"Wake up, Sam!" screamed the indignant Sargaent Balzac, "There's something wrong with the data"...Sam McCool's sky blue eyes popped open and looked around the ceiling. Once Captain Sam's mind focused into the world of the conscious he assumed the milary robotic-like drill procedure and belted out "Yes, Sir!". The intense training of Captain McCool was evident in his lightening-quick response and call to action by Sargent Balzac. "It is 1400 hours, Zulu time Sir". "Good Morning, Balzac, is this a drill?" "No, Sir, this is not a drill, I repeat, this is not a drill" Sargaent Balzac had a concerned squint, otherwise all else appeared nornal to the Captain. "What the hell are you talking about Balzy?".
The hydrogen tanks of the new aerospace engines were recently topped off by Oxyipure, providing bulk hydrogen and under yearly contract to NASA. It was Captain McCool's duty to secure the load, and his duty to verify, quantify and qualify the contents were safe and of superior quality for the Mission Specialists. Until early this morning and the shrill rude awakening Captain McCool thought all was under control and proceding as usual, considering the consist leaking hydrogen valve.
Captain McCool had been sleeping peacefully, assuming the prostate position of the 24-7 on-call duty Captain Major. Assured that everything was as smooth flowing as possible, considering the recent "no launch" command of the system's mega-computers, McCool felt things were progressing in the usual procedure and schedule methods for NASA's administration.
With this recent calamity caused by the potentially disasterous hydrogen leak, all hell had broken loose at MASA. Captain McCool was afraid he would be called up on the carpet and receive a dressing down by the chief military brass. "What the dang tarnation happen this time Balzy?". Sgt Balzac in typical military fashion replied, "We're having problems with the rubber valve leak again, Sir". "Again? Wasn't that fixed and specked last week, Balzy?"
Capt McCool emphasized with an angry voice. "Yes, Sir. I mean..." Sargaent Balzac stalled in his sentence, atypical of the strong marine, "No Sir, there were some serious problems with the sensor data, Sir". Balzac continued, "I think the tanks were overloaded, or the rubber valve was replaced but data is showing an inconsistency in the hydrogen compositional flow."
Balzac continued with decorum; "It is the same as the last three tries, the error code protocol 252 is consistent with the compromised data. Reload mode critical at .03 there are consistent and blatant discrepacies which signal shut-down mode. It is a continuing viscious cyle, without a reasonable premise in which to procedure to engine staging start up mode. It is the exactly the same as last time, Sir". Balzac spoke with sincerity "There is consistent critial error data in the hydrogen compositional structure". "Yes, Balzy, we are onto it, I've already got the nukies working on it".
In the NASA Press Room the journalists were converging en masse, Uniformed military personnel were everywhere, trying to keep the press at bay. There were many undercover agents posing as press agents and regular citizens. NASA since the critical data error had also signalled the emergency security level to go from Orange to Red. Although the problem was probably technical, the computers did not respond the same. The computers believed this was an actual disaster of immediacy, and in a way, it was that kind of emergency."
"No one knew exactly what was causing the problem. NASA heads decided to enlist all scientific think tanks to discuss the possible solution to the seemingly unsolvable problem plaguing NASA of late. It would be a war against time, as the waiting astronauts in the International Space Station were beginning to get nervous. Would NASA solve this problem on time, and hopefully, on schedule. Even Astronaut Chris Hatfield was getting nervous, although reaffirming his "what me worry look" for the many world reporting agencies which had descended upon Cape Kennedy. The answer to this dilema had to be solved, and fast!
Everywhere there was a sense of urgent anxiety, reporters yelling across the room at other reporters, cameras were everywhere. Journalists from around the world tried to find the most advantegeous position near the stage. In the Walter Cronkite room there was journalist discussion about the hydrogen valve leak. "I wonder how a valve leak could cause so much worldwide commotion to get journalists from China here today" CTV'x Lloyd Roberts said to CNN's Anderson Cooper. "There's got to be a story here Lloyd, I just don't know what it is yet!" Cooper flashed a boyish grin at Roberts and gave a smug wink. "Not since Walter Cronkite's reporting early reporting days have I seen anything like this, it is amazing". All of a sudden the stage microphone was creating static feedback. The many varied reporters became silent and looked upon the stage immediately to find the answers to their never-ending stream of questions.
Entering the arena the Sargeant approached the podium at the other end of the Press Room. Acting as Captain's Press Agent, Sargeant Balzac was clearing the way for the Captain and securing the microphone on the stand of the podium. The room was abuzz with chatty reporters all vying for a key position on the floor by the stage, pushing and shoving for a chance to question the Captain. Once Captain McCool arrived at the podium, he looked down and over the heads of the reporters to the back of the auditorium. McCool leaned down into the microphone and started to clear his throat and took a brief drink of water.
"The first thing I want to tell you, in all honest, is the fact that there is absolutely no truth to the rumour that Mission 113 is cancelled. We have all been trying to find out the cause of the engine's hydrogen leak, we are getting to the bottom of it but these things take time, unfortunately. Captain McCool always cool under pressure was not one to waiver now.
"Until now, we have been collecting large amounts of necessary data. For a complete assessment by the chief engineers at NASA we are waiting upon the Chief NASA nuclear physicists to verify key critical data which will confirm our initial suspicisions about the nature of the hydrogen leak.I am glad to report that as of 1200 hours this morning we have found out the cause of the faulty hydrogen leak; Critical Hydrogen Morphology" Captain McCool was beginning to feel somewhat relieved and smiled a knowing half-smile. There was a loud thunderous clap of applause from the large audience. "Yeah!" most repeated overcome with rarely shown journalistic emotion.
Captain McCool turned around to the digital display behind him. "Here you will see the data resolution of the hydrogen seal. After testing the rubber valve shields NASA scientists have discovered the hydrogen leak problem did not lay within the rubber valve mechanism whatsoever. The valves and the rubber were in perfect condition. The problem had been the nature of the hydrogen gas. There was something causing the hydrogen gas to change, or morph into an intense molecular structure, something that never happened before.
McCool continued, "After the three inital attempts at restarting the engine failed NASA engineers had to look at other options to find the source of the problem. The NASA computers automatically caused a "stand by" mode and could not be rebooted by standard means. This is the beauty of NASA's new safety protocols. The engines will boot into standby mode until the safety issues are adequately addressed and cannot be rebooted for another 48 hours."
"Becase the engine's leaked flow rate of the hydrogen was beyond the .04% leaked hydrogen allowable under the Saftey Initiative and Protective Committee Mission 113 had to be scrubbed a total of three times. As you know, NASA strictly adheres to these protocols. These protocols are in place to protect the shuttle from accidental leak and resultant catastrophic explosion."
Captain McCool's composure was beyond reproach. "There had been some question brought to light by the nuclear scientific committee in regards to their earlier findings on the nature of hydrogen morphology. Hydrogen Morphology is a new science, based in part from recent CERN discoveries in the Particle Labs. The data provided by the NSC had provided us with the answers for our hydrogen leak dilema of the past weeks multiple scrubs" Captain McCool took a big gulp from the glass of ice water provided. "With this new data we have found that the earlier discrepancies with the excessive leaked hydrogen can be directly attributed to the new theory by the NSC.
The room of reporters silenced as they paid extreme attention and held unto every word the Captain said. "It has been a long time to finally feel we are getting the answers that will once and for all allow NASA's Mission to continue to the moon and beyond. The Orion project which was scheduled to launch yesterday is also postponed, so as you can see, all is dependent on NASA solving this dilema quickly. That is all, are there any questions?"
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