First Steps (Founding of the Federation) (3 page)

“So,
we have the Russians on board?” Luigi asked excited. He'd heard
the boss had been in some high level meetings that morning, all
morning and the better part of the afternoon.

Zubrin
nodded, swirling his drink. “But for a price, the Chinese are
having a fit.”

Luigi
sighed. “Are they at the table?”

Zubrin
nodded. “Some higher ups are debating on using us as a
bargaining chip.”

Luigi
sat back. “Can we spike their guns?”

Zubrin
looked confused. “How so?”

Luigi
smiled. “What about if we go truly international? Open it to
all
nations who want to participate and help fund it?
Including China.”

Wendy
sucked in a breath. “Damn, that would be wild. A UN mission?”
Wendy was one of the bureaucrats in the office. She was a good woman,
had a good head on her shoulders and she was young like Mario and
Luigi.

Luigi
shook his head. “No, American plans, we get the lead, but the
other nations can contribute.”

Zubrin
nodded. “We can try it. I know a couple contacts in the Chinese
aerospace program, let me do a little back door whisper campaigning.”
Zubrin replied. Luigi smiled.

...*...*...*...*...

“It
is a pleasure to finally meet you ambassador Li,” Luigi bowed
politely to the Chinese ambassador.

“We
have much to discuss and my schedule is heavily booked,” the
ambassador said. Unlike most Asians the ambassador was short and to
the point. The American ambassador looked startled. Normally the
Asians were polite, and took ages to get through protocol.

“A
refreshing change. I believe too much of American bluntness has worn
off on you Mr. Li,” Luigi smiled politely. Getting to the point
suited him just fine.

The
ambassador nodded. “Perhaps.”

“Well
sir, we were discussing the Mars mission. The American administration
is open to an international effort if each party is willing to donate
funding, material, or other assets to the program.” The
ambassador nodded. “I would like to formally invite your
country to participate and provide cosmonauts for the program,”
Luigi said. Luigi watched but couldn't interpret the facial twitch.

“Indeed,”
the ambassador murmured and then sat back. “And when would they
fly if ever?”

Luigi
smiled. “That depends on many factors, such as if they pass the
physical and can integrate successfully in the first mission crew.
Also funding, resources and such to be worked out.”

The
ambassador's eyes lit. “Such as our withdrawing our complaint
about Russian cooperation or the use of their Topaz reactors in
space?”

The
American ambassador nodded. “That would be very helpful,”
he said.

“And
what do we get in return?” the ambassador asked.

“Well,
a guaranteed spot on the flight crew,” the American ambassador
said smoothly. He didn't like the interloper in their midst. The
state department didn't need the headache of his complicating
presence.

The
Chinese ambassador smiled slightly. “The second flight of
course.”

Luigi
shook his head. “If your country
matches
American
funding and resources then the first flight.”

The
American ambassador froze. The Chinese ambassador stared at Luigi,
eyes gleaming.

“Indeed?”
The ambassador for China sat back studying them. “And just who
would be first to touch the ground?”

Luigi
smiled internally. “Well, it is an American program...”
The American ambassador started. He raised his hand slightly.

Both
men stopped. “Would you agree to a joint step off?” Luigi
asked. “For all mankind?” The ambassador's looked
confused and wary.

“Joint?”

“Yes,
the entire team steps off jointly. No first among equals.”
Luigi sat back as he watched the Chinese ambassador.

After
a long moment the other man nodded thoughtfully. “You are an
interesting man sir. I will take this to my government.” The
Chinese ambassador nodded.

“Please
do. We would like your participation in this; it is after all an
endeavor for all mankind,” the American ambassador recovered
quickly. The Chinese ambassador stood as an aid opened the door.
Hastily both Americans joined him.

“Thank
you for a most interesting discussion gentlemen I hope the seeds sown
here today will bear fruit,” he said. Luigi bowed formally. The
ambassador bowed, then shook his hand and waved to the door.

...*...*...*...*...

“Who
do they think they are offering a joint mission without consulting
us?” the Senator snarled. This Mars program was moving at an
incredible speed, incredible for those on this hill. Those opposed
were having trouble dealing with it. Some were still settling in
after the election, others were feeling each other out. Apparently
Zubrin had struck while the Senate had been paying attention
elsewhere.

