      The airlock was painted with yellow and black stripes that contrasted sharply against the white bulk of the interstellar spaceship's habitat module. The only other markings were the three stylised blue winged horses that were the equivalent of nose art on military aircraft.

      A radar antenna and a slightly larger antenna for the radio telescope stood on opposite sides of the saucer-shaped nose cone. The telescope was stationary and it pointed straight ahead. The radar dish was rotating slowly.

      As he went along, he gawked at the brassy-sand coloured rings that surrounded the habitat. The drawings that he and the rest of the crew had been studying for months were not enough to prepare him for the reality. Although the double donut rings could fit into the length of a basketball court with a couple of metres to spare, they seemed much larger without any terms of reference.

      Gee, I still can't get my head around how these particle accelerators are gonna propel us at superluminal speed.

      A short while later, the newcomers were finally crowded into the cramped space of the Pegasus's bridge. They removed their helmets and waited in expectant silence.

      Silvia Bianci said, Welcome aboard.

      She was the captain of the starship Pegasus. While the rest of the crew had been completing their intensive training on Earth, she had been first to arrive on the Pegasus for orientation.

      I'll be blunt as usual, it's ironical that space on a spaceship is at a premium. We'll be better off than the first submariners were as far as accommodation goes, but not by much. We each have a tiny bedroom. So tiny in fact that you'll be able to touch opposite walls at the same time without fully stretching. Silvia clung to a luminous green handle on the ceiling.

      Her long wavy auburn hair floated in a messy cloud around her head. She usually kept it in a neat ponytail.

      What are the dimensions of our rooms? Hao Zhenzhen asked. She was the co-pilot, navigator and the ship's doctor.

      Silvia said, One and a half metres wide, and two and a half metres long, with a one by two metre bed. And of course, throughout the ship, the floor to ceiling height is only two metres.

      Shit! Nikita's deep voice boomed as he belly-laughed. He grinned as he nudged Kimi Shinsaku with his elbow. What about sex?

      She rolled her eyes. "Gee, you would ask that." Her tone of voice barely concealed her resentment of everything Russian. In the preceding two years, she had hidden her feelings well enough to remain one of the few selected astronauts.

      Unnoticed by anyone else, Meilin and Zhen exchanged a quick but meaningful glance. Fred rubbed his free hand over his day-old stubble.

      Kimi wondered how long she could keep up the pretence. How did he pass the compatibility tests? What is it about him that irritates me so much? He's too cocky, and he seems to think that his primary purpose in life is to copulate. Funny that he doesn't mind teasing and sexual innuendoes all the time, but we all have to be careful about what we say because he takes everything personally.

      Silvia interrupted Kimi's thoughts and gave Nikita a disapproving stare. Improvise or make do. Two people can do it on a bed that size. We're all small enough to be able to sleep together afterwards. This isn't a luxury hotel. The bedrooms are as generous as possible and they're private space, which is a luxury. There's adequate space for recreation, exercise and work. Each bedroom has ample storage space for the amount of personal belongings that we've been allowed to bring. Surplus space might be needed for things we make en route.

      Nikita seemed to be unaware of the reaction his remark had caused. He just nodded and grinned.

      Oh, Silvia half smiled. And another thing that may take some getting used to about the beds is that they vibrate.

      How will we sleep then? Meilin asked.

      Silvia shrugged. It's not a particularly strong vibration, but I'm sure that you'll be aware of it. It's actually quite soothing.

      I'm glad they had the forethought to do that, Zhen said. In microgravity, we need all the help we can get. Low frequency vibrations are ideal for improving bone density, increasing muscle mass, improving circulation, alleviating stress and boosting the metabolism. We'll still need to stick to a strict exercise regimen though.

      ***

      There were still several technicians and engineers on board. They were carrying out final checks on the massive multinational spacecraft. They were also there to help the crew of six people to familiarise themselves with every aspect of their new home.

      The Pegasus was too big to have ever been launched from Earth. Construction had mostly been carried out in high Earth orbit over a couple of years.

