Satellite in the Sky

- Hello, sir. - Hello, Bob.

It seems okay, Lefty.

It ought to be. It's the 23rd test with the new fuel.

No overheating?

- Not anymore. That's all, Bob. - All finished.

- Any misfiring? - None at all.

Would you say it was perfect now?

I'd never say anything was perfect. Anyway, we'll know this afternoon.

- Sounds like Mike's plane. - Yeah.

- Let's go and tell him. - All right.

- Tell Larry to pick me up at the locker room. - Okay.

Will you all please be seated, ladies and gentlemen?

- Good morning, sir. Good morning.

Everything's ready now. Wonderful.

We'll answer your questions, providing they don't violate security regulations.

I hope that doesn't mean you'll sit in deep official silence.

Not at all. Operation Stardust is a purely scientific venture.

Mr. Blandford, we have heard a lot of rumors about Operation Stardust.

What is the main object of this flight?

We hope to show that man can break away from the Earth's pull.

Get outside the force of gravity.

Oh, then the spaceship will actually...

No, no, the Stardust is not really a spaceship.

We're not at that stage yet.

But you believe the Stardust can get outside the field of gravity?

Yes, she should reach a height of over 1000 miles...

...and a speed of about 5 miles per second.

- For how long? - Theoretically, forever.

Once the Stardust has passed the upper stratosphere...

...there will be no frictional resistance or gravity to stop it.

Oh, here is Commander Hayden, the chief test pilot.

- Good morning. Good morning.

Gentlemen, this is Larry Noble, my chief officer and navigator.

- Morning. How do you do?

Take over, commander.

Captain Ross will watch the questions, which are under security.

Commander Hayden, can you tell us exactly what you intend to do today?

At 1500 hours this afternoon...

...l'm going to take a jet fighter up 80,000 feet.

Once up there, I'm going to give the plane all I know.

Is this the test we've been invited to see?

That's right.

The biggest obstacle in these tests has been fuel.

Fuel to boost rocket turbines to the tremendous power output required.

We've already lost two planes and two good men.

You think you've got it?

We hope the lives of two men have not been wasted.

What we've learned gives Hayden a better chance...

...for the plane he takes up.

If it stands up to the tests he will give it...

...then... - Then?

Operation Stardust will proceed as scheduled.

What is the schedule?

If the test is a failure, we start all over again.

But if it succeeds, the Stardust will take off tomorrow.

- Tomorrow? - Yes.

Everyone is standing by and the weather is perfect.

We've prepared releases for you.

- Larry, help me. - Yes, sir.

They contain all the technical details for your story.

Can we use these?

Yes, of course, we put them there for you.

Thank you.

Commander, just what do you hope to accomplish?

This is the first step, the first attempt to get beyond the stratosphere.

Away from the Earth's force.

- And then what? - Come again.

Supposing you get beyond the stratosphere, what will man have gained?

Well, we'll know a little more.

Be less ignorant about the universe and our place in it.

Don't you think first we ought to find out what's wrong with our own world?

Why give the whole universe the benefit of our ignorance?

Commander Hayden?

This spacecraft, Stardust , what potential does it have in time of war?

I'm afraid, gentlemen, that question is out of order.

Commander, how will the human body react to the acceleration...

...needed to reach the speed of 5 miles per second?

Eighteen thousand miles per hour.

It sounds like a lot, but the acceleration should be fairly gradual.

If you want figures, it should be about 128 feet per second per second.

What's that in simple language, commander?

In simple language, that's 6 miles up in 24 seconds.

Ladies and gentlemen, if you'd like to see the rest of the building...

You've got it all down pat anyhow.

I have a feeling you don't approve of this project.

Is that so strange when the whole thing is completely unnecessary? In fact, suicidal.

You said you'd already lost two men.

They were aware of the danger and thought it worthwhile.

What if the Stardust blows up, as she probably will?

Then we'll know... The designers will know that the fuel or the design was imperfect.

Some people find it impossible to be quite so impersonal, commander.

If I may be personal, I'm glad I'm not your wife.

And if I may be personal, so am I.

Control testing. Control testing.

One, two, three...

...four, five, six...

Here's your microphone. The lead's long enough.

You'll get an excellent view from here.

- Have we got contact with the hangar? - Yes, sir.

