Author: СУЛКАЙДАРОВА БЕГИМАЙ ЭДИЛБЕКОВНА | SULKAIDAROVA BEGIMAI
Greetings, dear reader. This short story will take you decades ahead, to the year 2100. When the technological breakthrough exceeded all expectations, the world came to the conclusion that waging wars and armed clashes would only lead to the worst end of human history. All countries have united for a common goal - to prevent an environmental disaster and have directed all their efforts to restore the earth's resources. And Space has become a new area of study. But there was no race of countries to explore space. The mutual efforts of all the advanced powers have made it possible to develop modern aircraft and equipment necessary for a long stay of a person in space.
I was inspired to write this work by numerous works and creative works about Space, spaceships and new worlds. I hope that reading will be fascinating for you, and you will plunge into this world with me!
The awakening. When I opened my eyes, I saw a hologram of the robot “Anna” in front of me:
- Lucy, I congratulate you on the successful completion of cryo-sleep. If you don't mind, I will conduct a brief analysis of your body to make sure that all vital signs are normal," the bright blue beam of the scanner passed over the body, "The analysis is complete! Great, you've been in cryo-sleep for 889 Earth hours. I must say, your body has reacted well to this practice.
Well, that's great, I thought to myself. My two-week preparation was not in vain. During the exercises, together with the instructor, I was prepared for cryo-sleep immersion, testing the body's reaction to a daily stay in a cryocapsule.
Cryo-sleep is the development of the century! The process in which a person remains in a stupor for a very long period of time, practically does not grow, does not eat or drink — in short, falls into an absolutely passive state. Before going into cryo-sleep, you are injected with a substance that temporarily slows down the work of the cardiovascular system and metabolic processes. And then you are immersed in an equipped capsule with a very low temperature. Upon awakening, the “sleeping” person is forced to thaw very slowly, after which they are already returned to reality. Cryocapsules are a specialized development for sending people into space for very many years. Although it is also used in acute forms of the disease, in case urgent treatment is temporarily unavailable.
Anna's voice brought me back to reality:
- Lucy, now you need to change your clothes and go with the rest of the program participants to the Main Center. An adaptation lecture will be held for you. You have been given a personal bracelet that allows you to pass through all the chambers and corridors of the ship. If you have any questions, tell me my name when you click on the bracelet and I will be with you again.
The hologram disappeared. And I changed into the uniform of a participant in the program, left the cryo-chamber, and went in search of the Main Center.
You may have a question about who all the passengers of the spacecraft were, located in outer space at a distance from Earth. Maybe they are all cosmonaut scientists who are on a space exploration mission? No, it's a little different. If we start from afar, we are in the year 2103. I, Lucy, am a final year student at the International University of Space Travel, and I am traveling on a spaceship with the rest of the students. But our stay here is not at all for purely scientific purposes. People almost never go on such difficult and dangerous expeditions.
So, who studies space, you ask? Robots!
For many years, people have been using huge resources, risking their health and lives, trying to get valuable information about the environment outside our planet. Spaceships, under the guidance of a human team, went into the orbits of other planets to learn at least a little about it. And now, expeditions to distant planets are already being carried out by specially programmed machines that collect all the necessary information about a particular cosmic body. Thus, the robot construction system made it possible to save the most valuable thing - time and human health, because only energy was needed to maintain the long-term performance of automated machines. Machines and robots perform the entire process of exploring the orbit and satellites of space bodies very quickly. Of course, you cannot entrust absolutely all tasks to robots, the whole process is controlled by experts from the world community in the field of space exploration.
And now, 10 years after sending the world's first automated crew of a space expedition, it was possible to obtain important information about all the planets of the solar system, to fix permanent satellites to collect data on changes occurring in the orbits of the planets. The fastest expedition to Neptune was completed in 7 years, thanks to an ultra-high-speed engine system designed for short-term expeditions.
And yet, to the question of what purpose our expedition pursues, the answer is unequivocally simple - space tourism!
Are you the most ordinary person who has not prepared himself for space exploration all his life, but is eager to look at the Earth from a porthole window, or set foot on the surface of Mars? Great, you have the opportunity to make your dream come true. Of course, such a pleasure will not be cheap. And not everyone can afford a foreign flight even in the future. However, after the successful return of tourists to earth with memorable photos where they stand triumphantly near the flag of their country, embedded in the lunar soil, the number of people wishing to repeat these routes increased instantly.
Space travel has become an object of global attention, scientific organizations have received a lot of funding to create and automate a large number of spacecraft, and increase the possibilities of sending people into space.
Of course, there were permanent human settlements on nearby planets. They were intended either for the development of valuable resources, or for subsequent research.
The colonization of new planets has already begun. Initially, it was a laborious process, since the transportation of people and necessary equipment, resources was costly and time-consuming. But again, the main part of the work on building residential and research facilities in the new environment was done by robots. With a change in meteorological indicators and a threat to the potential stay of people on the planet, all settlements moved to space stations where they stayed until favorable conditions were restored.
