Roboship squad headed to Mars goes silent
Two crewed ships sent to have a look
MARS CAROUSEL, Feb. 39 - A drone ship squad returning from the Asteroid Belt has gone quiet just over four weeks away from Mars orbit, Pontus Caelestis (Carousel) Manager Johannes Tycho told the Chaos Courier on Saturday.
The squad of nine drone ships, returning from a three-annos survey mission with several tons of samples from metallic and stony asteroids, stopped sending status updates nearly three weeks ago, and has not replied to data requests, Tycho said.
“We know they’re there and on their approach trajectory, but they’ve gone quiet,” Tycho said. “It’s unusual, but not highly unusual. At the moment, we’re just trying to figure out what that means.”
The ships, due to arrive March 2, are scheduled for a course adjustment Wednesday, Feb. 50, to re-position for orbital insertion followed by a deceleration burn Feb. 60, the week before their scheduled arrival, Tycho said
“At their current speed and trajectory, they don’t pose any threat to the orbitals, as they’d skip by and continue on into space,” Tycho said. “Still, we went to a lot of trouble to bring the samples back and we’d like a closer look at them.”
The samples will help determine which portions of the Belt will be targeted for development first by Martius Endeavours, which operates most of the orbital facilities, built Mars’ largest city and conducts trade between Earth and Mars.
Orbital management has sent the Cutter Jove, captained by Hayden Torbay, to monitor the drone squadron, Space Rescue Chief Delmer Hastings said.
“Protectively, we’d like eyes on the drone squad a bit further out,” Hastings said. “The Jove should be in place to monitor the course adjustment and to follow them in from there.”
The Jove is accompanied by the rebuilt fast-packet Pilgrim, formerly the Caraval, and captained by Peregrinus Aeolus.
Both Torbay and Aeolus have experience with critical missions.
Torbay led the rescue of passengers from the stricken liner Wandering Star in the November Earth fleet, and Aeolus captained the Caraval when it experienced total engine failure in June 101.
“They have the equipment, the experience and the personnel on board to take care of any eventuality,” Hastings said. “We expect this will turn out to be a simple comms fault.”
Asked the likelihood that all nine ships would suffer a communications fault at the same time, Hastings said that was one of the questions under investigation.
“Yeah, that’s odd, but not out of the realm of possibility,” Hasting said. “Again, worst case scenario, they skip off to space and we lose our samples. We’ll still have most of the data.”
Ius looks to higher ground
Council mulls aerial tram vs escalator cars
IUS, Feb. 36 - The Ius Council voted 4-3 Wednesday to officially develop two proposals to take residents quickly from the Ius Forum at the foot of Geryon Montes up to the Agora about 2,000m above the chasma floor.
The proposal include building an aerial tram to cover the 5 km distance or boring a partial tunnel along the mountain slope for escalator cars that would provide views of the north chasma wall.
“Right now, residents have to take a variety of paths and elevators to get to the top or bottom, and we’re looking to make this a quicker, one-stop ride,” Ius Councillor Seamus Mitsutomi told the meeting Wednesday night.
Councillor Jia Young called both proposals premature.
“The aerial tram seems extravagant right now when we haven’t even finished building out the Geryon Agora,” Young said. “Maybe we should finish that big project before we try to tackle another one.”
The time to start planning is now, Coucillor Brynn Gibby argued.
“The time to start planning is ahead of time,” Gibby said. “We’re only devoting time and minimal resources for now. But, if we decided we want the escalator cars or the tram, we’ll want to know exactly we’ll need for those and if we have the material and capabilities.”
The tram would feature cars that could carry 50 to 100 people at a time from the Forum to a spot along the far end of the Agora, which is still being expanded at the highest developed level of the Geryon Montes.
The proposals come as Ius reached about one-tenth of its goal of adding residential space for 10,000 new residents at Geryon.
The Monte is currently home to about 11,500 of the 23,700 people living in Ius, with 12,200 residents on lower slopes and near the chasma bottom.
“We’re a split city—one high and one low,” said Rick Zheng, patron of the cooperative brew pub Rick’s at the Agora on the top level of Geryon. “Either of these (proposals) would unify the city. Let’s make it easier for everyone to get together.”
