Vizcaino Radio Station, Orbis Date - September 4, 2099
After many years of research and testing, Vizcaino’s young space program successfully set its first artificial satellite into Earth’s orbit. The ambitious plan, carried out by a dedicated group of aerospace engineers and many other professionals led by Head Scientist Maru Rodriguez, was possible thanks to a generous financing and ongoing support from the central government.
After almost 10 years of mostly peace, Vizcaino was able to dedicate its efforts into inner projects, such as Education & Science campaigns with the aims of advancing the country’s technological development. With less immediate need for weaponry, many civil scientists working alongside military personnel for the missiles program were invited to the Horizon project, whose objective was to design, construct, and launch a functional Vizcain satellite into space, with hopes of being just a stepping stone for more complex and rewarding tasks in the future. These efforts concluded in the today’s early morning mission, with the spherical satellite “Horizon” being launched within a rocket from the Orquídea Launching Pad, an event eagerly followed by a national-wide captive audience to the live reporting of the country’s first step into a new frontier, about to be reached by its brightest minds. Soon enough, the satellite achieved an elliptical orbit around the planet, which now takes around 96 to 98 minutes to complete a lap.
Horizon is equipped with a radio transmitter, broadcasting regular intervals of beeping noises, which are not only being monitored by Vizcain scientists, but also tuned in by radio amateurs and space enthusiasts through the nation. The successful mission motivated multiple celebrations but also inspired a space enthusiastic era for Vizcaino’s society, with many young students expressing interest for related careers. Prime Minister Sara Hudson addressed the news from the capital city congratulating the culminated work of all scientists and personnel involved in what was described as a grand achievement, which not only demonstrates Vizcaino’s capacity and compromise for the sciences, but will also allow further interaction and cooperation with the international community on equal grounds. Meanwhile, Science minister Henry Sullivan promised to expand the space program with plans for further missions containing different instruments, citing geodetic and radiation measurements as examples.
As the central government promises to consolidate and canalize national commitment into a new institution that will be known as the Vizcaino Space Agency, the population looks into the forthcoming century with optimism, trusting their leaders will make the right decisions to maintain current peace that has allowed the ongoing prosperity so far.
