Appleton, Victor – Tom Swift Jr 13 – And His Space Solartron

ship. The energy collectors, baled into small bundles, were there already, leaving only the tanks of helium gas to be stacked on the ship.

Soon the Challenger was streaking off from the outpost. Tom continued to increase the speed, then settled into an orbit far from the station.

“Where do we stage the test, skipper?” Arv Hanson asked.

“This area will do,” Tom replied, easing off on the repelatrons.

With the ship coasting along at orbital speed, Arv, Tom, and two of the crewmen donned space suits and hauled the energy collectors out through the air lock. Standing on the ship’s landing platform, they unloosened the bales, then nudged them off into the void, using jet scooters. The free ends of the gas tubing were fed back into the ship through a special airtight fitting on the hull.

“All set, skipper?” Bud’s voice came over the intercom after the work party had returned to the ship. Tom and Arv had gone to the compartment where the solartron and gas tanks had been installed.

“All set,” Tom replied. “Watch through the view panes and tell me how the sheets unfold.”

“Roger!”

Opening the stopcocks on the gas tanks, Tom fed helium into the tubing.

“Going fine, Tom!” was Bud’s report. “The

110 SPACE SOLARTRON

sheets are opening without a hitch!” A few moments later he added, “Okay.

Shut off the gas! They’re wide open now!”

Tense with excitement, Tom and Arv hurried up to the flight compartment where Bud was tending the controls. A thrilling spectacle greeted their eyes through the pilots’ windows. Streaming off in the blackness of the void, the energy collectors had opened to their full extent, like vast silver lace sails. The tubes glistened with dazzling brilliance in the sunshine. The sheets reflected no light.