Single Stage Launch to Orbit from New Delhi SpacePort.

A Science Fiction Piece,

“Cabin crew prepare for taxi.” The captain’s voice crackled throughout the craft.

An attractive female voice continued,

“Ladies and gentlemen good morning and welcome to IndiGo Gaia flight 2273 from Delhi to Baidu Station. Approximate flight time will be forty-five minutes. We will be taking off shortly. Please disable all wireless devices, as we will be activating cabin radio silence. Our crew members today speak English, Hindi and Chinese Mandarin. Thank you and enjoy our award winning service on Gaia.”

Again the captain spoke, “All seat belts must be fastened at these times.”

Three handsome crew members stood amongst the aircraft aisles. “May I have your attention please as we will be demonstrating the safety features of this aircraft”. With a smile, they lifted shoulder straps over their heads and snapped the seatbelts into place. A short, black haired girl in her early 20s explained the process.

The young lady continued over the intercom, “In the unlikely event of a cabin depressurization, air masks will be be deployed above your seats. Please place the masks over your head, and breathe deeply.”

Most of the guests looked unconvinced. The three air hostesses stood wearing fighter-jet style seat belts and transparent, full-face air masks. Small blue oxygen tanks jutted from the hazmat style masks. “Remember to place the mask onto yourself first before aiding others. In the event of an emergency, please proceed to follow the marked lights towards the nearest exit, where an inflatable pod will be awaiting. Please take this time to look around you and find the nearest exit.”

After pointing towards the exits, the crew members removed their masks. The crew members continued to explain life jackets for a water landing, and proceeded to check each seat. “Please secure all personal belongings in the seat back back pouch and zip shut. Remember if you feel nauseous, convenience bags are marked bright red in each of your pouches. We also have relaxation tablets available for anyone who would like. Thank you for flying IndiGo Gaia.” The intercom chimed out. From the front of the craft a hostess spoke into a telephone to the cockpit.

The captain spoke again, “Cabin crew prepare for takeoff”. A chime sounded out, following the whine of turbine compressors spooling up.

Two British made SABRE engines began to whine up and down as the craft began to inch forward under electric motor power.

“Good morning this is your captain speaking,” a hostess checked each passenger again before strapping herself into a padded seat. “We’ll be talking off shortly, with a roughly 45 minute flight to Baidu Station. Launch windows are looking good with minimal Gs, so it should be a smooth ride. Cabin crew please take your seats.”

The crew member rubbed her forehead, as the craft was taking off just within window. She had also spent a wild night partying in Gurgaon. Behind a bulletproof wall, the captain committed flight computers, speaking with Delhi CAPCOM.

“CAPCOM, IndiGo 2273 you are cleared for Launch window. EDL commit… go! Syncing clocks, Mark! … Please proceed to runway B on my mark. … Go!”

“IndiGo 2273, Roger that.”

Hydrogen flooded the the SABRE engines, creating a plume of thrust, then reduced as the craft aligned itself on runway B” The engines were terribly inefficient at low speeds, so much of the travel happened by electric motor.

“IndiGo 2273, aligned on runway B. Engine checks looking good. Permission to initiate countdown.”

“CAPCOM, Go!”

The pilot flicked a confirmation switch, then sat back in her chair. She watched the countdown on the heads up display, “IndiGo 2273, All engines commit!”

The plane began to roll down the runway, engines spooling up to takeoff pressures and RPMs. The pilot touched not a single control, as every system was fly by wire.

Inside the cabin, passengers looked out their windows as the plane began to rumble and accelerate down the runway. The smog filled, orange skyline of Delhi flew past.

With a gust and lurch, wheels lifted from the runway. The pilot’s yolk pulled back automatically. Computer visions systems scanned the runway as the craft ascended away from Earth. IRNSS guided the craft towards its launch window.

The turbo compressor spun even faster, precooling Earth’s nitrogen atmosphere, condensing it, mixing with hydrogen, and spewing the combusted gasses out from each engine. Even at takeoff speeds the craft was very inefficient.

“CAPCOM, IndiGo 2273, ground clearance for sonic boom.”

“Mach 1!”

“CAPCOM, IndiGo you are cleared for launch window.”

The sun rose higher into the sky as the windows tinted themselves. For almost fifteen minutes the aircraft rose along its ascent route, traveling now over the Indian ocean.

