Original subtitles

There are no limits to what man may achieve for there are no boundaries

beyond his dreams and No dreams. He may not ultimately make come true

Destination

space

The

rocket ship rode in orbit close to an incredible wheel-like structure that

spun gently in an ocean of seeming nothingness 500 miles out from Earth.

This multi-man space station, dubbed BB, Benedict's Billions, had been made a

reality by a tremendous number of scientists and technicians working

against fantastic odds.

And all of this stupendous effort had been spent in preparation for the next

few moments to come.

It was nearing the instant of launching of the rocket ship that was intended to

carry the first men into orbit around the moon. The principal

responsibility now was upon one man.

That man was Jim Benedict, director of the U.S. space program.

Close bypass valves.

Bypass valves closed.

Monitor nozzles.

Nozzles adjusting.

Transmission complete.

Solution console, CS circuit breakers.

Solution console, ECS circuit breakers on.

Start reactor power buildup for test.

Reactor power buildup started.

Ten percent.

Again, heat exchanger instrumentation check.

The exchanger instrumentation check begun.

Advance reactive power to 10% criticality.

Reactive power advanced to 10% criticality.

I'm worried about you.

Preset Verney engines fire X to run position.

Worried about what?

Verney engines fire X. Preset to run position.

Happy you're getting a mito for this sort of nervous strain.

Man, it makes me as happy as a sockeye salmon swimming upstream.

Program heat exchanger.

Heat exchanger programming.

Bob, do you have a confirm on rod control reading?

Affirm.

Criticality holding 10%. Gradient advance tracking curve.

Dave, may we have a check on your stellar inertial platform stability?

We have reports from tracking stations.

South Point, island of Hawaii, ready for tracking.

Salomons, Bougainville, ready for tracking.

Singapore, ready.

Ready at Nairobi, Kenya.

Jodrell Banks, Manchester, England, ready.

Villamo, Galapagos, ready to track.

Barrow, Alaska, standing by, ready for tracking.

This is ground communication control.

Dr. Andrews is ready.

Vector to target on alternate emergency intercept coaches.

This is Dr.

Andrews. Confirm programming.

A, Alpha, B, Bravo, C, Charlie.

D, Delta.

Dr. Logan, do we have a confirm on alternate vernier fuel calculations?

Confirm vernier fuel calculations on alternates now telemetering for

conditions K, Kilo, L, Lima, M, Mike.

Pressurize main Mercury tank.

Main Mercury tank pressurizing.

Pressurize auxiliary Mercury tanks.

I'll be glad when this one's over.

You worry too much. It's the old, old story.

Only two things can happen. It'll either be go or no go.

If it's no go, only two things can happen.

We either try it again or somebody else tries it. If it's go...

Only two things can happen.

They either make it or they don't make it.

You're not as tough as you sound. You're just as keyed up as I am.

You're tracking me.

I'll be glad when this one's over, too.

What the devil's this?

Whatever it is, it's heading this way, fast.

Hit the arm.

No go. No go.

Lock off all working fluid. No go.

Come in, Beebe. This is ground communication control.

Over.

We've lost contact.

GCC calling Beebe. This is Captain Schramm aboard rocket ship.

Beebe in collision with meteoroid.

Land orbit. Land orbit.

Tangency control. Report on orbit.

Report, sir.

Damage control.

Report.

Sections 5 and 18 sealed off with brakes and skin.

Multiple fires at generator compartments.

Switch to auxiliary power.

Interlock guidance and automatic...

GCC calling BB.

GCC calling BB. Come in, please.

BB is pitching wildly, but seems to be sustaining orbit.

If they go, what happens to us?

All I'm worried about right now is them.

I want to take the rocket ship.

Dave, come in. Can you hear me? Come in, please.

Okay here, Jim.

I want you.

Some damage, but I think we're going to be all right.

Oh, boy, it sure got it in here, didn't it?

Yep.