“I
believe the leadership told them to get the job done and gave them
carte blanch to do so Senator,” an aide replied.

The
Senator glared. “I think they are playing a little above their
pay grade,” he growled. He wasn't at all happy about the
headlines and progress being made. Mainly because it seemed a waste
of money. They'd never get off the ground.

“Perhaps,
but you have to admit, this Luigi character has balls. I thought
Ambassador Li was going to goggle at him a few times during his
presentation,” the American Ambassador chuckled.

“Yes,
Irons is one to keep an eye on, he may be another Obama with the
right grooming,” the Senator growled and sat back. “Okay,
let’s see how this plays out.” He stirred his drink.

...*...*...*...*...

"We've
brought in Bruce Mackenzie and MIT astronautics professor Dava Newman
as consultants," Doctor Zubrin nodded to Nick. "I know them
both of course. Good people." He waved to the window. "Bruce
is the leading authority on building with in situ materials on Mars.
Professor Newman is the closest person we have to an expert on
building the Mars skin suit. She's brilliant," Zubrin explained
to Luigi.

Luigi
nodded. "Okay, good to know." He sat back looking down at
his Iphone.

"Why
a skin suit?" Nick asked. "Why not go with an off the shelf
design? Or the next gen suits for the moon?" he asked and then
waved.

"Well,
first, there is some temperature and atmosphere on Mars, so we can
try to get away with a suit that weighs a lot less," Luigi
replied.

Nick
grimaced. "Yeah, good point."

Luigi
nodded. "I take it as a mission specialist you had plenty of
hands on experience with a suit?"

Nick
grimaced. "I never went out on an EVA, but I still trained for
it. Those suits are a pain."

Luigi
nodded. "Right, they use air pressure to keep the occupant from
getting the bends, or from the suit exploding. The downside is they
are heavy, awkward, and a bitch to move around in."

Nick
nodded. "So what's the big deal about a skin suit?"

Luigi
smiled. "Think of the name." Nicks frowned. "It's a
skin suit, basically a wet suit for Mars. It uses mechanical pressure
applied by a tightly woven and stitched bodysuit with memory plastic
around the joints to apply pressure on the skin of the user. That
means a lot more flexibility, and a huge weight saving," Luigi
explained. He waved in the air as Nick nodded. "Each suit will
have to be tailored to the user, and they can't lose or gain too much
weight over time, but with it we can do one hundred times more work
than in a pressure suit." Nick nodded.

...*...*...*...*...

"All
right people, settle down. We have a lot to discuss, and precious
little time to go over it all," Doctor Zubrin said to the room
at large. Luigi watched as Doctor Zubrin stood at the podium. The
theater quieted. "That's better. Now, for those I have not met
or don't recognize me, my name is Doctor Robert Zubrin, I am the new
head of the space initiative arm of NASA." He waited a moment
then looked over to Luigi. "This is Doctor Luigi Irons; Luigi is
the new head of the Mars Exploration Initiative." Luigi briefly
stood, nodded, and then sat back down.

Doctor
Zubrin returned his attention to the assembly. "Ladies and
gentlemen we have been given an ambitious and some would say
impossible mandate, to place a team of astronauts and cosmonauts on
Mars in three years." Several people gasped at that. Some
laughed. He waited for the rumbling to quiet. "Thank you for
your concern." He smiled.

"It's
impossible!" someone in the back called.

"Please
reserve your questions for the end of the presentation. I promise it
will be brief, we are going to break down into study groups in a few
minutes," the doctor said.

Doctor
Zubrin nodded as he then turned to Mario. "Ladies and gentlemen
this is Mario Irons. He is the head of engineering for the Mars
program. Yes he is the brother of Doctor Irons." He looked the
assembly around. "That won’t be a problem." He held
the look then returned to looking at a now squirming Mario. "Mario
is a master in his field, despite his distaste for formal wear,"
he added. Mario blushed. He was wearing a suit, just without a tie.

Luigi
leaned over to him. "Told you you should have worn a tie."

Mario
grimaced. "Not on your life," Mario responded.