      In order of importance and financial contribution, the international partnership for this bold venture comprised, the China National Space Administration (CNSA), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the Russian Space Agency (RKA) also known as Roscosmos, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the American National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

      Weight, sex and size were among the most important considerations in choosing the crew from hundreds of volunteer applicants. Limits of 70-kilograms for men, 55-kilograms for women and 175-centimetres for both sexes had been the set by the selection committee. Size affected comfort in the cramped conditions of the ship. Also, less weight of people meant that more cargo could be accommodated.

      Women were deemed a better choice than men as astronauts because they consumed significantly less food and air. That in turn had a ripple effect on the available resources and the chances of survival. In addition to which, the nature of the mission demanded a high percentage of women.

      From the moment of conception, the mission was seen as a one-way trip into the unknown. It was hoped that a habitable planet would be found, and then the women would become the mothers of a new branch of humanity. It was made quite clear to the two male members of the six-person crew that they were expendable, should the need arise.

      The psychological tests used in the evaluation of the candidates consisted of hundreds of questions. The latest variation of a polygraph was used along with heart-rate monitors and measurement of brainwave patterns. The scientists were quite sure that not a single lie could slip through their high tech nets. The flaw in this evaluation was that the questions asked were not necessarily the right ones.

      For reasons that were never disclosed to them, the crew had spent two years living together in pokey Spartan accommodation during their training. They had also never been fully enlightened about the spaceship's specifications and layout, despite having seen countless plans and schematics.

      ***

      Captain Bianci had arrived on the Pegasus a week ahead of the rest of them, and she was now starting a guided tour. They had all clipped their helmets onto a receptacle to one the side of the airlock.

      She gestured with a wave. As you can see, this bridge was only designed to hold three. I know that you're all trying to get to grips with weightlessness. Does anyone need a space sickness shot?

      The shuttle took twenty five hours to get here, and we had shots at the start. I reckon we're all good. The electrical engineer, Meilin Wang looked askance at everyone.

      Fine, then let's go down to Level 1. Silvia pointed at the ladder.

      Fred hung back and studied the cockpit instruments while the others left the area. Oh wow, this is so cool.

      He cast a quick glance over the banks of switches and buttons. The monitors were all blank and none of the pilot lights were on either. Huh, no gauges or instruments yet. I thought it'd be up and running by now.

      Level 1 had a four metre long corridor that provided slightly more elbowroom than the bridge. OK folks, Silvia said, this level's a hotchpotch of aeroponics, food processing, mechanical workshop, science lab and food store. Let's go down to Level 2 where there's a bit more breathing room.

      How big is it? Nikita looked dubiously at the small area allocated for growing vegetables. As the horticulturist, he was responsible for a big chunk of the food production.

      Just about nothing up here matches the plans we used in training. Each of the seven levels has about 58 square metres of useable floor space. As you saw, the bridge is only a fraction of that and the engine room is slightly bigger. Silvia led the way down the next ladder.

      More aeroponics, stores, the galley, the infirmary and a biology laboratory surrounded the recreation room on Level 2. In one corner, stood a small lemon tree in a pot, and it had several lemons hanging from its branches.

      Zhen had a passion for cooking. In the absence of gravity, her silky black pageboy hairstyle looked like a bottlebrush. She seldom said much, but her words were always in a quaintly lilting accent. Very small kitchen.

      Yes, Silvia nodded, but I think you'll find it very efficient, Zhen. The same goes for the infirmary. In fact, everything's tight on this ship.

      On the third level, Silvia pointed at a cluster of five chairs around computer screens, keyboards and rows of switches. That's our control centre for just about everything except flying the ship. More on that later. This is the women's quarters. She swept her hand around. As well as stores, our shower and toilet.

      Fred was relieved to see that these computers were functioning as expected. The colourful windowed displays ranged from surveillance cameras, through graphs and readouts of the numerous essential elements of the ship.

      Silvia laughed and rubbed her nose as they all floated into the short corridor on Level 4. I guess there's no hiding that this place is your domain, Kimi? We've got a vet's lab and a chemistry lab here as well as, fish, goats, rabbits, pigs, poultry and a food store.

      Born and bred in Tokyo, Kimi was the veterinarian cum medic. She shook her head. Is this all we have for livestock?

      Yes, Silvia said, let's hope that you can make them breed fast and furious. Let's go down to Level 7. Niki, you'll be pleased to know that Levels 5 and 6 are exclusively for aeroponics and hydroponics.