“The escalator car proposal is the easier of the two as it involves boring tunnels and partial tunnels up the slope,” said Mitsutomi, who served as Tithonia development manager before moving to Ius. “That’s something we can do today.”
The tram would requires more complex materials, such as the metallic printer stock for the tram supports.
Building, siting and positioning the supports would also prove challenging, Mitsutomi said.
“It’s not an easy project, but we can plan it now and see if it’s feasible,” Mitsutomi said. “This is only a move to explore it, not build it.”
City logistics chief takes seat on Council
Her boss's boss?
TITHONIA, Feb. 37 - City Logistics Chief Helen Matara took her place on the City Council at Thursday’s meeting, two days after winning a special election to replace new Mayor Claude Paddingbury on the seven-member panel that governs Mars’ largest city.
Matara overcame a surprisingly strong challenge by plant scientist Belinda Patel and scored a comfortable victory over former Councillor Marcus Wu.
The win sets up an interesting dynamic in City government.
As mayor, Paddingbury reports to the Council, including Matara, who in her day job as logistics chief reports to the mayor as the City’s chief executive.
“When it comes to city government, Claude and I have agreed to politely disagree,” Matara told the meeting. “When it comes my job making sure the City has what it needs to run, I’ll keep reporting to Claude as before.”
Matara also pledged to recuse herself in any votes affecting Paddingbury’s role as mayor and to sit out Council reviews of his performance.
“I see it as setting up a virtuous circle,” Matara said. “My insights will help to enhance City government overall, and Claude’s guidance will help to improve critical City functions.”
Paddingbury said the City personnel committee will be responsible for overseeing Matara’s performance as logistics chief.
“We’ll still disagree on specific things, but the personnel committee will have the last word,” Paddingbury said.
Council President Luca Matteo introduced a motion to formalize that arrangement, and received a quick second from Councillor Tiberia Hernandez, who serves as head of the personnel committee.
The Council voted 6-0, with Matara abstaining, to approve that arrangement.
“What this means in practice is that Claude remains Helen’s boss, but must refer any action of disciplinary nature to the personnel committee,” Hernandez said. “Promotions aren’t really a question because the only promotion open to Helen now is mayor and that’s an elected position.”
Separately, the Council agreed to discuss at next week’s meeting a proposal to join a road printing project to shorten the travel time between Ares Port and the Noctis Grange Hall, which will be adjacent to a new inter-city shuttle port expected to begin development soon.
“We should also discuss whether it would be advisable to skirt around Ares Port to the south to provide a direct route from the City to the Labyrinth,” Asta said.
Two workers killed in orbital accident identified
MARS CAROUSEL, Feb. 36 - The two orbital cargo workers killed in a Feb. 24 accident involving a faulty auto unloader were identified as Cargo Master Drummond Seraphus and Cargo specialist Arnold Stafford.
“Both men were highly valued members of our orbital team and will be dearly missed by their many friends in orbit and on the ground,” Orbital Cargo Supervisor Espen Trym
Seraphus was a four-annos veteran of orbital cargo operations who arrived at Mars six annos ago and transferred to orbital work after two annos at Ares Port.
Stafford joined the orbital cargo team upon arriving at Mars in July 99 from Earth, where he worked with cargo operations in Earth and Luna orbit.
The two men were killed when their mini-shuttle was struck by debris after a cargo pod was ejected out of sequence and with excessive force from the cargo ship Vespera.
An investigation found that their deaths were most likely due to a faulty auto unloader mechanism that essentially fired a cargo pod at a high rate of speed and out of sequence while the stern hatch was only partially open.
The collision with the stern hatch broke open one end of the 15m cargo pod, sending debris and two cargo crates flying toward the worker shuttle.
The three other workers aboard the shuttle who suffered injuries including broken bones and bodily trauma are recovering in hospital in Tithonia on the surface.
The shuttle was struck as the five workers were going to check out problems with the cargo pods in the Vespera, Trym said.
The deaths marked another serious mishap for the November supply fleet.
In November, an explosion aboard the spaceliner Wandering Star on approach to Mars forced the evacuation of 274 passengers and crew.
The accident was also the first fatality for Mars’ corporate patron Martius Endeavours since a worker died in a crane accident at Ares Port in August 101.
