Anomaly one

Rough Plot, Draft Three The recently discovered Comet Amaguq, scheduled to approach unusually close to Earth from the Kuiper Belt, less than a million miles away. NASA has launched Deep Space 3, an experimental space probe, designed to study the comet on its approach to Earth and return samples at closest approach. After landing, all contact is lost the only image received some sort of regular structure on the surface, obviously artificial. NASA rapidly starts to improvise a mission to sent a team of astronauts to the surface at closest approach; in the early stages, it is learned that a leak in the agency has given the information to the Russians, who have better equipment at the present time they immediately announce that they will not be able to provide a Soyuz for ISS crew transfer, and spy satellite photographs indicate a refit is being planned. The operator of a private space station is also getting into the game, using a craft analogous to the Dragon; this is in works when NASA's SLS launcher is sabotaged on the pad, killing the crew, ruining any chance of a successful NASA mission. Instead, it is a private company up against the Russians, both of whom launch at around the same time on a two-week flight. The private mission gets there first, by a couple of hours, and starts to land on the surface. The Russians arrive...but within a few minutes, both spacecraft are destroyed by a satellite, of Chinese origin. One American and one Russian astronaut remain on the surface, with only a few hours of oxygen left and no means of communicating with Earth, certainly no hope of rescue; they begin the exploration of the unknown structure, and find a means for one of them to survive in, presumably, suspension it appears as if they are being invited. The cliffhanger is that one of the climbs in, but the reader will have to read Anomaly Two to find out which one... Point of View Characters, Draft Two Commercial Crew pilot, formerly a NASA astronaut on the delayed Orion program. (F) Experienced Russian Cosmonaut, veteran of a Lunar Flyby mission. (M) NASA Mission Specialist, discoverer of the comet. (M) Plot Outline, Draft One JPL monitoring the arrival of Deep Space 3 at Comet Amaguq, when suddenly the probe goes dark, transmitting a final, stark image. (MS) Docking at Skywalker Station, transporting a group of tourists, longing for something more. (P) International Space Station, sudden press blackout, change of plans Station Commander to return home instead of another Russian crewman. (RC). NASA mission briefing, boiled down to can we really do this? (MS) Pilot returns home to find his former fiance is on the Orion mission, no details, but frustration. Goes to advanced planning buddy, starts working out how private could get there. (P) Cosmonaut informed that he is going to command the Russian mission to Amaguq, launching at optimum time. Same crew as he took with him on the lunar flight. (RC)

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Pilot manages to come up with a flight plan, is summoned to the 'owner', the wife of the former owner. She allows him to start mustering some resources, but refuses to give the all clear. After he leaves, she opens a video message from Hong Kong. (P) NASA, preparations for the launch. The astronomer is on the backup team, helping monitor the Prime team as it conducts a launch test, two weeks before launch. There is a spectacular failure that only serves to test Orion's escape systems, which are found somewhat wanting. (MS) Ano Space in 2019, Draft One Orbital Facilities International Space Station (NASA, ESA, RKA, JAXA, CSA, ISRO) The International Space Station is entering its third decade of operations, and is currently scheduled, albeit in a modified form, to continue at least until 2025. Russia is planning to detach its segment in 2020 to form the basis of its new OPSEK space station; as a result, NASA recently added a Habitation Module to replace the facilities provided by Russian participation, and India has joined the space station partnership as a full member. Transportation is provided on an alternate basis by Soyuz and CST-100 vehicles, supporting a permanent crew of seven. (Two American, Two Russian, One European, One Japanese, One Indian/Canadian on an alternating basis.) Skywalker Station (Bigelow, SpaceX, CSIRO) Completed three years ago, Skywalker represents the first commercial space station; it is owned jointly by Bigelow Aerospace and SpaceX, with the former providing the station modules and the latter providing nine flights a year, three unmanned cargo, six manned. The station has a permanent complement of six, three operations and three research scientists on a six-month tour; it also has the capability to hold three 'space tourists' on visits lasting for a month; the station theoretically is flagged under the Australian government, with Woomera used as a launch facility in exchange for a permanent Australian research position. Tiangong Space Laboratory (CNSA, ISA, KCST) The most recent space station, completed just a year ago under the auspices of the Chinese government, with some additional support from Iran and North Korea. The station has a permanent crew of three (two Chinese, one Iranian/North Korean on an alternating basis) and is similar in capability to Mir; the station is resupplied by the Shenzhou launcher with four flights a year, alternating crew and cargo. Acronyms CSA: CSIRO: ESA: ISA: ISRO: JAXA: Canadian Space Agency Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation European Space Agency Iranian Space Agency Indian Space Research Organisation Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

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KCST: NASA: RKA: (North) Korean Committee of Space Technology National Aeronautics and Space Administration Russian Space Agency