When's it start? - Takeoff in two minutes.

Blandford to Skytest. Are you receiving me? Over.

And, please, no more photographs.

Skytest to Blandford, receiving loud and clear.

- Can we mention the name of this place? - Yes.

Thank you. Switching off.

- Who is that girl? - Kim Hamilton.

Special correspondent of the World Press Service.

I should've said something to Hayden.

- She represents the opposition. - Opposition?

Public opinion is divided. Most people think it's a great experiment.

But there is the other point of view that Hayden is committing suicide.

The suicide idea would be enough to stir up plenty of opposition.

- It's nonsense. - Is it? Simms?

- You think...? - It's not a question of what I think.

- You and I know the more important story. - The bomb.

Even without knowing about that, you can't blame people for feeling opposition.

Dr. Blandford, message from Control, sir.

- Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen. May we have your attention, please?

Hayden will be taking off in 30 seconds.

I've had radio equipment installed...

...so you can hear Hayden's firsthand impressions...

...while he's in the air.

Skytest to Control. Skytest to Control.

- Skytest to Control. Over. You're on. Over.

Hello, Mike. This is Blandford. How is it? Over.

Everything's fine. Responding well.

I'm now cruising at 9000 feet.

Airfield looming up.

Airfield gone. Over.

You're on your own, Mike. Commence test when ready. Over.

Pulling her up to vertical climb. Over.

He's taking her up to 80,000 feet.

- And then what? - He'll bring her down again.

- In one piece? - Skytest to Blandford. Over.

- Sorry. - Go ahead, Mike. Over.

I'm leveling out.

Coming down at maximum velocity now. Over.

Pull her out, Mike, pull her out!

- He's left it too late. - He's overshot.

Blandford to Skytest.

Blandford to Skytest.

Mike, for heaven's sake, answer.

That was the sound barrier.

And right now I'm about 80 miles away, so you wouldn't hear me.

I'm riding along the rim of the coast. Everything responding. Everything okay.

Quite a joy ride. Over.

How about fuel pressure? Over.

Everything normal. Now returning to airfield. Over.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, we have what we wanted, a successful test.

- He's finished? It's over? - Not quite, Miss Hamilton. Not quite.

- We have to go through that again? - Receiving loud and clear, Miss Hamilton.

It's nice to have you worry about me. Just a few routine aerobatics before I come in.

Very pretty to watch.

And who knows, I might even provide you with a suicide. Over.

Nice work, Mike.

Thank you, Simms.

Ladies and gentlemen, Operation Stardust will go ahead tomorrow.

I still bet we don't take off tomorrow.

There's nothing to stop us, is there?

I'm getting to a state I don't believe anything anymore.

Well, everything's set.

- What time? - Start warming up at 0915 hours.

- Take off 1000 hours. - All right, I lose my bet.

I suggest you both take it easy.

Try and get some sleep. You'll need it.

Dinner at home for me. Anything else, Mike?

No. Don't keep that dinner waiting.

Barbara's gonna be thrilled it's happening.

- Good night, sir. - Good night, Larry.

There's a great deal to be done. Where will you be if I want to speak?

I'll be around. I could do with a drink.

- I wonder if the press left any free stuff. - Why not go and find out?

By the way, you might let Ross know exactly where you are.

Yes, of course.

Okay, I'm finished.

All right.

- Will you have those photographs ready? - Yeah, as soon as I get back to the office.

Good.

Oh, Bill.

Put this on the editor's desk for me.

You'll be in later?

You really do believe in all this, don't you, commander?

You don't spend five years of your life on this if it means nothing to you.

Someday men are going to explore the universe.

- And when they do finally... - But that's just it. Do what?

What are you gonna find that's worth so much?

Perhaps a new world. The better world they're talking about.

Anyway, it's important to find out.

I know that some people can't understand.

- You don't see it either, do you? - Well, I can't say I agree with you.

- All the same, will you do me a favor? - I don't know. It depends what it is.

Let me see the Stardust .

Why?

So you can write a sarcastic story about something you don't understand.

"I saw the Stardust last night...

...the plane that's being launched into nowhere for no reason.

And what is it? Just a mass of metal.

Plain, ordinary metal."

- That's what you want to write. - It has nothing to do with what I write.

I have a very special reason for wanting to see it.