Guess it's what you'd call beaten up.

We'll have to rebuild the entire package.

What luck.

Don't crap about luck.

That thing had collided with us directly.

There's been nothing left.

Barely grazed us. This is only part of the damage. Is there much other damage?

Two other sections were ripped up a little.

The important thing is nobody was hurt badly.

I'm grateful for that.

And we held it in orbit.

That's something else to be grateful for.

Still one more thing we can be grateful for.

At least this is one setback they can't blame on us.

As director of the space projects, Benedict has done a great deal.

But it's equally true that Benedict has promised even more.

And the cost has been as spectacular as the achievements.

Now we even wonder if that space station, popularly dubbed BB, or

Benedict's Billions, is actually practical at all.

Have Benedict and his experts realistically faced the hazards

involved?

Or have they been whistling in the dark?

I could happily choke a guy like that.

He's entitled to voice his opinion.

He's making a lot of noise trying to get himself some headlines.

He and people like him couldn't help the enemy more if they were paid agents.

Listen to you two, you'd think that we were heroes to everybody but the

politicians. From all reports, the bulk of the press has been equally hostile

all week.

The price is we're costing them. They want success, not failure, regardless of

cause.

Excuse me, sir, but Washington is on the radio phone for Dr. Benedict.

The communications officer said to tell you it's the White House.

And that man's name is James Benedict.

It's time the entire matter is investigated and reappraised.

And it's my intention to have James Benedict subpoenaed by a special

senatorial investigating committee on space.

Well, what did the president say?

Direct quote.

I don't want anything to happen to the space program.

We're in for a tough appropriation fight to save it. I'm depending on you. What

are you supposed to do?

I don't know, June. I'll have to play it by ear.

Oh, I'm sorry about the setback.

But here's to any minor mishaps that bring you back to me.

Minor mishap?

I'm ecstatic to be sitting here. But how can you call what happened to us a minor

mishap? Well, I'll put it this way, then.

I'm grieved about the collision, really.

But I'm downright enthusiastic about the subpoena.

Yeah, how about that?

It takes a collision with a meteoroid and a summons from the Senate to get us

together for a couple of hours.

Some romance.

One, it's beautiful.

When do you intend to marry me, sir?

One of these days. I don't like to rush into anything.

Even though it's only a little thing like marriage.

You know, I'm acquainted with literally hundreds of people.

And I have to fall in love with a man who lives in an orbit.

Guess you're just lucky.

I spend half my valuable time looking up into the sky, wondering how you are.

Wondering when I'm going to see you again.

At night when the stars are out, that's when it's the worst.

That's when you seem so far.

It's funny, but with me it's just the other way around.

I look down at the earth.

Spinning slowly beneath us and it seems so small.

All the places on it seem close together.

Sometimes I can even pick out this city.

It seems like you're right below.

And so very, very near.

Must be beautiful.

It's indescribable.

I wish I could show it to you.

Maybe someday.

Maybe?

What you do is so important. I wouldn't have it any other way.

I'm very proud of you.

I'll be glad, though, when you're back to stay. I hope you don't mind.

I invited Kim to join us for Dave's sake. Of course I don't mind. Hi, Jim.

Oh, Jim, gee, it's wonderful to see you. Thanks.

You're kind of a stinker. I haven't heard from you all week long.

You're never home.

I phoned you for three days. I tried for hours to get you this morning. Well,

that kind of proves that one of us is abroad, doesn't it?

Jim, you really are looking just great.

Because I lead such a relaxed life.

May I take your order, ma'am?

Uh, what are you two having? A mixed green salad.

Yeah, that'll do just nicely. Thank you.

You're looking pretty trim yourself, Kim.

I've been eating like they were going to prohibit it tomorrow. I have put on five

pounds. It doesn't show.

Oh, yes, it does when I stand up.

Oh, come on. Now, stop being evasive.

Tell me everything, Jim, because I want to hear it.

