We Are Not Alone in the Universe: A Science Fiction Story

May possibly 28, 2068: Former NASA astrobiologist Richard Mason tells his 13-year-old grandson, Bobby how he found life on Saturn's biggest moon:

"Bobby, you May possibly not think me when I tell you I worked for NASA and found life on Titan, Saturn's largest moon."

"No, I never think you." The grandson mentioned.

"Properly, I will tell you the story anyway," replied Richard.

Bobby rolled his eyes and stated, "OK... Go ahead... "

"In 1997, we launched the spacecraft, Cassini Voyager into space to discover Titan-the biggest of Saturn's 58 moons. In 2004, soon after virtually seven years of traveling 58 million miles, Cassini got close adequate to orbit Saturn. Following many orbits about Saturn that collected atmospheric information, Cassini then visited Titan, exactly where NASA and the ESA (European Space Agency) gathered as a lot data as feasible around Saturn's most intriguing moon. In 2005, Cassini orbited Titan numerous occasions prior to it launched Huygens-a circular land rover onto its surface from one thousand kilometers from space. When it touched down on to the moon, its camera took photos of Titan's surface for two hours ahead of the Huygens was destroyed by the moon's freezing atmosphere at -290 degrees Fahrenheit temperature. The only image taken of the terrain showed a thick, black and white atmosphere of nitrogen and frozen rocks.

In January of 2016, transmission from the Cassini space station was lost. Apparently, a comet had flown by Cassini 30 kilometers away, pulverizing it by flying debris. Inside months, a meeting was known as with NASA and the ESA to launch yet another mission to Titan.

In May possibly 2024, a new space station called Goliath was launched from NASA. It carried a a lot more advanced land rover called Polaris. Its mission was to get much more sophisticated images of Titan. Seven years later, in June 2031, Goliath arrived really close to Saturn. Soon after quite a few lengthy orbits about Saturn, Goliath flew to Titan. As it approached Titan, Polaris was launched from Goliath. Following dropping by means of dense layers of methane and other gases, Polaris jettisoned a specially created parachute so that it May possibly safely land on to Titan's surface. As opposed to the 1st land rover, Polaris had a movable camera, which Might rise up to 4 feet and rotate 360 degrees in order to transmit far more detailed images of the surface.

One day following it landed, new photographs of the moon's surface had been sent back to NASA. Those surface pictures had been of a lot far better top quality than these taken in 2005, but Polaris only had two hours till it would be destroyed by the freezing atmosphere. Much more images have been taken as the camera raised itself above the Polaris, panning all about the surface. They brought back 5 photographs to Earth of the moon's landscape. Abruptly, transmission failed for ten seconds. Then a sixth, unexpected photo was uploaded to the space agency. But those images have been of Polaris itself with no its tall camera! The camera have been removed! 4 next images have been "taken" of the Polaris, panning 360 degrees about it!

The mouths and eyes of the scientists have been wide opened-fully stunned! Inside hours, news spread about the planet. By the subsequent day, newspapers about the globe read, 'We Are Not Alone in the Universe!'"

Bobby looked at his grandfather. "That is all in all probability correct except for the final aspect."

"You never think me?" Richard asked. "You believe I am Issac Asimov telling you a science fiction story? Effectively, we're gonna take a tiny ride."

"To Titan?" Bobby mentioned sarcastically.

"Ha ha!... No."

Following a twenty minute ride, they approached a large observatory. They got out. Richard took out some keys, unlocked the most important door, and went in. Richard told Bobby to step up to the significant telescope.

"I will tell you when to look into the telescope."

Richard activated the telescope. Immediately after turning some knobs, the large telescope moved to the correct and up, glancing in the evening sky. Richard spoke in some sort of unintelligible language. He rotated a couple of additional dials and pushed various buttons.

"OK. Look up in the telescope," he told Bobby. It was Titan.

Robert stated, "Look cautiously when I tell you to... Now!"

Bobby stared at a rocky outcropping on Titan, he saw a group of strange-searching red and green creatures. Every had 5 eyes, eight hands and 3 feet. They looked up exactly where Robert aimed the telescope and started waving their eight hands.

Bobby fainted.