Brown, Dale - Independent 01 by Silver Tower (v1.1)

the
forty-thou sand-pound laser module to be sure there was no damage that might
cause contamination or a hazard during launch.
                The
exhaustive check of the laser module’s five separate sections took longer than
she had expected. Finally she reported back. “Payload monitor power off,
Colonel. Check complete. Everything’s in the green. Ready for launch.”
                “Control,
this is Enterprise . Ready to resume
countdown. Over,” Sontag reported.
                Colonel
Will, with six years flying space shuttles, turned to the computer keyboard,
punched in “SPEC 99 PRO” and the computer monitor on Sontag’s side changed from
a blank screen to a pictorial representation of the Enterprise 's launch trajectory. Will checked the display. In case of a malfunction of all three
of the general navigation computers, the GNCs, he would fly the Enterprise manually into orbit using the computer display as a road map. He keyed his
microphone. “Control, this is Enterprise . Flight plan loaded and checked. Over.”
                The
checklists ran faster and faster. From T-minus twenty minutes to T-minus five
minutes, Will and Sontag worked furiously. Their main job was to start the
three auxiliary power units, the APUs, which supplied hydraulic power to Enterprise . During launch the APUs would make sure
the Enterprise 's aerodynamic surfaces were in their
streamlined launch position; during landing or during an emergency the APUs
would supply hydraulic power to the surfaces to allow the shuttle to be flown
like a conventional airplane.
                After
T-minus five minutes Will and Sontag could do little but watch the computers on Enterprise and acknowledge status checks from Vandenburg Launch Control.
                “T-minus
two minutes,” Launch Control reported. “H-two and O-two tanks pressurized, Enterprise . You are go for launch. Over.”
                “Copy,
Control. We’re go for launch.” Sontag looked over his shoulder once more at
Page, Schultz and Baker.
                “Here we
go....”
                “Put the
pedal to the metal, Colonel,” Schultz said and immediately regretted it. Pretty
callow stuff, he told himself. The others indulged him by ignoring it. Ann
settled herself as far as possible in her seat and pulled her seat straps tight
as she could stand it. The air felt electric—not stuffy or humid but
super-charged with power. Far below she could feel the rumble of another piece
of equipment—the solid rocket booster’s ignition APUs. The thought of six
million pounds of thrust about to be let loose made her eyes shut tight.
                “T-minus
ten seconds ... nine... eight....”
                She nearly
jumped out of her seat as she felt a gentle touch on her left hand.
                “Relax.”
                It was
Marty Schultz, nodding. “It’ll be fine, relax.”
                She took a
deep breath, feeling as if it was the first she’d taken in hours.
                “... Six
... five. .. four.... ignition sequence start... main engine one ignition...
two ignition ... three ignition.. ..” Sontag wasn’t talking over the
interphone—he was screaming out loud cross cockpit: “... Manifold pressure good
all three engines... three in the green    ”
                One hundred
feet behind Ann, the three main engines were cranking out one-and-a-quarter
million pounds of thrust, but almost no noise or vibration could be felt. Ann
did feel a twang , the sway of the
orbiter towards the external tank as the main engines moved toward full thrust,
but even that wasn’t too noticeable.
                She knew
from endless simulation what came next. She could just make out the ABORT light
on the front instrument panel It hadn’t come on, thank God. When the orbiter
realigns itself after the