First Contact: Voyager 3 - Decades Long Silence Broken, Orbit Log Chapter _06
Mission Status: Unprecedented Signal Detection
For decades, the twin probes, Voyager 1 and 2, represented humanity's furthest reach. Yet, at Foundryon Mission Control, a persistent legend spoke of a third, unacknowledged probe: Voyager 3.
This morning, a faint but distinct signal arrived from the heliopause. Analysis confirmed the hex identifier: VYR-3.
This discovery challenges decades of established space history. The original 1970s planners recorded their data on magnetic tape and only fantasized about "faster, further" travel. They often mused about concepts far beyond the known necessities of the era.
But Voyager 3’s decoded fragments reveal revolutionary technology. The data suggests not only a rudimentary Solar Sail (a concept not publicly prototyped until the late 1990s) but also a propulsion system that has stunned Foundryon: a plutonium-powered pulse jet.
This engine explains the probe’s staggering velocity—80 times faster than Voyager 1 and 2. Voyager 3 is already deep into interstellar space, in a timeframe previously unimaginable. This was a secret project, decades ahead of its time, launched from Earth without public knowledge.
The ramifications are immense. Foundryon Mission Control now faces a critical dilemma:
A. Should the existence of Voyager 3 be publicly acknowledged to ensure the uninterrupted reception of its invaluable data thru international cooperation?