Choose Your Own Adventure

Choose Your Own Adventure: Mission to Neptune

Anxious, I sit in this gigantic, pointed rocket waiting for Mission Control to start the final countdown to launch. I felt so excited as the cramped, metal lift ascended: that same feeling as riding my favourite rollercoaster before the big drop. The reassuring clunk of my seat harness made me feel both safe and terrified about what I was embarking on.

I am headed to Neptune, where no astronaut has ever attempted to visit before. The more I think about it, the crazier it seems. I am looking for signs of life on the frozen, swirling gases of the faraway planet. Mission control have spent years preparing for this mission, calculating fuel, Oxygen and food supplies for a journey longer than any other.

I am startled from my thoughts by the familiar crackle of a communication from the control centre.

Your Co Pilot has been taken ill. We have 2 possible replacements. Who do you choose?

Who do you choose? Click on the photo of your Copilot!

Fellow pilot, I am Bobby, a fully trained Engineer, I have experience of fixing the Space Station and space walking. I have never been on a real mission before. Choose me.

I am cosmonaut Jeff, I have never been into space before but I am a good boy. I follow instructions, wag my tail and am great at fetch. Choose me!

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You chose Jeff......

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There is an eerie silence after Jeff has boarded the gleaming rocket and we both wait for the countdown. I count in my head along with the computer generated voice coming through the radio from the ground below.
"5, 4, 3, 2..." teeth gritted and fists clenched I wait for the final number and the roaring whoosh of the boosters firing. But instead a wailing siren fills the air like a fire alarm only louder and at a higher pitch. I look frantically to the side and see Jeff, he is gnawing and tugging at the oxygen tubes! A sad and deflated voice cuts through the siren and says "Mission Aborted. Bad boy Jeff, Bad Boy!" My adventure is over before it really began. Jeff forgot his favourite chew toy, Mr Froggy and he always chews when he is nervous. Better luck next time.

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Click Earth to go back and choose again

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You chose Bobby......

Bobby gives me a toothy grin as we wait in silence for the countdown to begin. I know I have made the right choice of copilot, I think Bobby is going to be a fantastic help to me during the mission. The booming countdown fills the air and as I hear the words "Blast Off",the warmth and vibrations of this rocket ship propelling into the unknown rise up through my body like the rising sun.

We are cruising now, the earth shrinking behind us in the watery sky, like a bath bomb fizzing to nothing. Mouth open, I watch the spectacular scenery slowly scroll across the window frame, like an ever changing work of art.

Suddenly, distracted by red flashing from the main control console, I look down to realise my worst nightmare has come true. The fuel gauge is low. Too low. This mission can never succeed. Fear grips my body as I contemplate the terrible decision Bobby and I must make.

After all of the years it has taken to get to this point, I fear that the last minute change in Copilot has resulted in a terrible miscalculation of the fuel needed.

Bobby is preparing his tool kit in case he needs to complete any last minute repairs and I contact mission control to let them know about this terrifying situation.

Mission Control? Come in. We are low on fuel.

Sorry Astronauts, there is nothing we can do. It's up to you to decide what to do now.

What do you decide to do?

Click the picture when you decide!

Turn back and attempt to reach Earth, crash landing in the ocean, before the fuel runs out. Bobby has calculated that at the rate we are burning through fuel that we will probably run out before we reach the Earth's atmosphere. We may spin out of control and be lost in space. Is it worth the risk?

Keep going forwards, turning will just use more fuel. Based on our current trajectory I think we will make it to the next closest planet. Bobby and I are prepared for what might be a crash landing. If I choose this option Bobby has no idea how we will get home again but, I think it might be worth trying to salvage some part of this mission. I have never given up before!

You chose to turn back......

The rattling ship splutters and hurtles towards the Earth's atmosphere. I hope we survive this, nuts and bolts are being stripped from the shell of the ship and alarms are ringing in my ears.

Sweat drips down my face as our speeding fireball re enters the atmosphere, I breathe a sigh of relief, until.....

The engine fails, time stands still and there is nothing but silence. My stomach lurches as the rocket rolls and spirals, totally out of control, like a tornado.

Sizzling, and steaming we are submerged in the icy depths of this choppy, shark infested, sea. I feel sick. I can't tell if that is a result of the turbulent journey home or from knowing that my mission was a failure. Better luck next time, I guess.