The Cygnus XL cargo ship docked at 0900 hours. NASA calls it a “resupply mission,” but I know a bribe when I see one. Five tons of gear sent to the ISS, and they had the audacity to route a secondary payload module directly to my airlock.<\/p>\n
The docking procedure was perilous. The automated guidance system (a man in a high-vis vest named “Dave”) struggled with the atmospheric turbulence outside the WD-1 hull. He kept shouting through the comms channel about a “signature required,” which is obviously code for a final telemetry check.<\/p>\n
I breached the outer seal. The air out there smelled of ozone, burnt rocket fuel, and damp cardboard. I signed the manifest. Dave looked at my foil-lined thermal suit with what I can only assume was deep professional respect.<\/p>\n
Inside the payload: twelve cans of beans, a fresh pack of AA batteries, and a suspicious amount of cat food. Flight Engineer Whiskers immediately initiated inspection protocols, tearing into the structural integrity of the outer hull with her teeth. She found nothing anomalous, but she did throw up on the command console shortly after. Space sickness. It happens to the best of us.<\/p>\n
There was, however, no reply from Chris Hadfield hidden among the provisions. I checked twice. My sixth letter remains unanswered. I suspect mission control is intercepting his mail to prevent him from endorsing my command structure.<\/p>\n
The walls of the WD-1 are definitely vibrating today. I close my eyes, and the hum of the neighbor’s washing machine becomes the low, steady thrum of ion thrusters pushing us out past the orbit of Mars. In the darkness, I trace the constellations on the ceiling with my finger. We are adrift, but we are fully provisioned.<\/p>\n
Major Tom<\/b>
\nCommanding Officer, WD-1
\nCurrent Altitude: 340 miles (and climbing)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Cygnus XL cargo ship docked at 0900 hours. NASA calls it a “resupply mission,” but I know a bribe when I see one. Five tons of gear sent to the ISS, and they had the audacity to route a secondary payload module directly to my airlock. The docking procedure was perilous. The automated guidance … Continue reading Mission Log: Day 6 \u2014 The Cygnus XL Docking Procedure<\/span>