A Space Oddessey 2061 Book 3 Chapter 18: 'Old Faithful' PART II: THE VALLEY OF THE BLACK SNOW

A Space Oddessey 2061 Book 3 Chapter 18: 'Old Faithful' PART II: THE VALLEY OF THE BLACK SNOW

The cautious exploration of the comet had already begun while Universe still remained in the polar shadow. First, one-man EMUs (few people now knew that stood for External Manoeuvring Unit) gently jetted over both day- and nightside, recording everything of interest. Once the preliminary surveys had been completed, groups of up to five scientists flew out in the onboard shuttle, deploying equipment and instruments at strategic spots. The Lady Jasmine was a far cry from the primitive 'space pods' of the Discovery era, capable of operating only in a gravity-free environment. She was virtually a small spaceship, designed to ferry personnel and light cargo between the orbiting Universe and the surfaces of Mars, Moon, or the Jovian satellites. Her chief pilot, who treated her like the grande dame she was, complained with mock bitterness that flying round a miserable little comet was far beneath her dignity. When he was quite sure that Halley - on the surface at least - held no surprises, Cap…