Well, let's see.

Dave's in flawless shape.

I don't have to tell you that he misses you. I expect he tells you that on the

phone all the time.

He's been telling me that he misses me practically since the day we were

married.

That's kind of the story of our lives, how much we miss one another.

Move over, you have company.

Well, at least you gals won't get tired of us.

Oh.

Is that so hilariously funny?

Strange, I don't see any humor in it at all.

Well, really, Kim, I don't either, but no reason to abuse ourselves about it.

It doesn't seem to do very much good not to mention it at all, either.

I have a feeling that it's going to go on until I'm old and gray.

Or until you kill him.

Kim, what a terrible thing to say.

Maybe, but it's true.

The newspapers call you the Space Project Team.

You don't seem like very much of a team to me.

Dave takes all the risks and you take all the bows.

You know you don't mean that, Kim.

Tell me about the accident.

There's not much to tell beyond what you've already heard and read.

We were close to the finish of the countdown and just happened to run into

a fair-sized meteor.

Suddenly we found ourselves with all bets off.

So what happens now?

We have to shuttle up parts, prepare the station, and we reschedule and try it

all over again.

That is, if we come through this investigation successfully and still

have the funds.

Do you know when I heard about the collision, I almost died?

There was a news flash.

And it was horrible.

I said, Kim, this is it.

This is what you've been waiting for. You've been sitting out your whole life

waiting to hear that Dave is dead.

And that he's gone forever.

It's hard on you, Kim. I know that.

And I'm sorry.

You're not sorry. If you were, you'd stop pushing.

We can't stop.

This is something we all believe in.

I don't.

Kim, there's no reason to take it out on one another.

Now I've got to face another long wait.

While you reschedule things and try again.

And then I'll see Dave for a few weeks. That is, if he comes through this.

But then there'll be another project.

And you'll take Dave away again.

But let me tell you something, Jim.

I am sick and tired of your being the master and Dave being the guinea pig.

And I think deep down he is too.

One of these days, I am going to do some very fancy screaming about it.

Kim, it's not my fault. Don't blame me.

It was an act of God.

In that case, there's nobody to blame but you.

Because that's the role that you play.

I'm very sorry for her.

So am I.

Sorry for you, too.

She's quite unfair to you.

You didn't already have enough trouble, enough to worry about.

Well, you know what they say.

Them that has, gets.

At this moment, is the satellite in particular hazard?

because of the damage sustained.

No, sir.

It has ample auxiliary power to keep it functioning within safety factors.

But until repaired, the station's usefulness is impaired.

Dr. Benedict, for the record, how much of the damage to the satellite resulted

directly from the collision itself?

Well, little, actually.

The meteoroid was a large one, but it fortunately merely scraped us, coming in

contact with this upper portion of the structure, causing some tearing of the

skin to Section 18 and to Section 5 from some hurled

fragments.

Any other questions?

Yes, I have a few.

Did the rocket ship itself sustain any damage?

No, Senator, that was not directly involved.

The delay in the space projects and the huge added expense, which we can

certainly expect to be heaped upon us, are due then purely to the space station

being up there.

I'm afraid I don't quite understand your question.

All right, I'll put it another way.

Let's talk about that rocket ship.

If it had been designed so as not to be dependent upon the space station, then

there wouldn't have been any reason for delaying its attempt on the current moon

project, now would there?

And as much as the rocket ship is dependent in certain respects upon

guidance and safety control from the space station, I would have to regard

that question as too iffy.

Now, don't try to evade me, sir.

You're supposed to be one of our nation's greatest brains. Certainly you

should be able to understand this simple question.

If the rocket ship were 100% independent of the space station, would there or

would there not?

have been any reason for delaying its attempt to orbit the moon?

Well, that, sir, would be in the realm of crystal gazing.

Though I hate to admit it, in that field I'm not qualified to answer.

Right. How soon after the station is repaired will the rocket ship be ready

again to make the lunar attempt?

