A Journey to the Unknown Frontier by Philip Nguyen
Words couldn't describe how I felt. Out of all the applicants, all of the brown-nosing people that would use dirty tricks and strategies to grasp in their hands, the position, I was chosen to design a mission to a gigantic clump of ice, also known as Pluto, or "The Lost Planet". They told me that I had the simple task to create a successful, innovative way for astronauts to reach Pluto and return home safely with tons of research and samples. Umpteenth numbers of applicants, and they chose me; probably because of my witty cleverness or my charming smile, I won't find out until later, and so as I was thinking about the "why" I started to worry about the "how."
I began to do what any other sane person would've done, which is brainstorm. A blank sheet of paper was laid out onto the table, the tunes were bumped up, and I began to think. The first thought that came to my mind was that Pluto is extremely far away from the Earth, and that the object that propels it through space should be intensively powerful. With this thought I came upon another thought: aerodynamics. I crumpled these ideas together and I thought to myself that one of the main points in designing this would be making the ship silky smooth and lightening fast. Synthetic fibers for the fuselage would do well, and jet propelled rockets for the thrusters that would run off of a recently developed hydrogen fuel cell. My idea was to design the ship to run on water, and hope$.
Next on the list was safety and living quarters. The ship should be easily maintained for the long ride, and the astronauts should be comfortable to avoid unwanted cramps. The astronauts would have all the needs for life packaged in compact aluminum space age bags to save space and add to the convenience of the pilots. I realized that a trip to Pluto, even with thrusters, is a long trip, so I came up with an idea. The astronauts will be connected to life sustaining machines that would put them to a deep rest and keep them alive and well at the same time, sort of like how some mammals hibernate in the winter. With these features inside of the ship, along with entertainment with the gravity on and off switch, the pilots would feel comfortable in space.
It is obvious that Pluto, being so far from the sun, has insanely cold temperatures that make it uninhabitable by living organisms. The astronauts would have specially manufactured suits that would prevent them from freezing or disintegrating in space. With an exponential amount of insulation and heating systems in the suit, along with tools to record samples on Pluto, the astronaut would be comfortable enough to work to receive the samples and be safe and secure from the icy cold climates of Pluto. Also, the ships would be insulated and have an anti-freezing system that would prevent it from freezing mid-flight that could jeopardize the lives of the astronauts and leave them endlessly drifting through space for a lifetime.
The ship, the astronauts, and the safety of the astronauts were what I had, but I felt like I was missing that one concept that would determine the fate of my plans. Suddenly, I remembered to myself that like a huge birthday cake with sprinkles added in the end, the ship needed the final specifics that would push it over the line of success. In case of failure, safety precautions such as a mini-pod were added for the astronauts to escape if the ship were to come across obstacles. We attached cameras to record the awaited trip and to, after the trip, share the experience to the world. After the final touches, I felt that it was ready for the last test. Soon, after many months of screening, blueprinting, and testing, the "Gold Digger," named after those who came to the new frontier of California to search for treasures, will be ready to liftoff.
And now, it is time. The moment of truth that determines if my idea will be remembered in history as a reminder of the world's first trip to Pluto, or a fiery explosion on a runway that will be shown to future generations as to how not to design a ship. I look at all the people around me, camera flashes, anxious faces, and children who are on a field trip to their first spaceship liftoff. I say some final words of wisdom and praise the board of directors and the astronauts, the people who supported the Pluto project. Finally it is time, and I am given the opportunity to count down the takeoff. The astronauts are ready, and everyone is waiting. The crowd goes deathly silent all around. Five...four...three...two....one...we have liftoff. Everyone watched quietly and watched the ship leave the atmosphere, and cheered. Tears were dropped out of happiness, and many hugs were exchanged throughout the control center. I feel that my job was a success. I turn to the leading supervisor of the project, who was on the verge of tears, and told him that I only have one more request after the takeoff: a bed, a blanket, and a pillow will be needed to sleep off the hours and stress and to pass the waiting time. The waiting time will be a few years, as estimated, and until then, we will party the night away in celebration.