"In position, Captain." "IGR 140-288." "Right, take her up 8 fathoms." "Prepare surface stations!" " Load tanks 1 through 6." " Yes, sir." "Steady at 8 fathoms, sir." "Right." "Nothing in sight, prepare to surface." "Surface stations!" "Maintain visual and radar." "Watch for surface vessels." "Where are we, Lieutenant?" "Right here, Captain." "Fine." "We've made good time." "Hover cruise at 20 knots, steer a course 126." "Steer 126, speed 20 knots." "Tracking aerial set up, sir." "Skydiver to Control." "We have surfaced." "'In position to check the satellite.'" "Roger, Skydiver." " What's happening, Captain?" " I think it's pretty important." "Commander Straker's playing this one close to his chest." " There's the signal." " Looks good." "I have a radar sighting, bearing 279." "It's a freighter." "Take her down." "Yes, sir." "Dive, dive, dive!" " Skydiver to SHADO Control." " SHADO Control." "'We had to crash dive to avoid a surface vessel.'" " What was it?" " A freighter." "I'm sure they didn't see us." "We managed to pick up the satellite." " Its orbit looked good." " Thank you, I'll tell the Commander." " How far is it now?" " Around 8 miles." "Do you think it'll work?" "I think so." "But then I always was... an eternal optimist." "4 minutes, Doctor." "Right." "Check area latitude." "10 seconds to transmission check, sir." "There it is." "Smack on the nose." "The first transmissions are coming through, sir." "Signal strength 012-147." " What's the distortion?" " Minimal." "Decimal 072." "Fine." "Keep tracking." "I think Dr Young was a little put out at not being able to see the results." "Yes, security's a word I don't like to throw at a man who goes out of his way to cooperate." "Maybe we can send him some prints." "Let's see if there's anything on the tape to print." " All set up, Ford?" " Yes, sir." "Look at that." "Look at that detail!" "That's taken from nearly 500 miles out!" "Fantastic quality!" "It's fantastic." "A real breakthrough." "See this one?" "Range 490 miles, magnification times 250." "It's like a helicopter shot." "I'm convinced." "We'll throw everything into getting this project approved." " How's it going, Kelly?" " Pretty well, Commander." "The test run was so successful there are very few modifications needed." "It's quite a set-up." "When can I tell the Commission we'll be ready to go?" "3, 4 weeks, we just have to check the link systems." "That's what I wanted to hear." "Oh, Commander!" "Could I have a word with you?" " Do you mind, John?" " No, not at all." "What's on your mind?" "Tomorrow you're asking the Commission for a billion dollars." "For one of the most important projects we've undertaken." "Sure." "It's the first item on the agenda." "There are 53 others." "Mine's number 52, it comes after what we spend on new coffee machines." "All I want is $50,000 and the chances are I won't get it." "I can't help you." "I think my project's important, sir." "You could help." "Wait a minute." "You've done a great job on the device, but your group..." "Group?" "There are just two of us, Commander." "But with that $50,000, we could complete the stereo-scan development." "I'd like to help, but I think you're looking the wrong way, Kelly." "Space." "That's where you should turn your talent." " Well, I hope you get your billion." " Oh, I'll get it." "It's a space project." "All very pretty!" "But don't pull a bulldozer job in here, Straker." "I won't have to." "Nice to see you again." "Gentlemen." "The financial committee of the Astro Space Commission is in session." "You all know Commander Straker." "And by the billion-dollar cost estimate beside it, you will have realised that the first project on the agenda is his." "Thank you, General." "Now, gentlemen, this drawing shows a standard B-142 space probe." "The project will use a modified version of this spacecraft." "I'd like you to notice the domed structure here." "From this cross-section, you'll see that it incorporates a device which, in layman's terms, can best be described as an electronic telescope." "The principle is very simple." "It is a telescope which, instead of using light, operates with a stream of electrons." "And it's capable of scanning with a magnification of up to times 2,500." "Lieutenant Masters." "These shots of the earth were taken from an orbit between 450 and 500 miles out." "The electron telescope scans an area, radioes the information