A whole new system of procedures will have to be set up.

The moon will be in a different position with relation to the Earth-moon orbit

around the sun, but these preparations should all be finished long before the

space station is repaired.

Ah.

The statement you've just made establishes beyond one iota of doubt

that the principal delay is due to the time required to repair the space

station.

I would say there could be no question about that.

Fine. Fine. Then if that is so, then this follows.

We all know that launching a rocket from the surface of Earth involves many

problems that are avoided by starting it from a high-speed orbit above our

atmosphere. But a great number of missiles have been sent into space from

the surface, and it seems that a big enough rocket for this present moon job

would have been easier to attain and a lot cheaper than building that white

elephant of a space station we know all too well as Benedict's Billion.

It's unfair.

That's what it is.

Unfair.

It's unreasonably, unjustly, unequivocally unfair.

It's unfair, all right.

You're doggone right it's unfair.

You know me.

I never get mad.

Nothing ever makes me mad.

I don't allow myself to get mad.

But today I'm plenty mad.

Dr. Andrews is right, Jim.

This isn't a hearing. It's a mammoth soapbox.

And Senator Royce is using it for personal speech-making.

You're quite right, you. You're exactly right.

The man's grandstanding.

And he doesn't care who he hurts or what it costs.

I'm used to it.

It's practically a normal environment for me.

Besides, it's not just me he's after. It's the wheel he's opposed to.

Nonsense. He's opposed to everything we've done.

He fought us from the very beginning, knowing that the publicity would make

him famous.

All right, that's true. So he's a demagogue, and so he makes loud and

repetitious noises until the impressionable begin to listen.

But I still have faith in the majority of Congress, and I have faith in the man

in the street.

He can be swayed this way and that, but when the truth eventually gets to him,

he knows where to stand and what to support.

We haven't got time to wait for the man in the street. By the time he's made up

his mind, we'll all be busted and out of business.

That's exactly what worries me.

I wish you two would eat your lunch. That's what the recess was for.

Now let's keep it official.

Oh, no, I don't feel like it.

Every time I think of that fabricating, phase-making phony, I lose my appetite.

No wonder.

It must be awful to be a sitting duck for an utter nitwit. It is.

But worst of all, it gives the opposition the chance to blow their loud

horns. Maybe we should blow some of our loud trumpets. Oh, come now, Dr.

Andrews. I never heard a bragging or an egotistical statement out of you yet.

Hmm.

Perhaps that's what's wrong with me.

I'm too modest.

Dr. Logan here is too modest. You're too modest.

And the thousands of people who work for us are too modest. What do you want us

to do?

Start taking bows for our latest delay?

No, but we needn't go on hiding our light under a bushel either.

June was right when she said that miracles are performed around here. They

are. Every member of our unit performs them.

I perform six or seven of them every day before lunch.

And Dr. Andrews, if you can't perform a miracle, you build a machine that

performs one for you. Oh, that's the easy part of it. I do other things I

wouldn't believe possible if I hadn't done them myself.

Jim, I do think it's time you did a little bragging.

So do I.

And this afternoon, whether they introduce me or not, I'm going to give a

speech. I bet it'll be a wonderful speech. I never made a speech in my

life. I do. I've given lectures, but I've never made a speech.

This afternoon I give a speech and I'm going to tell them all they can go...

Jump in the river.

Dr. Andrews, if I asked you to give me a promise, would you keep it?

Of course, you know that. What is it?

That speech.

Don't.

Mr. Chairman.

Dr. Benedict.

Before the lunch recess, Senator Royce made a statement about the space

station, intimated its use being limited merely to its being a jumping-off place.

Well, I think it only fair to place in the record a correction to that

impression. I see.

Freed from Earth gravity and atmosphere, the space station is a complex working

base from which many highly critical functions are performed.

Weather forecasting, astronomical observations...

radio and television relaying, and many highly important military uses, only one

of which is global reconnaissance.