- Alfwinna Webster, Orbital Correspondent
Rockets blast away from Orbits in Marsball
TITHONIA, Feb. 37 - The Hab 1 Rockets took off at the start of their round four match and kept going until the end against the Ares Port Orbits.
The Hab 1 side improved to 3-1 with the 71-53 win over the Orbits that marked the biggest point differential in inaugural season play.
“We started off hot and just kept going,” Rocket forward Ronaldo Sepulveda said.
The Orbits, who fell to 1-3, tried to mount a late rally but it stalled after three straight meteors brought them within six points of the Rockets.
“We were sluggish, and they were hitting consistently from the start,” Orbits Captain Jamie Xavier said. “We’re going to have to change that for the final round.”
The Orbits will get another look at the Rockets in the sudden death fifth round in two weeks as the win sets up the rubber match between the No. 2 Rockets against the Orbits, who are second to last on points with 245.
The first match on Feb. 44 pits the unbeaten Westhill Pulsars (4-0) against the last place, 1-3 Sprockets with 234 points.
- Deroy Duval, Sports Correspondent.
Calendar
Xanthe Terra Council to discuss agrodome
The Xanthe Terra Council meets Saturday to evaluate a proposal from Shalbatana builder Jeremiah Volcon to build a community agrodrome at Orson Welles to provide garden space for residents as well as back-up farm capacity. Welles Dome 14:00
Noctis Council to look at alternate road routes
The Noctis Labyrinthus Council will discuss alternate or multiple routes for a proposed printed road to link the Noctis Grange Hall to Ares Port and through that, Tithonia. One of the alternatives would bypass Ares Port and go direct to the City. Grange Hall 14:00
“The Mad Harper”
Romantic threedee. You’ll go mad about the music Stage 3 Hab 1 Terrace 8, Feb. 44-50, 18:00, 20:00, 22:00
Samba Marte, The Rosettas at Pub Seventeen
Samba Marte takes the terrace at Pub Seventeen on Friday, followed by the Rosettas Marsbeat band at the Hab 3 brew pub near the Terrace One Arena. Friday, Saturday from 20:00.
Cubby Samba
City Residence hosts the weekly Cubby part with the City Samba. Friday, Cubby Terrace at 20:00 Friday. Hab 1 Terrace 3. All resident are welcome.
Geryon Song Share
Acoustic players swap songs. Geryon Agora. Two sessions. Saturday 16:00, 20:00
City Social
Mix and mingle with new arrivals and old hands. Hab 2. Terrace 4, by Tithonia Gardens. Friday 17:00
City Farmer’s Market
Saturday. Stalls available by appointment. Fabrica (Industrial) Tube Terminal Saturday 0900-1500
Marsball Week 12, Round Four
The 2-1 Hab 1 Rockets face the 1-2 Ares Port Orbits Thursday 20:00 Hab 3 Terrace One Arena
- Merry Grace, lifestyle correspondent
Classified Ads
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SURFSUIT Refurbishing. Fabric and boot repair, seal replacement, visor refurbishing, comms upgrades. COPRATES 297-14210
SHUTTLE AGENTS, MECHANICS for InterChasma terminals. PONTUS 100 763
CARGO HANDLERS. Space experience required. Contract exemptions considered. PONTUS 100 419
WELDERS. Experienced welders seeking space yard qualification. Ex-contract only. PONTUS 100 639
CONSTRUCTION All specialties. Some outside. Ex-contract only. GERYON 278 68034
AG ENGINEERS Hydroponics, aeroponics. Ex-contract only. IUS 278-71892
APPRENTICES Recycling systems. 8 annos and up. IUS 278 98559
APPRENTICES Metal smith, forging, casting, 8 annos (14 years) and up. URBS 269-37728
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APPRENTICES Environmental systems. URBS 269 81447
SPACE CAMP. Get ready for orbital work. All ages. ARES PORT 268 00910
BALLROOM DANCING Let's Rumba! URBS 269 49144
YOGA. Get the kinks out. IUS 278-43256
DANCING. All styles for adults. Hab 3 Rec Center. URBS 269 10311
STRENGTH Training for trainers. COPRATES 295 04716
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Photomosaic: Viking Orbiter: NASA/JPL-Caltech