Interceptimg Aragon

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NASA and Earth are chasing a first. The asteroid to become known as Aragon is full to bursting with the heaviest of metals. But otherwise, is very similar to Oumuamua, and came from the same part of space. Aragon entered the solar system near Uranus and would exit after veering around Venus. Earth was flabbergasted that another, like Oumuamua, had come so quickly.

Harry and Abby are sequestered from NASA’s Gateway platform to take a look with its Orion vehicle, that was fully-loaded with useful tech. In two years, the comet interceptor would be ready to pounce on an interesting comet or asteroid. Unfortunately, this little craft, was still to be built. So the work-around was Harry and Abby from Gateway, in their Orion craft.

There was something intriguing about this asteroid, that drew Earth and NASA to it like bugs to a lamp. James Webb’s spectrograph was swung onto it and it detected bizarre metals and Rare-Earths in its makeup, together with moscovium – none of them detected in any asteroid before. They also found a few PPB of regulation metals…completing a veritable who’s, who of the periodic table.

Oumuamua wasn’t imaged, but NASA was determined that this would change. So, it was up to Harry and Abby in their Orion craft to make it so.

Discovering Aragon would transform thinking on Earth. Never would the planet be the same again. The weird metals proved to be the cryptic signature of an intelligent race of non-humans. The Fermi paradox was finally shattered.