space rocks

A man's voice is heard on the radio as he starts the countdown.  Professor Jane, your flight engineer, is checking all the monitors to see that everything is ready for take-off.  Only a few seconds are left before the launch.

 

“T-minus 15 seconds,” says the voice and pauses shortly, “T-minus ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.  Lift-off! Lift-off of the Soyuz American carrying three on a two-day journey to the international space station.”

 

The rocket launches forward and Professor Jane and the man on the radio starts reporting the status of the different parts of the rocket and its journey as they launch.

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“All of the launcher perimeters are nominal,” says Professor Jane. “Twenty seconds, first stage thrusters are operating nominally.”  Professor Jane keeps reporting to ground control that the rockets are working and other parts of the Soyuz as you travel further and further away from earth.  You and Professor Scot read through the manual to ensure that everything is going as planned.

 

“Everything is looking good as this team journeys to their date with the International Space Stations.”  Says the man over the radio.

 

Nine minutes pass and Professor Jane and the man keeps reporting the launch status to each other.  Finally, you enter orbit, the ship will now orbit earth until it is in the right position to dock at the ISS.  The ISS rotates 90 times around the earth per day, and it will take two days for the perfect position. 

 

“You can unstrap now kid, be careful of that bathroom.  This is the worst bathroom you’ll ever use.  Try getting in some sleep, and read that manual a few times.”

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