Border Station Five: Dear Diary

17/01/2160 - Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas:

Arrived at the Space Center today and was surprised by how many applicants there were. I counted fifty before the Administrator appeared. Chatting to Ava, a fellow American, she said she had heard over 200 people had applied. The Administrator thanked us for our applications, and then she led us into the main building. Several interviews later, I joined Ava and 18 other applicants for group tasks. We noticed our group was a straight 50-50 split. Ten guys and ten girls.

Tasks went well. Most of them were basic group tasks designed to evaluate how we work with others. I'm glad to say that Ava and I hit it off from the start. We both made friends with several other applicants. Overheard talk of tomorrow's psyche evaluations. A few of our group weren't too sure if they would pass the evaluations, including Ava. I tried to cheer her up, but I'm unsure if it helped.

19/01/2160 - Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas:

Yesterday, we had the psyche evaluations. As far as I know, mine went fine; the same goes for Ava. However, chatting with Ava and a couple of the other applicants, I wasn't the only person to hear shouting and arguments from a few of the other interview rooms. There's a rumour going around that a third of us were sent home. When I arrived at the Canteen around midday with Ava, we noticed that everyone from our group was still here. I have a funny feeling we might survive till the end.

I counted 50 applicants again, unsure if they were all the same people as yesterday. Thanks to the tables inside the Canteen being nice and long, our group of 20 were able to all sit around it. Chatting amongst ourselves, we seem to be a mixture of nationalities. Most of us are from America or Europe, however, one guy is from Australia, two women are from South Africa, three guys are from China, and we even have someone from Antarctica.

For today, we had classroom assignments. In the morning, they took our group through everything known about what the James Webb telescope found. Ava asked if later space telescopes had managed to get a clearer picture of whatever it was, and the Scientist leading the lesson told us that while technology has progressed since the early 21st Century, we still don't know what it is. A few experts had suggested it might have some kind of stealth tech.

I questioned whether it was simply an asteroid, and the response was a firm no. It was pointed out that the UN and, in turn, NASA would not spend all this time, money, and effort just for an asteroid. Ava tried her best not to snicker. Everything the Scientists have used to try and see, analyse and figure out what it is suggests that the unknown object is artificial.

Before more questions could be asked, it was time to do more group tasks.

30/01/2160 - Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas:

Ouch.

Everything hurts.

I'm used to PT, but today's event was something new. I'm unsure, but I think it was designed to reduce our numbers. I was happy to see Ava doing her best to keep up with the fitter men within our group. At least five applicants quit by day's end. During one of our rest periods, Ava and I chatted about the exercise regime we're currently going through. We both agreed that NASA must have copied some of the Personal Training from Special Forces. Most likely, they chose several and then jammed it all together.

Heading back to our dorms, Ava asked if I'd like a drink.

12/03/2160 - Jet Propulsion Laboratory, La Canada, California:

Saw a mock-up of the prototype engines today. The word big doesn't suit them. We were told that when the ship they're designing is built, it'll have six of them. Someone asked if they'd be used to get the spaceship off of Earth, and they said no. The plan is to build the components on Earth and then send them to the Moon via NASA's latest heavy launch vehicle. Ava asked if we would be spending time on Luna Base during our training, and their response was essentially yes, but closer to the launch date of the new spaceship.

After lunch, we had lessons on theoretical physics and a few other topics I'd never heard of. I'm not sure if I'll be able to remember anything they said. Although considering it will be a few years until the launch, I should remember something. Ava promised to help me learn. I feel like I'm back in High School.

In the afternoon, we sat through several presentations, each one focused on a specific section of the spaceship. The Helium-3 fuel for the engines will be mined from the newest mine on the Moon. Apparently, they had some trouble with cave-ins recently, and so production had halted. There are plans to create an interactive computer program with an animated appearance so that the astronaut chosen for the mission has someone to talk to. It'll be programmed in such a way as to give the impression that it is alive and interacting with them as though it's real.

Our group of applicants decided to head out for drinks, and before I could reply, Ava said we had plans.

13/03/2160 - Ava's Dorm:

Spent the night with Ava.

20/03/2160 - Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas:

More PT today; however, we also had underwater training at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory. Considering that whoever gets chosen to go on this mission will be on their own for many years, any repairs to the spaceship will have to be done solo. They also showed us the brand-new spacesuit, which is currently in the final stages of testing. It's interesting to see how far technology has come. I found out that Ava is a much better swimmer than me; however, I won the 'hold your breath' competition, which several of the applicants decided to hold.

