"Fred Hoyle - Rockets in Ursa Major" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hoyle Fred)

ROCKETS IN URSA MAJOR
THIS BOOK CONTAINS THE COMPLETE TEXT OF THE ORIGINAL HARDCOVER
EDITION.

A Fawcett Crest Book reprinted by arrangement with Harper Row Publishers, Inc.

Copyright © 1969 by Fred Hoyle and Geoffrey Hoyle.

Digitized August 2006.

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form.

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 77-110329

Selection of the Doubleday Science Fiction Book Club, September 1970

Printed in the United States of America December 1971




To BARBARA, BERNARD and JOSEPHINE




Prologue

THE SUN beat mercilessly down on the concrete launching pads at Mildenhall. The DSP 15 stood
alone, glinting in the light of high noon. The apron around the ship was a hive of activity as the countdown
drew to a close.
Best of luck, Fanshawe,' said John Fielding, the scientific leader of the project. 'When you return I shall
have aged much more than you.'
'If your bally refrigerator works properly, Fielding,' replied the ship's Commander. can't quite see myself
doing a recce in Ursa Major with a crew of Abominable Snowmen: He turned to his crew. `Right-ho,
chaps, off we go. I'll tuck you up in the ice-box when we're on course.'
He held out his hand to Fielding. 'Don't look so worried. We really have absolute faith in the whole
machine, so you'd better start looking to that jolly old beacon of yours, and make lots of toddy when you
get our re-entry signals. We shall need it: John Fielding smiled and they shook hands.
Tubby Fanshawe moved towards the lift. Suddenly he stopped, and looked hard at a young blushing
red-haired - space cadet. 'Ganges! 'Pon my soul, what's the Space Corps coming to? You must have
concealed your batting averages.'
`Good luck, Fanshawe. I'm not supposed to be here, but couldn't resist seeing you off.' The young man
beamed with pleasure at being recognized in the crowd.
`All the best to you, laddie,' said Fanshawe. 'Don't let the Generals grind you down.' With a last wave to
the small crowd that had gathered, he climbed into the lift and was whisked to the crew's cabin at the
nose of the ship.
Fifteen minutes later the rocket rose in a cloud of oxygen gas, exhaust flames and concrete dust, slowly
tilting on its course for Ursa Major, and a page in history.