Chapter 4 Part 1 

Shipment From Ceres

“Water is essential. It is the elixir of life. When separated it can power rocket ships.” – Dr. Virgil Greenly 

There is a structure at Ellie 5 that is important to Ceres Station and by extension future space island projects that might orbit far from the sun. The giant Solar Collector Array and Megawatt Laser Cannon is one of the energy drivers of the Space Settlement Program. The laser transmits highly focused energy to a collector at Ceres Station in the asteroid belt. A large part of this energy was used by Dag Harlow and his crew as they struggled with a critical project. The Asteroid Processing Structure (APS), when complete would have several functions. It would refine metals, especially nickel and iron, also carbon mostly as graphite, and rock containing silicon and metals.  

Until that time, Dag’s crew of engineers used remote robots to assemble partially processed materials together into large aggregates. They then directed and piloted the robotic motors to compress the material using large nets. His men also piloted the short-range spaceships to seek small asteroids of a specific type. They may have a large water content or be carbonaceous. Once found of the proper size the astrogeologists towed them to Ceres Station where they attached Sunshades to those containing water as ice. The ‘water’ asteroids would later be sent to Ellie 5 to manufacture rocket fuel and for biological uses. Carbon has many uses from fertilizer to enrich soil or hydroponic crops or methane to power rocket motors. With ample supplies of carbon biochemists could make any organic molecules desired.  

The men and robots continued collection and processing of asteroids until a launch alignment occurred.  When a launch window to Ellie 5 occurred, the scientists attached robot motors and empty fuel tanks to each bundled payload. Some fuel tanks would be re-filled with liquid hydrogen and others with liquid oxygen and returned to Ceres Station to be used for future shipments. The engineers measured load mass, attached mounting brackets for the autonomous motor attachment, calculated trajectories and launched their payloads. These steps were critical. The Asteroid material had to arrive precisely at the gravitational-centripetal balance point of ELL 5 (Earth-Lunar Lagrange 5). Any course corrections in-route would consume precious fuel.  

The engineers were not finished until Dag and his leads Earl and Salvadore inspected each load using the 3 short range spaceships. If any of the massive bundles were to break free or if a robotic motor malfunctioned there could be catastrophe. There were no guarantees that Ellie 5, NASA Moon Base or Earth orbital assets could effectively capture an errant payload on a collision course with Earth.  On January 22, 2243, Dag launched the largest group of Asteroid material to date from Ceres Station.  

The operation was no less intense when the shipments finally began arriving at Ellie 5 on January 3rd, 2246. Virgil was guiding the Ellie 5 archipelago toward completion. His engineers were working on designs for the construction of Ellie 4 (at Earth-Lunar Lagrange 4). NASA Lunar South Pole Base (NASA-LSP) had provided the bulk of construction materials Virgil’s engineers were using for Ellie 5 construction. The base supplied refined metals and some completed components for ongoing construction. It worked well. The Mass Drivers at the Lunar base launched materials into several different Lunar orbits for pick up by autonomous orbiting motors that transported them to Ellie 5 MAC. It was evident to Virgil that NASA South Pole Lunar Base lacked production capacity to begin construction of ELL 4. However, Virgil’s immediate concern was the great fleet of Ceres shipments that were arriving. 

The first arrival was a small Carbonaceous Asteroid. Daria was charged with assigning the teams to handle the massive payload bundles and fragments of asteroids as they entered Lagrange balance at Ellie 5. She anticipated 31 payloads would come in over the next several weeks. When a payload approached Ellie 5 the assigned team took control of the robot motors and directed the massive bundle to a parking station near Ellie 5 MAC. They would then detach the motors and move them into the MAC facility for inspection, maintenance, and refueling. As the payloads began to accumulate around the MAC facility, autonomous robot motors were stationed around the cluster. Their job was to monitor any payload drift that might cause it to slip out of gravitational and orbital balance. At the smallest indication of drift, a motor would move after it to nudge it back into balance. Any time there were massive objects without attached or integrated motors the autonomous robots would stand at station. 

After almost 3 weeks, all of the shipments had arrived and were sequestered near Ellie 5 MAC. Processing of some of the payloads had begun. Virgil and Daria felt they could finally take a break. It was 1600 hours and they were seated at the hotel bar at Ellie 5 Alpha relaxing and having a drink before dinner. 

“This is so nice. I feel like I haven’t had a quiet moment for weeks.” Daria said as she felt herself sink into her seat. 

“Maybe because you haven’t?” 

“Bingo!” Daria giggled. “If it weren’t for the station keeping robots, I still wouldn’t be able to relax. It’s always a little scarry when we have so many loads to look after even with the robots.” 

The bartender, noticing their drinks were getting low approached. 

“Can I get the two of you another drink?” 

“That would be wonderful!” Daria replied. 

“Daria, we can have wine with dinner. If you have another drink now you won’t make it to the dining room. Virgil said, exaggerating. 

“Dr. Greenly why don’t I make you and Daria another drink. This time I’ll go light on the tequila. When you’re ready I can serve you dinner at the bar. No need to stagger into the dining room.” The bartender offered. 

“Jack, you are a true diplomat. We’ll take you up on that.” Virgil said. 

“Don’t get too comfortable.” Ofelia interrupted. 

“Ofelia, that’s exactly what we want to do. What is it? Are you not feeling my buzz?” 

“Oh, I am. That’s why I didn’t sense the warning sooner.” 

“Warning?” 

“Yes! A valve got stuck on one of the autonomous rocket motors after it had positioned a payload. It was on its way to station keeping.” 

“Well Ofelia, it has already completed its job. What’s the problem?” Virgil asked. 

“The rocket motor won’t shut off. It’s heading for one of our liquid hydrogen storage tanks.” 

“Can you divert it?” 

“I’m trying. I only have the attitude jets. OK, it looks like it won’t impact the tank.” 

You had me worried Ofelia. Are we out of danger?” 

“Shit! No! It just knocked the Sunshade off the tank.” 

“What are you talking to Ofelia about Virgil?” Daria asked with a hint of a slur. 

“One of the autonomous rockets just knocked the sunshade off a liquid hydrogen storage tank.” Virgil replied. Daria was  instantly sober and alert. 

“I need to get out there now!” Daria checked her systems device to see where a spaceship might be docked. She ran from the hotel to the nearest gravivator. Within a few minutes she had boarded, undocked, located the Sunshields trajectory, and locked on it. She caught up, grabbed it with one of the ships robotic arms then turned to head back toward the liquid hydrogen tank. She approached it in time to see a long rupture appear along one of the tank’s seams. Within a few seconds 37% of the stored hydrogen fuel at Ellie 5 had dissipated. The loss represented 8 months of production.