      Nikita smiled. Don't forget that I have to feed the animals as well as all of us.

      So Niki, looks like we're down in the dungeon, Fred ran a hand through his sandy brush cut hair.

      A fitting place for all the males of our species. Meilin chuckled.

      Not to worry, boys, Silvia said. You've got your own toilet and shower. Aren't you lucky that only the two of you have to share that?

      In addition to the men's quarters, Level 7 housed the waste recycler, solids processing, air scrubbers, generators, air-conditioning, electrical and mechanical spares, and a storeroom containing spare spacesuits and eight robotic cleaners.

      Silvia tapped her wristpad. The device was a powerful AI personal assistant, compact computer, huge databases and communicator. It could be voice activated and operated, or there was a manual option for those with patience or a desire for privacy. Her activation code was 'Ciao cavolo,' which was Italian for 'hello cabbage.'

      For now, we're sticking to Beijing time. She checked the display. I've got 16h43. Make sure that you're all in sync. If you want to see the engine room on Level 8, that's your choice. We'll meet in the rec room at 18h00 for dinner and a chat. In the meanwhile, grab your gear and get settled into your rooms.

      Meilin said, Where is our stuff?

      It should've been brought through the airlock on Level 2. So, it'll be in the rec room, Silvia said.

      ***

      The 10-metre diameter 20.35-metre long cylinder that the crew had seen was only the habitable core of the Pegasus. This module could separate from the main ship to land independently. There were also two shuttles for exploration of planets or other bodies of interest.

      The bulk of the ship was formed by two sets of staggered toroidal rings that each provided a figure of eight path for particle acceleration. The whole assembly was held together by a series of lattice girders and an elliptical ring. The shuttles nestled between the rings and the habitat. In between all this were four cylindrical tanks that carried an extra 345 tonnes of rocket fuel for the two Xenon Ion engines of the habitat module.

      Several compact nuclear fusion reactors provided power. Only two of which were situated in the habitat. The remaining four reactors were located on the superstructure for the exclusive use of the modified Alcubierre drive.

      This drive was what made the Pegasus an interstellar spaceship. The Alcubierre drive used particle accelerators to create a configurable energy-density field called a warp-bubble. This bubble shifted space-time around the spacecraft. It contracted space in front of it and expanded space behind it. The resultant pull-push effect caused an effective faster-than-light means of space travel.

      The crew and everyone else involved in the Pegasus project hoped that the physicists were correct about a lot of theories and assumptions. The most worrying being that the occupants of the bubble would feel no inertial effects. Human and animal bodies can only tolerate high acceleration forces for a short duration. The potential forces of going from a virtual standstill to something in excess of light speed would disintegrate the body of any living creature in an instant.

      While everyone else took Silvia's advice, Fred went down to the engine room. One of the things that had impressed him during the tour was the clean architecture of the ship's interior. Not once had he seen any protruding pipes or exposed services on any of the walls or ceilings.

      Heck, I half expected it to be a cluttered mess like the old space station. It's more like the old Star Trek Enterprise except that it's not nearly as spacious.

      In opposite corners, there were two of the latest Xenon Ion Thrusters, each with a specific impulse of 12000 seconds and a total impulse of 50 meganewton seconds. According to the specifications that the crew had studied, these powerful engines were extremely fuel-efficient.

      The central area had a small control centre with two chairs. That was flanked by the two 100-megawatt nuclear reactors. A spare parts store, sundry machinery and tanks containing oxygen and water occupied the remaining space. Also on the periphery were the mechanisms for the retracted landing legs.

      Between the thrusters were the two electromagnetic propulsion drives that were generally known as EM drives. As long as there was sufficient power, these remarkable engines could bounce microwaves around in a closed container to provide thrust without the need for propellant. The designers boasted that these engines could get the ship to Mars in a mere fifty days.

      ~##~

      Chapter Two

      Fred saw a technician bolting a component into place and drifted over to him. Hi, I thought there'd be a whole bunch of you guys.

      There are five others outside working on the main drive. The habitat is now finished. He put his spanner into his toolkit. We should be ready for the first trials tomorrow.

      Huh, so where do you guys sleep and all?

      In a shuttle. I take it that you're one of the crew, yes?

      Uh huh'

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