This trip turned out to be a success for me, I applied for a program to support young cosmonaut scientists and was able to qualify for a funded survey expedition to Mars. There was no limit to my joy. And now, a month later, I am already in outer space, millions of kilometers behind me, and soon I will be able to set foot on this lifeless, but insanely alluring planet.
On the way to the Main Center, I looked at the walls of the corridor. The layout of the ship was quite simple, so even without electronic signs on the walls, it was possible to understand where and what was located. Our ship was shaped a little like a naval vessel, only much more massive and impressive. The streamlined shape of the ship made it possible to maneuver very well between clusters of cosmic bodies and groups of asteroids when they appeared on the horizon. The crew of the ship and the program managers were awake all this time. Their cabins were located in the front. All passengers immersed in cryo-sleep were in the cryo-chamber unit, in the rear hull. In the Central Block there were living rooms equipped for waking passengers, as well as dining rooms, classrooms, and the Main Center, where all participants had to gather to receive important information.
I put the bracelet to the sensor and a massive hatch opened in front of me, allowing me to enter the Constellation room. This room was made of heavy-duty glass, domed. Being here, you can see everything that is outside directly from the ship. And there was something to see…
We were approaching the orbit of Mars. A red spherical cosmic body of impressive size made you feel like a small bug against its background. I moved closer to the edge of the wall to see every crater of this colossus. A miracle!
From the realization that we are already so close, I wanted to meet the rest of the guys as soon as possible. And to finally see my Button.
3 years ago, the kindest and most faithful dog Knopa appeared in my life, a descendant of the discoverer of the Strelka cosmos. Belka and Strelka, the first living beings to make a space flight on the Soviet spacecraft Sputnik-5 on August 19, 1960. She was with me throughout my studies at the university. And when the opportunity arose to travel to the vast expanses of Space, Knopa went with me, continuing the tradition of her ancestor. As the famous Russian design scientist Boris Yevseyevich Chertok said: “A dog is a friend of man. This truth turned out to be true for cosmonautics as well. Simple mongrels paved the way for man into space.”And I couldn't disagree with that.
When I got to the Main Center, where all the other guys were already amicably located, I heard a loud bark and immediately a restless Button began to jump on me. How heavy she has become, the space food has done her good. While I was sleeping, Knopa, along with other little astronauts, helped the crew of the ship monitor the route and the condition of the sleeping students.
I also saw my classmates in the Center. Kostya and Nastya were already waving their hands joyfully when they saw me in the crowd.
- Why did you come so late, we've been here for half an hour. Kostya is ready to eat an elephant from hunger, and I am ready to eat Kostya if he mentions something about his stomach at least once more. Oh, well, when the Captain is already there, Lev Alekseevich will announce the tour program. In 2 days we will be landing on Mars. I'm so excited!!!
- Hold your horses, Nastya, you can't see the man is shocked by your tirade. Lucy, how are you? It seems like a month has passed in cryo-sleep, but it seems to me that we only saw each other yesterday. Kostya said
Before I could answer, the captain's deep voice filled the room. Lev Alekseevich, a respected and experienced captain of a space vessel. He stood on a metal platform in the center of the hall, in a ceremonial uniform decorated with numerous orders.
- Dear passengers, I am glad to see you again! I hope you feel well. Very soon our ship will dock with the Mars 4.2 station, where we will transfer to drones that will land us on the surface. The program of staying at the Planetary station for 10 Martian days will be very intense. We are waiting for a trip on rovers, a visit to an agricultural farm, an iron mining mine and much more.
After the captain's speech, Anna's hologram showed us images from settlements on Mars.
2 days flew by like a flash.
Well, the moment has come. The lander docked with our ship, opened a passenger boarding area, and under the guidance of crew members, already experienced specialists and seasoned travelers of interplanetary flights, we took seats in our transport. We were wearing space suits for comfortable stay both in outer space and on the surface of the planet. They were made of high-tech materials that provide protection from micrometeorites, radiation and extreme temperatures, lightweight and flexible, leaving freedom of movement. Integrated life support systems using the atmosphere necessary for the premises, as well as temperature and pressure control inside the suit. They can use smart materials that can respond to changing conditions to ensure a comfortable climate. The communication systems on the spacesuit allow astronauts to keep in touch with other crew members and the control center on the ship.
The cabin of the module was closed, the computer programmed the route to disembark near the Planetary science station built by Roscosmos back in 2078. The flight was successful, and when the noisy reactors of the lander were turned off, we left the cabin of the module. Holding my breath, I carefully lowered my foot to the sandy surface. A man in a spacesuit similar to ours came towards us and said a short and friendly: “Welcome to Mars!”
P.S. After the first successful departure of a group of students to Mars, such routes began to run even more often. After graduating from university, Lucy went with Knopa to work at the Planetary science station, where she contributed to new discoveries.