CHAPTER 2: A SATELLITE INTO ORBIT A day passed. It was a recordbreaking day for the infant UPFCEP (United Plutonic Federation Celestial Exploration Program), which seemed to be a good name by Jarowa Hamnie's standards. Another modified Icarus 1 IBCM was rolled out, this time, with a tin, windowless command module was bolted on. It reached around mid-afternoon when it finally reached the launchpad. A small ladder was deployed. And the Plutonic test pilot Jebediah Kerman was supposed to board, but.. He was absent. Instead, back-up test pilot and local braniac Bob Kerman walked to it. "Sir, here's a note from Jeb." Bob said, as he handed a crumpled wad of paper to Jarowa Hamnie. It read: "Sorry if i wasn't here today, i'm too busy watching action movies with my two sons! -Jebediah Geronimo Kerman". Jarowa sighed. "Lazy motherf***er." He said, as he watched Bob board the command module. "Five minutes until launch. Better get to a safe viewing distance as soon as possible." A voice said. Jarowa and a couple of high-ranking UPAF members walked to a small viewing site. Five minutes passed by. "T- ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Icarus 2 has achieved liftoff." Bob let out a faint, inaudible scream as the modified IBCM launched, gaining velocity as it ascended. "Everything's running fine, receiving station. Over." Bob said, panicking and gasping for air. "Great. The automated onboard systems should be starting your gravity as you ascend higher. Say hi to my cousin who's vacationing in Agraria as you pass over it. Over." A voice said over on the intercom. "Roger that. Over." Bob said, as he controlled the IBCM, and separated the first stage, and activated the second stage. "I'm doing great. Over." Bob said. "I think i could see the stars from this altitude if this had a window, over." There was a loud hiss and explosion. "Oh, crap! I think the engine just went! O-over!" Bob said, hyperventilating. "Stay calm. Over." The voice on the intercom said. Bob sighed, and he separated the stage, activating the parachutes. Bob was now thinking to himself. Gee. I would love to see the stars. IF THIS HAD A WINDOW! There was silence over the comms, then the command module entered the atmosphere, re-entry started, making a technical sauna inside the tin command module. Bob was hyperventilating, and he'd most likely die of cerebal hypoxia, if the parachutes wouldn't of have opened. The command module splashed down. Next mission, if we could send a probe into a sub-orbital trajectory, we could send a probe into orbit. "If you can dodge a truck, then you can dodge a ball." /--/ Early October, a orbital launch vehicle was made, and christened: "Urania 1".
A group of engineers beckoned Jarowa over too see it. Jarowa Hamnie's jaw dropped. "Sweet mother of Pluto." He said. A engineer walked over to him. "Tons of power. Can possibly make it into orbit, with fuel left over!" He said. "You got that damn right." Jarowa Hamnie. "Look guys, i'm giving you a week off of work, just because of this.. Beauty. Roll her down to the pad and let her launch." Jarowa Hamnie said, as the engineers sighed and exchanged looks, and high-fived eachother.
The Urania 1 rolled down to the IBCM launch pad. The launch was delayed, but the next day, dozens of Plutonic citizens swarmed to see it. The Kerbals who lived farther away watched the launch on their own televisions. A female news reporter had a microphone and said. "Aiur Returik, from UPFNN! This day, the Prometheus space probe is launching aboard a Urania 1 launch vehicle! The final seconds are ticking away!" Aiur Returik said, at a safe distance from the exhaust. There was a loud roaring noise, the Urania 1 has lifted off. "May Sunstar, bless this launch vehicle and it's payload!" At the small comms station, a group of scientists and UPAF IBCM launch directors watched the Urania I lifted off, anxiously. Hoping and praying to Sunstar and Terra that the main engine won't have a failure, like in Bob Kerman's suborbital flight. The first staging came shortly after the gravity turn, and the launch directors were gasping in fear of a launch anomaly. Two minutes later they separated the second stage, the new FLIGHTNAV system onto the liquid booster that would boost Prometheus into orbit kicked on, and time seemed to go slow for the flight directors. The booster separated, and a mass celebration roared out, the flight directors popped champagne and sparkling lemonade. The first signals from Prometheus kicked to a start, and the individuals at mission control started getting the first scientific signals and data from Prometheus. The Kerbals that watched the launch, were having a feast, inviting their neighbors over, and all that jazz. -- Phew, that took me a long time to write! Now excuse me as i take a rest from writing.