Within sixty seconds the ship was ready for landing procedure and at a
nod from Captain Strong, who again strapped himself into the second
pilot's chair, Tom began the delicate operation.
Entering Earth's atmosphere, Tom gave a series of rapid orders for
course changes and power adjustments, and then, depressing the master
turn control, spun the ship around so that she would settle stern first
toward her ramp at the Academy spaceport.
"Radar deck to control deck," called Roger over the intercom. "One
thousand feet to touchdown!"
"Control deck, aye," answered Tom. "Control deck to power deck. Check
in."
"Power deck, aye," replied Astro.
"Stand by to adjust thrust to maximum drive at my command," ordered Tom.
"Power deck, aye."
The great ship, balanced perfectly on the hot exhaust, slowly slipped
toward the ground.
"Five hundred feet to touchdown," warned Roger.
"Main rockets full blast," ordered Tom.
The sudden blast of the powerful jets slowed the descent of the ship,
and finally, fifty feet above the ground, Tom snapped out another order.
"Cut main rockets! Hold auxiliary!"
A moment later there was a gentle bump and the _Polaris_ rested on the
ramp, her nose pointed to the heavens.
"_Touchdown!_" yelled Tom. "Cut everything, fellas, and come up and sign
the log. We made it--our first hop into space! We're spacemen!"
CHAPTER 10
"The next event will be," Warrant Officer McKenny's voice boomed over
the loud-speaker and echoed over the Academy stadium, "the last
semifinal round of mercuryball.
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