o had also passed the rigorous three-year training
period and were selected on the basis of over-all performance to precede
him. He had known them both well and wondered again what had happened on
their flights. Of course, they had both returned, depending upon what
your definition of return was. The capsules in which they had ventured
beyond Earth had returned them living. But this was to be expected, for
even the considerable hazards of descent through the atmosphere and the
terrible heating which occurred were successfully surmounted by the
capsule.

Naturally, it had not been expected that the satellites would have to be
brought down by command from the ground. But this, too, was part of the
careful planning--radio control of the retro-rockets that move the
satellite out of orbit by reducing its velocity. Of course, ground
control was to be used only if the astronaut failed to ignite the
retro-rockets himself. He remembered everyone's surprise and relief when
the first capsule was recovered and its occupant found to be alive. They
had assumed that in spite of all precautions he was dead because he had
not fired the rockets on the fiftieth orbit and it was necessary to
bring him down on the sixty-fifth.

Recovery alive only partially solved the mystery, for the rescuers and
all others were met by a haughty, stony silence from the occupant.
Batteries of tests confirmed an early diagnosis: complete and utter
withdrawal; absolute refusal to communicate. Therapy was unsuccessful.

* * * * *

The second attempt was similar in most respects, except that command
return was made on the thirty-first orbit after the astronaut's failure
to de-orbit at the end of the thirtieth. His incoherent babble of moons,
stars, and worlds was no more helpful than the first.

Test after test confirmed that no obvious organic damage had been
incurred by exposure outside of the Earth's protective atmosphere.
Biopsy of even selected brain tissues seemed to show that microscopic
cellular changes due to prolonged weightlessness or primary cosmic-ray
bombardment, which had been suggested by some authorities, were
unimportant. Somewhat reluctantly, it was decided to repeat the
experiment a third time.

The launching was uneventful. He was sent into space with the precision
he expected. The experience was exhilarating and, although he had
anticipated each event in advance, he could not possibly have foreseen
the