to earth and the impulses are transmitted into these pictures." "As you can see, the definition is as good as any photograph." "The homing mechanisms are also very elaborate but they're fully tested and will enable the probe to home in on the planet from two million miles out." "I'm sorry to disillusion you, Straker, but I can get great shots of earth with a $2 camera from a balloon." "Yes, I should have been more explicit, General." "By "the planet", I didn't mean earth." "The purpose of the project, gentlemen, is to enable a probe to track and follow a UFO to its origin." "To home in and get high definition close-ups of the alien planet." "My project is to launch a standard or a modified B-142 space probe and place it into a parking orbit around the moon." " SHADO don't have those facilities?" " No." "We would have to use NASA for the launch." "The telescope and electronics are still on the secret list, so they would have to be fitted by astronauts after the probe had been placed in orbit." "Well?" "Find Foster and bring him to my office, Alec." "Well?" "Did they approve it?" "We've got ourselves a deal." "We even got a time slot from NASA." "Launch 712 in 4 weeks' time." " That's great." " Yes." "We could be a lot closer to some of the answers." " Well, there she is, ready to go." " Yeah." "You know, I've learned a lot in these last weeks." "Have you got a pen?" "I thought I'd just write out the cheque for 50,000." "That's all right." "I can cash in some of the family jewels." "Anyway, there's always next year or the year after." "She's all yours, Lieutenant." "I hope it gets you those shots." "I'll see you around." "'Will Lieutenant Masters report for pre-lunar medical right away.'" " Long day?" " Long month." "Well, I think we're set." "Listen, I'm thinking of taking Keith Ford with me to Moonbase." "Good idea." "You're gonna need all the help you can get." "Alec, you'd better keep all earth-lunar communication to a minimum." "Sure." "What's the situation on the launch?" "The launch?" "Well, I think we can safely leave that with NASA." "Give me a read-out on the master computer." "Electronic read-out, A-OK." "Countdown continues at T minus 4 hours, 32 minutes, 8 seconds." "Missile power..." "Go." "Water system..." "Go." "Fuel system..." "Go." "Telemetry..." "Go." "T minus three minutes." "We have green on all read-outs." "T minus 60 seconds." "'29... 28... 27... '" "We have go for ignition at minus 12... '24... 23... 22... 21... '" "'18... 17... '" "Main stage ignition." "'15... 14... 13... '12... 11... 10... '9... 8... '7... 6... 5... '4... 3... 2... 1... '0.'" "We have liftoff." "T plus 55." "T plus 60." "T plus 65." "She looks good." "NASA reports the launch is successful, sir." "Right." "Moonbase Control to Lunar Module." "Switch to automatic LLS, we'll bring you in by radio beam." " Touchdown minus 20 seconds." " Right." " Welcome to Moonbase, Commander." " Thank you." " I'll show you to your quarters." " You two go along." "Paul, let's go to Control." "I want to check on that space probe report." " Hello, Commander!" " Lieutenant." "Nina." "Joan." " How was the flight?" " Very smooth, thanks." " How's everything here?" " Fine." "Lieutenant, do you have the space probe report?" "Oh, good." "Apogee 0,124 below requirement, but we can easily correct it." "I've worked out a rough schedule for the astronauts." "We understand the probe is to be modified in space." "This is great." "We'll have to go through it together of course." "I did say it was a rough schedule, sir." "Excuse me, sir." "Because of the radio-security clampdown, no one on Moonbase knows the purpose of Project Discovery, as it has been code-named." "But I do know how hard some of you have worked on it." "As you know, a modified B-142 space probe has been placed into a parking orbit around the moon." "The first phase is to fit specialised equipment into the probe." "This equipment has already been shipped to Moonbase from earth." "Phase two is to manoeuvre a UFO into a position where the probe can be activated into a flight pattern which will enable it to follow the alien back to its origin." "'When the probe gets within two million miles of its target, 'it will start to transmit.'" "With luck, we should get the first close-up shots of another world." "It will be our first step in bringing the fight back to the alien planet." "Thank you." " An exciting