Gravity

BLACK.

SILENCE.

CARD 1

AT 600 KM ABOVE PLANET EARTH THE

TEMPERATURE FLUCTUATES BETWEEN 120 AND

-100 DEGREES CELSIUS.

SILENCE.

CARD 2

THERE IS NOTHING TO CARRY SOUND, NO

OXYGEN, AND NO AIR PRESSURE.

SILENCE.

CARD 3

LIFE HERE IS IMPOSSIBLE.

SILENCE.

TITLE:

GRAVITY:

BLACK:

OUTER SPACE, 600 KILOMETERS ABOVE

PLANET EARTH.

Like all images of Earth seen from space, this image of our

planet is mythical and majestic.

The globe seems almost tangible, slowly spinning, floating in

the endless void of space. It is a blue planet, and bright white

clouds twirl and stretch in capricious patterns across the deep

blue of the oceans and the jigsaw of continents: green, yellow

and brown.

It is noon in Cape Town and early night in India.

The sphere is almost a perfect orb except for the darkened

sliver on its Eastern edge.

It is beautiful! And so full of life.

But not here.

Here it is completely silent.

SILENCEIN:

THE DISTANCEA:

small metal object crosses the empty space surrounding Earth.

If it appears to be a small satellite that is only because it is

far away from us. It is the size of one football field. It is-

The INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION (ISS).

It resembles a dragonfly. Its solar panels stretch out, like

wings, from the long body made of connected pressurized modules.

It floats with a sense of proud achievement.

It orbits at an altitude of 500 km above sea level. It moves at

an average of 27,700 kilometers per hour, completing 15.7 laps

around the Earth per day.

It is cruising over Zimbabwe. To the East, the island of

Madagascar. Up to the North, the expansive dry lands of Somalia

and Ethiopia.

Soon, the ISS curves around the spherical planet, and it becomes

smaller, almost indistinguishable, no more than a small bright

spec grazing over the blue atmosphere.

CLOSER TO US-

Orbiting at an altitude of 600 km-

The EXPLORER SPACE SHUTTLE becomes visible.

This icon of space exploration has played a key role in all of

NASA’s missions since the late 90’s.

Faintly we hear static, voices murmuring over radio frequences.

As the babble bulds we might hear one conversation amongst the

rest:

MISSION CONTROL:

(On radio, faint)

Explorer, please verify that the P1

ATA removal on replacement cap part 1

and 2 are complete.

EXPLORER CAP:

(On radio, faint)

DMA M1, M2, M3 and M4 are complete.

MISSION CONTROL:

(On radio, faint)

Copy that Explorer. Dr Stone-Houston,

requesting status update...

A fizz of static and then the voice continues with sudden,

starling clarity.

RYAN:

Installation ninety-five percent

complete. Running level one

diagnostics on circuits, sensors, and

power. Standby.

MISSION CONTROL:

(On radio)

Standing by. Looks like we’re on

schedule. Dr. Stone, Medical is

concerned about your ECG readings.

RYAN:

I’m fine Houston.

MISSION CONTROL:

(radio)

Well, medical doesn’t agree doctor.

Are you feeling nauseous?

RYAN:

Not any more than usual, Houston.

Diagnostics are green. Linking to

communications card. Ready for data

reception. If this works, when we

touch down tomorrow, I’m buying all

you guys a round of drinks.

MISSION CONTROL:

(radio)

That’s a date, doctor. Just remember,

Houston is partial to Margaritas.

RYAN:

OK, here we go... Booting comm card

now. Please confirm link.

(beat)

Houston, please confirm reception of

data.

MISSION CONTROL:

(on radio)

Negative. We’re not seeing any data.

RYAN:

Stand by, Houston. I’m gonna reboot

the comm card.

MISSION CONTROL:

(radio)

Standing by.

An ASTRONAUT - MATT KOWALSKI - floats thirty meters away from

the Shuttle wearing a bulky white space suit and a full, bubble-

like helmet.

ASTRONAUT:

Houston, I have a bad feeling about

this mission.

MISSION CONTROL:

Please expand.

MATT:

Okay, let me tell you a story. It was

'96. I'd been up here 42 days. Every

time I passed over Texas, I'd look

down, knowing the second Mrs Kowalsky,

was looking up, thinking of me. Six

weeks I'm blowing kisses to that

woman. Then we land at Edwards and I

find out she'd run off with a lawyer

before I was off the launch pad, so I

packed my car and I headed to...

MISSION CONTROL:

Tijuana. You’ve told this story,

Kowalsky. As Houston recalls, she

took off in your '74 GTO. Engineering

requests fuel status on the jet pack

prototype.

Matt smiles, checks the monitors of the sleek device strapped to

his back.

MATT:

Five hours off the reservation and I

show 30% drain. My compliments to

Engineering. Except for a slight

malfunction on the nulling of the roll

axis, this jetpack is one prime piece

of thrust.

MISSION CONTROL:

(on radio)

Engineering says thank you.

MATT:

Tell them I still prefer my '67

Corvette though. Speaking of which did

I ever tell you the-

MISSION CONTROL:

(on radio)

We know the Corvette story, Matt.

MATT:

Even Engineering?

MISSION CONTROL:

Especially engineering. We’re going

to miss you, Matt.

Matt grins, fiddles with a control and propels himself away from

the Shuttle.

Stationed around the telescope are TWO ASTRONAUTS carrying out a

repair mission. They are also wearing space suits but unlike

Matt, they are not wearing Manned Maneuvering Units. SAFETY

TETHERS are the only things stopping them from floating away

into space.

RYAN:

Comm card reboot in progress.

MISSION CONTROL:

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