Back to the Moon by Homer Hickam Read Free Book Online Page A

Campers or anybody else assaulting the shuttle struck him as amusing. The enemies of the space program were not terrorists who lobbed bombs but bean counters who lobbed budget numbers. Bilstein kept talking, advising Sam that a NASA inspector general team had suddenly appeared and was on the pad. “IG on a launch day?” Tate questioned. “That’s damned unusual.”
    Bilstein sighed. “I know, Sam. It’s Mickey Mouse. But I figure if I complain about it, HQ might think we’ve got something to hide.”
    Sam knew that Bilstein had another reason to worry.
Endeavour,
carrying a Space Station node, was stacked on nearby Pad 39-A. The reason why shuttles were on both pads at the same time was because of
Columbia
’s primary payload, an Italian tethered satellite experiment called the ATESS (Advanced Tether Experimental Satellite System). ATESS had been delivered late to the Cape and had since proved a cranky fit in
Columbia
’s cargo bay. The
Endeavour
stack had crept forward on its integration schedule while
Columbia
fell behind. Now, both stacks were on the pads and KSC management was under the gun not to delay either launch. Gross amounts of overtime had been the result and it was an open secret that Bilstein’s workforce of Cape Apes were exhausted. There was another reason for worry too: this was the last flight of
Columbia.
    Tate munched another handful of antacids. The decision to retire
Columbia
had been made by Vice President Stuart Vanderheld. Since the President hadn’t bothered to appoint a new NASA administrator following the last one’s death in office, the veep, as the head of the Space Council, had the power to piddle around in NASA’s business. Vanderheld had been a thorn in NASA’s side for over thirty years, starting when he’d chaired the old Science and Space Committee back in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He’d always been against the space program, took every opportunity to denounce it as a waste of the taxpayers’ good money. His surprise vice-presidency in the Edwards administration, and his position as chair of the Space Council, had given him a new lease to bash NASA. Still, Sam had to admit the vice president’s reasoning on
Columbia
couldn’t be entirely faulted. International Space Station
Aurora
was in a high inclination orbit to accommodate Russia’s northerly launch facilities. That had meant
Columbia,
which had been built heavier than the other shuttles, lacked the lift capacity to carry any useful payload up to the station.
Aurora
was eating NASA’s lunch. Every available dollar had to be used to support the thing.
    Scowling at the thought of the International Space Station, a political program he’d never liked, Sam signed off to let Bilstein get back to his job. At least
Columbia
was going to fly one more time, and, by God, Sam was going to see her and her crew safely into space and back again. Still, it was a crime to turn
Columbia
into a damn tourist attraction.
Damn stupid politicians. Damn stupid Americans who built magnificent spaceships and then just threw them away! They’d done that with
Apollo
too!

    LAUNCH MINUS 0 DAYS, 2 HOURS, 3 MINUTES, AND COUNTING . . .

    HIGH EAGLE
    Operations and Control Facility 302-A, Astronaut Prep Room 1-D, Kennedy Space Center
    Dr. Penny High Eagle irritably tugged at the tight rubber neck seal and squirmed in the heavy folds of her launch-and-entry suit. “Shit. Is this thing really necessary?” Because of the heavy public-relations schedule Penny had not had time to properly train in the LES suit, and was unfamiliar with its weight and strangling seals. “I feel like a deep sea diver,” she added, fixing her big brown eyes on the suit technician.
    â€œSorry, Dr. High Eagle,” the man replied, fussing with her wrist seals. “If the shuttle loses pressure on ascent, this suit’ll keep you alive.”
    â€œQuiet, please,”