situation, Lieutenant." " Yes, it is." "You'd better set things up quickly." "Right." "Who's going out on the probe?" "Colonel Foster and Lieutenant Masters." "Moonbase Control to Lunar Module." "Your flight pattern is go for rendezvous." "'Right, confirm 1,4.'" "022-417." "'Roger, Control." "We have visual contact." "'We're in position." "Onboard computer reads go for space-walk.'" "We have green on all systems." "Moonbase Control to Lunar Module." "Confirm go for space-walk." "'Safety lines checked." "'Send up a camera on my signal.'" "'Advance aboard satellite." "Condition green." "'Stage one completed. '" "Control to space team." "Roger." "Great work, Paul." "Pass my congratulations on to your team." "I've asked you all here to explain the next and most vital phase of the operation." "The space probe is in orbit, the equipment has been installed and fully tested." "Lieutenant Ellis." "The problem is to force a UFO into an orbit complementary to the space probe's." "Then we can activate the tracking systems on the B-142 and enable it to latch on to the UFO." "This will involve scheduling the Interceptors very precisely." "We've made a computer study of UFO approaches, and the general pattern is marked, as you can see." "Lieutenant Ellis has compiled an Interceptor schedule." "But a lot of decisions will have to be made on the spot." " So we have to play this one by ear?" " Right." " Isn't that dangerous?" " It involves a certain risk." "A calculated risk, Lieutenant, based on a careful weighing of human factors as much as logic." "All we have to do now is wait for a UFO." "'Red alert." "UFO bearing 142, blue." "'UFO maintaining course.'" "'This is Control." "I have a red alert." "'I repeat, a red alert.'" "Have UFO on positive track:" "142, blue." "'Speed SOL 8,35.' 140-139." "SID has just confirmed." "It's coming in on the predicted flight path." "Good." "She's all yours, Lieutenant." "'Control to Interceptors.'" "Immediate launch." "Repeat, immediate launch." "Right, let's go." "'This is Commander Straker." "'You all realise how important this mission is.'" "Your controller will be Lieutenant Ellis." "Flight plans will be relayed by Lieutenant Ford." "'UFO maintaining course." "'Speed SOL minus 8.35.'" "UFO maintaining course and speed." "Stand by for on-board computer read-in." "'001O2. 13190124.'" "Roger, Control." "'UFO maintaining course, bearing 142, blue." "'Range 18 million miles." "'17 million miles.'" "Entering area red, 081." "There it is." "It's changing course." "UFO entering area red, 084." "Speed, SOL 8,37." "We'll have to readjust the schedule." "Right." "Compute for a new flight plan." "Right, sir." "'Control to Interceptor, stand by for new flight plan. ' 042148, 2148." "Increase speed to SOL 1,127." "Leader to 2 and 3." " Alter course to 2148." " Roger." "Interceptors losing contact, sir." "We've got to turn it." "If we use a detonation here, the UFO will be forced to swing away onto this sort of a course." "Tell the Interceptors to explode a missile in area blue." "128." "Control to Interceptors." "Break formation." "Will relay new flight plans." "Control to Interceptors." "'Missile timing: 15,18 seconds.'" "Thank you, Control." "Commencing missile sequence." "Firing minus 5,2 seconds." " Detonation positive." " It's altered course." " UFO in area blue, 132." " Maintaining speed." "Crossing into blue, 133." "It's coming around just right." "It's accelerating, sir." "Decimal 38." "8,39." "We have to use a second missile." " Are you sure?" " Yes." " Compute it." " Yes, sir." "Well?" "I think a missile in area blue, 27 should do it, Commander." " Order the missile launch." " Yes, sir." "Missile timing 104-018-626." "Roger." "Detonation confirmed, sir." "'UFO veered to new course: 301." "'Compute B-142." "'Will link up in 43 seconds.'" " Lieutenant." " Oh, Commander Straker." " How do you feel?" " Fine, thanks." " How about a cup of coffee?" " Yes, I'd like that." " How do you like your coffee?" " No sugar." " Here we are." " Thanks." "Well, here's to Project Discovery." "Cheers." "I want to thank you, Gay, for all the hard work you put into this project." "And the long hours." "You know, I think..." "I think you push yourself a little too hard." "You're doing a fine job, Gay, a man's job, but you don't have to do it any better because you're a woman." "Don't ever forget you're a very attractive girl." "Thanks