Again the pilot sounded out to her passengers, “60 seconds to launch window!” trajectories flashed across her guidance displays.

The crew member spoke into a headset at her seat. “May I have your attention please, prepare for acceleration and launch on IndiGo! Please keep your arms down, make sure your seat belts are properly fastened, and keep your tongue against the top of your mouth. If for any reason your seatbelt has malfunctioned or you request relaxation tablets you have 30 seconds to alert crew members.”

Maybe those Tequila shots weren’t such a good idea, She thought to herself.

The pilot committed her computer and spoke again, “Launch commit, 10 seconds… 3… 2… 1…”

“Burn!”

Combusting hydrogen erupted at full force from each engine. The single stage to orbit space plane glowed to life!

Passengers inside were pressed against their seats, as the space plane pulled up to an almost vertical launch. Turbo compressor whined amongst the explosion. Many passengers looked deathly afraid. Some peered out the windows in awe as the Earth curved before them.

“CAPCOM, IndiGo 2273, Looking good.”

After one hundred and ten seconds the craft flattened out. By now the plane was over eastern China. From telescope, it would appear a burning meteor against a brilliant navy blue sky.

The engines burned for another eight minutes and promptly silenced. Passengers now appeared stunned as their bodies lifted from their seats into the microgravity of their straps. Several people puked violently.

“Engine shutdown,” the pilot cracked on the intercom “Successful burn and delta-V, we have been inserted into Low Earth orbit.”

The passengers began clapping and cheering. The attractive female crew member spoke again, shaking off flashbacks from clubbing the night before.

“IndiGo Gaia welcomes you to the pleasures of Low Earth Orbit. We are now traveling at over 7,500 metres per second or over 27,000 kilometres per hour; Currently over the forests of north-eastern Russia. If you need to relieve your stomach please use the red bags in your seat back pockets. We will begin approaching Baidu Station in approximately Thirty minutes so we ask that you please remain seated. Thank you and enjoy your view of Earth from IndiGo Gaia.”

Relaxing sitar music began playing quietly. With a burst from the reaction control thrusters, the space plane flipped upside-down. The ceiling went from white to black as it lit up a curved, 300 PPI AMOLED display.

A brilliant view was revealed as the Earth rolled into view above. Passengers gasped as the ceiling became invisible. Every detail of the Earth could be seen, as the space plane drifted over the Pacific ocean and across towards the polar ice caps.

The sun slowly dipped behind the Earth and the world became shrouded in darkness. The plane flew over the black of Canadian Taiga forest. Lights of detroit and Chicago came into view. New York city flew by in a moment.

From the spacecraft’s forward looking sensor array, the blip of Baidu Station appeared. Invented by the Soviets, autodocking enabled the craft to dock itself with the space station. The pilot’s display showed digital green cross hairs atop the station.

“IndiGo 2273, calling Baidu CAPCOM, requesting clearance to dock. Syncing guidance over x-band.”

“CAPCOM, Ni Hao and good evening. This is Baidu Station. Telemetry received and tracking. Optical link established. Requesting minimal trajectory alterations at plus zed decimal zed zed two metres per second.”

“IndiGo, Telemetry received and cleared,” the pilot flipped a switch, initiating a tiny burst from the reaction control system. “Mark!”

“CAPCOM, IndiGo you’re looking looking good. Two two seven three you are cleared for dock 12.”

The reaction control system on the space plane erupted once again, tilting the craft nose down toward Earth. Passengers could now see the docking lights of Baidu Station, blinking to the rhythm of an atomic clock.

Baidu Station grew as passengers could see the immense, spinning, Chinese made Stanford Taurus housing just over five hundred people. Glass skylights revealed trees and vegetation, pools, cafes and shopping avenues all hidden within the space station.

Docked along its perimeter lay several dozen SpaceX, Blue Origin, HAL, and ExPace rockets. The IndiGo docked gently against the perimeter of the station, using its reaction controls to catch up with the station’s spin.

A hint of gravity returned to the vessel. They stopped with a thud against the space station surface. An air lock clamped on.

“Ladies and gentleman the captain and crew of IndiGo flight 2273 would like to welcome you to Baidu Station,” the sound of seatbelts clicking open filled the craft. “Enjoy your stay in orbit and thank you as always for flying Gaia.”