Luigi
chuckled. "All right, to begin we have to redesign the Russian
Energia launch vehicle to the two point oh version and launch the
first payloads to Mars by the end of the year." He looked over
to some who were waving their hands in the air.

He
sighed. "Yes, that is not a fantasy; I said the end of the year.
THIS year. We're getting most of our money from the second American
stimulus package before it goes away. We're going to give people as
much bang for their buck as possible."

Some
had their jaws open. NASA had never moved so fast. "Folks a lot
of the ground work has been laid by myself and others like me. To
facilitate our plan we are going to import as many experts as we can.
Doctor George Zhukov is the head of the Energia two point oh redesign
team." Doctor Zubrin waved to the heavyset Russian to his right.
He nodded back. “The Energia Two is officially called the
Uragan, which is Russian for hurricane,” Zubrin explained and
then smiled politely.

"Doctor
Newman is the head of our Mars suit program.” The brunette
woman raised her hand and waved. "Doctor Mackenzie is in charge
of our base layout and expansion. Mario Irons will take up the
initial design of the MAV, while I will take up the hab design. Luigi
will handle the ERV, nuclear power plant, and other bits. Each of you
have in your hand out which group you are with, please go to the
indicated room when we are finished here." He looked over the
assembly.

"We
have five minutes for questions not covered in the FAQ of your
documentation." A rustling could be heard as people pulled their
hand outs out and started looking through them. "Now, for the
obvious, the mission plan is simple, one orbital ERV, one Orion MAV,
one hab, one cargo lander, an SSTO, three rover designs, and two
plasma driven ferry designs. Those are the craft we will work on
based off of current designs. We are also going to use several robots
currently in the pipeline and a Bigelow Genesis one Transhab. Anyone
have questions about the various craft?"

Several
raised their hands. "Okay Doctor Oxburg correct?" Doctor
Zubrin asked. A white haired woman nodded as she stood.

"One
year to design, test, and fly a craft on an unknown rocket is
impossible!" she glared.

He
chuckled. "Well, actually, we have most of the basic design
specs already worked out in concept and even in blueprint form. We
will even have mock ups, blueprints, and 3D models for each team to
look over."

She
looked confused. "Second of all, we've snuck these craft into
the wind tunnels and computer simulators for some time now. NASA even
tested Mars Semi-direct hardware in the early 90's so we have that
data to use as well. We only need the MAV to fly this year if there
is a major problem with the design of the other platforms. Personally
I don't foresee much difficulty in their design; they've been mocked
up for over a decade." He nodded to her as she sat dumbly and
then looked to someone else. "Next?"

...*...*...*...*...

"We're
designing the MAV, that's Mars Ascent Vehicle around the Orion
Command pod," Mario explained to his group. Mario looked around
the design team then nodded. "We're going to use as much off the
shelf hardware as we can get away with. But, we want to save weight,
so we're going to try to squeeze in some composites like carbon fiber
where ever we can." He smiled to a pair of young men. "That
is where Mister Oldstone and Forth come in; they have extensive
experience with carbon fiber in aviation."

Several
people looked over to them. Forth raised his hand in hello. "Right,
now the MAV doesn't need a large propellant stage, since it will be
docking in orbit. It will dock with the ERV, which will then return
the crew to Earth. Before entering orbit the crew will return to the
Orion capsule, jettison the ERV, and dock with the ISS," Mario
finished.

"Um,
why the ISS?" A woman in the back asked. "Can't they just
land?"

He
sighed. "Well, there is some concern about contamination, so the
powers that be decreed that the crew has to be quarantined at the
station until they can pass a vigorous health check," he
explained and then grimaced. "Trust me; none of us are looking
forward to that part," he grumbled.

Mario
looked over the crowd of NASA, JPL, and international scientists and
engineers and tried not to gulp. He felt like a piker, an outsider.
Many of the men and women in the room had been in the space program
for years, some for decades. "All right listen up. We are on an
extremely short and terrifyingly tight deadline." He cleared his
throat as the room settled down. "Now, most of you caught the
overall lecture, and you have the hand outs in front of you. We have
two weeks to redesign the Orion back to the five point five meter
width, and somehow shoe horn in another two seats, with attending
life support upgrades."