for the coffee." "And, thank you." "Lieutenant." " Colonel Foster." " Sir." " When do we leave?" " 1800 hours tomorrow, sir." "Good!" "Let me give you a piece of advice, Paul." "Don't ever judge a situation by the end of a conversation." "Lunar Module, take-off minus 18 minutes." "I just came to say thank you, girls." "When will the first pictures be through?" "The experts tell me 4 months, so let's hope they're worth waiting for." " Goodbye." " Goodbye, sir." " Goodbye, Lieutenant." " Goodbye, Commander." "Gay, next time you're on earth furlough, drop in and see me." "Yes, I will." "They're coming through now, sir." "Feed it through the decoder to printout." "Right, sir." "Fantastic!" "Look at that!" "I want the preliminary report in 24 hours." "Yes, sir." "We've got the answers, Alec." "We've got the answers." " Commander." " I did say 24 hours, Kelly." "Yes, but we haven't had time to type up a report." "Then give it to me verbally." "There was a fault in the device." "A fault?" "The range and magnification on each shot wasn't transmitted." "What is that supposed to mean?" "Except for superfluous detail, these shots tell us very little." "What are you trying to sell me?" "Look at that detail!" "It must tell you something." "Yes, but was it taken from 500 or 100 miles?" " Is the magnification one or 1,000?" " Oh, come on." "Look, if I take a picture of a girl from three feet or 100 yards," "I can still see it's a girl." "I want to show you something, Commander." "Whatever the range, that's a shot of the alien planet, a close-up of the surface." "Yes." "I'm no expert, but that must be some form of vegetation." "Some form of vegetation, you think." "You could be right." "But why don't we take another look?" "Now, let's pull back." "You'll notice the curvature of the horizon." "Surely from that, we can work out an approximation of the overall size." "Let's pull back a little more." "What is this, Kelly?" "Some sort of joke?" "You said earlier, Commander, you could recognise a girl from three feet or 100 yards." "What about when the shot is from 30 inches, with a magnification varying from 0 to 10,000?" "Hello, Commander!" " Lieutenant." " Thank you, you can relax now." "Hold it there a moment, will you, Lieutenant?" "Magnification 0... times 10... 100... 1,000." "Not the most flattering of pin-ups, nor the best way to spend a furlough." " Thanks for all your help, Gay." " Pleasure." " Goodbye, Commander." " Lieutenant." "Yes, I'm beginning to see the problem." "I'd like you to have a look at that monitor." "What would you say this is, Commander?" "Before your demonstration, I would've said a lava formation of some kind." "Actually, it's a section of fractured polystyrene." " It's incredible." " Here's another." "A structure..." "It could be a building." "In fact, Commander, it's a grain of pollen." "Another shot which could well be taken for a strange rock formation." " I have to agree." " Puffed wheat, sir." "Without knowing range or magnification, the lava flow becomes a piece of shattered polystyrene:" "magnification times 2,155." "A pollen grain becomes a building." "And a grain of puffed wheat, a rock formation." "Tell me, how are these shots produced?" "Micro-photography is well established, but the secret is three-dimensional effect, the depth of focus." "It's been known for 25 years, but it needs development." "So, while we've all been looking into outer space, men like you have been sitting on this: inner space." " Your pet project." " Yes." "It's a vast area, almost completely unexplored." "But I believe it will give us the answers to some of the basic questions about the universe, and even life itself." "Maybe we've all been looking the wrong way." "You know, when you really think about it, everything in this office, every object," "even a speck of dust, contains billions of particles." "And each particle is made up of millions of atoms." "A whole universe within these four walls." "I walk along a beach, stand with millions of grains of sand beneath my feet..." "Is everything we know?" "This office, our world, the vastness of space itself, inside one grain of sand on another beach, on another world," "in another universe?" "Space is infinite, both ways, outward and inward." "You can tell Kelly he'll get his appropriation." "It'll be more than he expects." "I get the picture." "A greatly magnified picture, General."