Now, Benedict, we've had all sorts of satellites in orbit, telemetering back

data long, long, long before you built that contraption up there. Yes, we still

have. And I might add that the station is now servicing some of those very

units.

But let's forget all of that for a while and let's talk about some facts of life.

We don't intend only to send up a manned missile to orbit the moon.

That's only one step in our program.

We intend to make a soft landing on the moon.

We intend to establish a base on the moon.

A base that will need to be continuously supplied.

Now, of course, all of this could be done by sending up missiles from the

surface of the Earth.

But to do this in such an obsolete way would cost billions and billions of

dollars, more than what has been spent on BB.

And this apparatus, Benedict's Billions, is in orbit now and is

operational. That's a broad and loose use of the word. I can hardly regard so

delicate and vulnerable an installation as being operational.

It, sir, is operational.

There are equally learned scientists who feel that it is delicate and unreliable.

Any number of these scientists talk to me, and I can tell you they have my ear.

Now, what do you think of that?

I think it's lucky, sir, that it's your ear they have and not mine.

I don't think that this is any time for levity.

I'll tell you what I intend to do, sir. I have a scientific advisor, Dr. Kurt

Easton, whose reputation is unassailable.

I'm going to see that he's appointed to return with you as official observer on

the station.

I think we've arrived at the moment when this committee is entitled to some first

-hand reports which may not necessarily be in concert with yours and your

personal organization.

And I can tell you the Pentagon better not try to block it.

If this committee sees fit to appoint such an observer, I assure you no one

will try to block Dr. Easton.

And now, sir, I want, here and now, as part of your testimony, an honest

and frank appraisal of whatever other predictable hazards the space station

really faces.

Sir,

there are any number of hazards and dangers.

ranging all the way from radiation to innumerable possibilities of mechanical

failure.

But if you demand my frank appraisal of what I consider to be the greatest

danger, it's the vacillation, the continuing swings of certain sections of

public opinion.

From the earliest days at Cape Canaveral, when we were first trying to

outdo the first Sputniks, many people...

have teeter-tottered between anguish and triumph.

Whenever the enemy made the slightest advance, loud voices proclaimed that we

should beat them at all cost.

And whenever the slightest gain was made, this unfailingly was followed by

periods of apathy or complacency.

And through it all, a few kept up the weeping and the wailing over the cost of

survival. And there have always been political opportunists ready and waiting

to grab a headline by jumping on the crest of each wave, whether it be one of

enthusiasm or one of despair.

Those of us on these projects are well aware of our responsibilities.

And we recognize the value of committees such as this one, calling us in from

time to time for a reckoning.

And it's good that they take us to task and keep us on our toes.

It's of little importance whether one by the name of Benedict...

bears the principal responsibility of someone else. I do not speak for myself,

except to say that if I seem to be failing, I should be replaced

immediately. But let us make up our minds once and for all whether we want

an all-out space program or not.

And if we decide that we do, as I pray we will, then let us remain constant to

that purpose and in the name of the future of our country.

Let us stop being like a changeable wind, blowing hot one day and cold the

next.

Instead, let us go forward in the American way, pioneering new frontiers

without fear, taking pride in accomplishment, yet facing dangers and

disappointments with resoluteness and without qualms and complaint.

These are the awful moments. Yes, they are.

I'll be thinking of you every second. And I you.

Good evening, Dr. Easton. Hi there. Dr. Easton.

May I present Miss Kramer?

Hello, Doctor.

Delighted, Miss Kramer. Dr. Easton's going with me to the wheel as an

observer. She told me I could get on down and climb aboard.

Yes, I'll join you in just a few minutes.

This is quite a night for me.

I've been around a lot of rockets in my day, but I've never ridden in one.

I'm not ashamed to say that I'm beginning to feel the... Full throes of

panic creeping over me.

