“We’re already getting inquiries about flying the spaceplane, and there’s been talk about funding for more S-19s and the XS-29,” Jason said.
“I’m all for that,” Boomer said, “but I think we need to bring in resources to start working seriously on the next series of space stations. Armstrong is hanging in there, but its days are numbered, and if Brad McLanahan’s Starfire project goes forward, which I’m betting it will, Armstrong may be out of the military space-weapon business altogether. I’ve got two folks, Harry Felt and Samantha Yi, working on space-station stuff, mostly designing systems to update Armstrong. I’d like to put them in charge of a new design team, three or four persons to start, coming up with designs for new military and industrial stations in line with President Phoenix’s proposals. We also need to get you and Dr. Kaddiri out to Washington right away to meet up with our lobbyists and find out who’s in charge of this new push for space.” He hesitated for a moment, then added, “Maybe you or Helen should volunteer to run it, Jason.”
“Me?” Jason asked. “In Washington? I’d rather be buried up to my neck in the desert. But I like your ideas. Submit a proposal and a budget to me right away and I’ll take it to Helen.”
Boomer made a few taps on his tablet computer. “In your in-box now, comandante.”
“Thank you. I knew you’d have something worked out already. I’ll make sure Helen gets it today.”
At that moment the company president and chief executive officer, Dr. Helen Kaddiri, entered the meeting room. Everyone rose to their feet as the tall, dark-eyed, fifty-two-year-old woman with very long dark hair tied in an intricate knot at the back of her neck and a dark gray business suit stood by the doorway. Helen Kaddiri was born in India but educated mostly in the United States, earning numerous advanced degrees in business and engineering. She had worked at Sky Masters for decades, partnering with Jonathan Masters to acquire the original failing aerospace company they worked for, and building it into one of the world’s premier high-technology design and development companies. “Take seats, everyone, please,” she said in a light, singsong voice. “Sorry to interrupt, Jason.”
“Not at all, Helen,” Jason said. “Have something for us?”
“An announcement,” she said. She walked to the front of the room and stood beside Jason. “The board of directors has selected three projects to provide grants to this year, all of them at universities: State University of New York at Buffalo for a swarming satellite project; Allegheny College in Pennsylvania for a laser communications system; and the bulk of the award, twenty-five million dollars, going to California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, for a very impressive orbiting solar-power-plant project.” Another round of applause from the branch directors in the room.
“That project is being run by Brad McLanahan,” Boomer said. “That kid’s amazing. I ask the kid a question about some part of the project, and he says he doesn’t know and he’ll get back to me, and next thing I know I’m getting a phone call from some Nobel Prize laureate from Germany with the answer. He’s got a list of experts and scientists on his team that’ll water your eyes.”
“We’re already heavily investing in their project,” Jason said. “We’ve already provided them with a Trinity module they’re using for dimensions and mate-testing. When they start fabricating subsystems, they want to lift parts of the space-based system up to Armstrong Space Station on Midnight and Black Stallion, so they asked for things like dimensions of the cargo bay, systems, power, environmental, temperatures, vibration, et cetera. They’ve also asked to see computer code on the Skybolt aiming system—they want to use it to beam maser energy down to a rectenna on Earth, and their computer-team leader thinks he can improve the accuracy.”
“They have their act together, that’s for sure,” Boomer added.
“I will give the universities the good news,” Helen said. “That’s it. Anything for me?”
“Boomer had a great idea: meet with President Phoenix and whoever’s heading up this new space initiative, present them with some ideas, and find out what they’re interested in doing,” Jason said. “He also wants to form a team to start designing space stations, military and industrial. His proposal and budget are on my tablet.”
“Good ideas, Boomer,” Helen said. “Drop his proposal off to me in my office right after the meeting.”
“Will do,” Jason said.
“I also suggested you or Jason volunteer to head up the government space initiative if there’s no one named yet,” Boomer said.