21/03/2160 - Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, Houston, Texas:

Second day of underwater training.

With the new suits unfinished, we're using an older model. One of the applicants failed to do a proper seal check and almost drowned. Thankfully, the highly trained diving team at the NBL were on hand to prevent it. Word's going around that they might drop out. Several of the applicants had panic attacks when they were sealed inside the suits. Ava seemed fine at first, but she also showed signs that all was not well.

Apparently, it is common for people to panic when trying on the suits. Myself and a few others had no such issues, and we got to spend some time underwater. When I came up later, Ava was waiting for me.

02/04/2160 - Day Off:

Spent the day with Ava and several of the other applicants. We decided to go camping at a nearby site.

25/07/2160 - Manchester, England:

Flew to the United Kingdom today, a first for Ava and me. With Earth united under the United Nations, it saw fit to spread R&D, Manufacturing, and Training hubs relating to Space across the globe. The UK has the most extensive and advanced augmented and virtual reality facilities compared to anywhere else.

We'll be spending the rest of the year in the UK. With the new spaceship still in the design stages, NASA wants the remaining applicants to train using AR and VR.

03/11/2161 - Low Earth Orbit:

In preparation for our eventual time in space, NASA has sent the remaining applicants (about 30 of us left) into space. I'm currently floating inside one of the habitation modules attached to the UNSS. Ava is nearby, running on a treadmill. I knew this space station was big, but until we saw it from inside the transport ship, you just don't realise the scale of the UNSS. We decided to take advantage of the zero-g and try a few things out. I reminded Ava that it would be a good idea if she swallowed; didn't want any of it floating around the room.

We have been instructed to form groups of five, and then we'll take turns heading out and doing spacewalks. Ava and I joined two guys who are from Russia and a woman from Chile. I think we may have said hello to them in passing, but neither Ava nor I have spoken at any length with any of them.

05/11/2161 - Low Earth Orbit:

Someone died yesterday.

Ava and I were busy with our second spacewalk when we were told over the radio. Catalina was the woman from Chile we had met two days before. Somehow, she had managed to damage her spacesuit. Before anyone could get to Catalina, the pressure release had pushed her too far from the station. Thankfully, they were able to retrieve her body.

When we returned to our room, Ava cried. Spent a few hours floating in a sort of fetal/cuddling position. I had to catch her tears so they couldn't get near any electronics.

NASA has called a halt to any further spacewalks for now.

12/11/2161 - Low Earth Orbit:

Spacewalks have resumed after a week off.

Catalina received a state funeral shortly after her body was returned to her family. Several media outlets on Earth had discussions about shutting down the program. However, the officials in charge of the Chile region requested that it continue in Catalina's honour. A meeting of the UN convened, and everyone agreed to do so.

04/05/2162 - Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas:

The new spacesuits have arrived, and we spent the first few hours of the morning going over their specifications. While it is true that we've had theory training on them and seen several mock-ups, with their arrival, we can finally get to grips with them.

Ava managed to get her butt stuck on the outside of her suit when she tried to get inside it. I helped her in while trying not to laugh too much.

12/06/2163 - Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas:

There are only four of us now.

Ava, Jade (a woman from France), Steve (from the UK), and myself.

We're not sure, but it's possible that NASA chose to do this on purpose. Two guys and two girls. The four of us spend most of our time together, apart from nighttime. With the amount of sex the two of us have had over the last few years, you'd think she would be pregnant by now. We're both glad that contraception has advanced so much in recent years. During one of my psyche evaluations, I was asked about our relationship. The doctor inquired if I would find it difficult to leave Ava if I was chosen to be the captain of the mission.

I thought about it and told him no.

21/09/2163 - Luna Base:

It's just Jade and myself now.

Steve suffered an unexpected heart attack days before we were scheduled to launch for the Moon, and Ava's mother died. She spoke to me about the training, mission, her family, and us. Asked if I would quit for her.

She did not take my answer well.

04/03/2164 - Luna Base:

Tomorrow is launch day.

I would be lying if I wasn't apprehensive about it. Three years of training has led to this.

I wonder what the Earth will be like when I return.

Hopefully, the mission will go well, and I will discover what's hiding at the edge of our solar system.

I've decided to stop writing a diary, so this will be my last entry.

Captain John Lawrence.