It's pretty dreadful for a man to attain the age in life that I have and face up

to the fact that he might be a weak-kneed, quivering coward.

Don't let that worry you, Doctor. That's almost normal behavior.

Even after a lot of trips, the fellow's on the nervous side.

Everybody's first experience is terrifying.

What gets me is how I blithely accepted this assignment.

For some peculiar reason, I don't think I was actually aware of a few moments

ago. Well, the fact that I was getting myself in the situation of being shot

out of a cannon, going up and coming back. You can't tell a thing about it.

You might love it. Well, I'll tell you this. It's never going to become a

hobby. It's a pleasure to know you, Miss Kramer. Nice meeting you, Doctor.

Here goes.

Good seeing you.

I hope my knees get me over there.

Poor guy.

Nobody's first trip is any fun.

Seems like a nice enough fellow.

You know, everything may turn out to be all right.

I hope so.

We sold them on the space station again.

Let's just hope that the moon launching goes well.

It will.

We won't be leaving for hours yet. Probably not until after sunrise.

Maybe it would be better if you didn't wait until we launch. Would you mind off

with... I can't stand to watch you get into that thing.

Oh, it's not so bad.

so long fellas see any martians give them my regards

I don't know what to say to you.

I'm so ashamed of what I said the other night.

Kim, don't worry. Please don't. I didn't pay any attention to it.

I wouldn't do anything to hurt you. You know that. Of course.

I don't know what gets into me. I don't know why I act the way I do. You do

understand, don't you? Of course I understand.

It's rough on you as it can be with Dave away all the time.

You don't understand.

Oh, Jim.

Can't you see the way that I feel about you?

Good to have you back, Jim. Thank you.

I'd like you to meet Dr. Coote Easton.

Colonel Matthews, ship commander. My associate, Dave Rimmel. Welcome aboard,

sir. Thank you. Nice to know you. How do you do?

I believe we met once before at a symposium.

You read a very interesting paper concerning missile trains.

Oh, yes, I do remember.

That would have been a couple of years ago. MIT, I believe. That's right.

Well, as you know, Dr. Easton's going to be with us for a spell as an observer

for the senatorial committee.

I hope I won't be too much in the way.

On the contrary, sir. We're proud of what we're doing up here.

As a matter of fact, I'd like to take you on a tour of the wheel right now.

Fine. I'm anxious to see all of it.

Well, I'll meet you in a little while in the control complex.

Good. See you.

How was it?

Pretty rugged?

Not bad.

We have the majority of Congress on our side.

You did a beautiful job, Jim. We were all proud of you.

You gonna be much of a headache?

Who knows?

I'm glad of one thing.

They sent us a pro.

Even if he does happen to disagree with some of our ideas.

That we can win him over on our side?

Hope so.

I don't have to tell you how important it is that we do.

You see Kim?

Of course.

How is she?

Just fine.

I'd say she was in excellent health.

How'd she act?

Friend or enemy?

Well, I only saw her a couple of times.

First time, she was a little feisty.

But the second time, she was... warmer.

Great. She's gonna end up loving you.

Have you got a minute? Yes.

I know the countdown's about to begin, and I just wanted to wish you luck.

It's very thoughtful of you. Thank you.

You know, I've been up here just about a month, and I must say I've been more

favorably impressed with each passing day.

That's good to hear.

Well, it's funny in a way.

Quite frankly, I expected just the opposite.

I rather anticipated that I'd...

not approve of nothing.

I expected everything to be worth nowhere near the effort or cost.

I thought I was dead set against.

That's very gratifying.

Again, good luck.

To you too.

Good luck.

Thank you.

Well, we're ready, Jim.

We're about to get over the rocket.

Take good care of yourself, baby.

Don't let anything happen to you.

I'll try. Believe me, I'll try.

I'll go down to the airlock with all of you.

Jim. Yeah?

I... I know I'm repeating myself.

Stop worrying about Kim.

Start reactor power build-up for test.

Reactor power build-up started.

Two percent.

Begin heat exchanger instrumentation check.

Heat exchanger instrumentation begun.

Advance reactor power to ten percent criticality.

Reactor power advanced to ten percent criticality.

What's your rod control reading, Garth?

Criticality holding 10%. Dave, report on guidance system.

Locked.

Redundant systems in full sync.

Dr. Andrews, programming confirmed, as well as emergency alternates.

Dr. Logan, confirm Vernier calculations as telemeter.

Close number one and number two. Burn your engine links.

Number one and two. Burn your engine links. Close.

Nuclear reaction no longer constant.

Not sustaining 10% criticality.

Dolph? Confirm.

Criticality near 20%. Hold.

Power off.

Shut down nuclear pile.

I'm trying to. She's not responding.

Are you on automatic or manual override?

Rod control is not responding to either.

Verticality 22%. Close tank valves.

Shut off all working fluid.

All valves closed.

There's no danger of premature thrust, but maker and dog rods are withdrawn and

no longer functioning.

We have a runaway.

Oh, man, oh, man.

You're kidding.

If she keeps building, if she gets 95%, she'll blow like an A-bomb.

Matt, you'd better alert all your people.

Attention, all ships coming. Attention, this is Colonel Matthews speaking.

We're faced with a possible nuclear explosion of the rocket ship.

All personnel, manned emergency stations.

Manned emergency stations.

Secure all compartments.

Secure all compartments.

Damage control party, stand by.

What's your guess, Dave?

I'm trying to figure.

Seems like it's got to be something in the servo linkage.

24.

We've lost pressurization and thermal control in Charlie component.

Jim,

can you give me a reading of pressure and temp in Charlie component?

Sergeant, pressure and temp lost in Charlie.

That's your trouble.

The servo linkage will be broken in that area.

Verticality 26%. We've got to get that pile closed down, and there's no way of

doing it while those rods are out.

No way until we know exactly what's piled up.

28%. Those are secondary servo units in that component.

They activate the pneumatic system of the reactor.

I can climb in there through the central column if we've got our pressure.

Damage control manned and ready.

I'm afraid that may take you long.

I've got to try.

Guidance control manned and ready. Go ahead.

Pressure and thermal control manned and ready.

If that rocket blows up, it will blow us up too.

We're at a calculated safe distance.

It'll probably rock us.

We'll probably lose orbit, but we'll probably live.

Is that all you're worried about?

Say that.

I'm not exactly enjoying it.

Thirty percent.

Gradient increase accelerating.

Dave made up his mind.

You couldn't have stopped him.

The hotter that pile gets, the faster she'll keep building. They can run out

of time all at once.

They know that as well as we do.

Deep pressurized rocket criticality 32%

34%

Dolph, is Dave able to get through there?

Yep. Thank you.

36%.

38%.

criticality 40%

44%

criticality

48% criticality 52%

It's jammed with ice.

Can you see it?

I'll need a finer instrument so I don't foul it up.

I'll get it.

At the rate the pile's building, she'll explode before you can accomplish

anything.

I can make it.

No, I don't want you to try it.

I want you all to abandon the rocket.

How far can we walk in the next 30 seconds?

Where do we go?

36%. Dr.

Logan, even if he frees it, will it operate with the bleed-off duct broken?

Yes.

We can free it. The servo will work.

The bleed off duct has nothing to do with the rod control.

58%. 54%.

Tell him he's 70%.

72%.

No.

Get back to the control.

74%.

86%. 78%. 80%.

Any action yet, Doc?

No, I bet he's still stuck.

80%.

88%.

Predictability 90 percent.

Predictability 92 percent.

Predictability 88 percent.

84 percent.

Dropping!

More delay.

Another month.

You're right.

But it's a month that Dr. Easton can help explain.

I will describe precisely what I've witnessed.

How those on Earth will react, only the future can tell.