Why Aerospace is Fun (nudge nudge, wink wink)

by X. Ho Yen
(written around 2010-ish, as I recall, while working at a rocket company)
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In aerospace, when the heavens part, the chosen artifacts thrust hard until the desired result is achieved. This involves a lot of fluids, and there are insertions, rolls, angle of attack changes, and a lot of vibration and heat, with an occasional shock event. Steam tends to be generated.

In aerospace, heavenly bodies are kissed by the sensitive instruments of gorgeous spacecraft arching upward, themselves now heavenly bodies. Sometimes penetrating probes are employed to become even more intimately familiar with realms worth exploring.

Before operations commence there's checking of the weather, planning and preparation, questions about and transfer of tribal knowledge, and a lot of anticipation. Sometimes there are formal reviews. Often paperwork is involved. There's also a lot of preparatory testing and exercising of the hardware. Sometimes the system doesn't perform within tolerance and the operation has to be scrubbed and tried again the next day.

During operations there are oohs, aahs, moans, growls and throaty rumblings, catching of breath, holding of breath, throat clearing, and even some nausea, depending. Sometimes there are awkward farts while everyone's quietly paying attention. Afterward there's exhaustion and relief, and cleanup.

Operations could happen at any time, 24/7/365.
Sometimes the government gets too involved in what the participants are doing and/or how they're doing it.

If all goes well, it's ecstasy, and the world is permanently changed in a special way. Some participants are specialists, others generalists. Some are happy to be in charge, others happy to let others be in charge. Special relationships are established due to shared experiences. For some participants, keeping an eye on what others do is what it's all about.

If things go badly, you'll probably never forget about it and may have long-term guilt and/or anger. If this happens it's hard to not see a certain amount of money as having been wasted. Someone usually has extra work to do to make up for it until the powers that be are satisfied. Someone is usually judged, often publicly.

Aerospace work can be quite complex, involving Mae West waists, nipples, pistons and cylinders, horizontal integration, vertical integration, skirts, hoses, nuts, probes, rings, penetrations, penetrants, arms, extenders, motors, lubricants, coatings, ties, plugs, sockets, butt welds, vendors, buyers, lap welds, explosive nuts, junctions (two-way, three-way, or more), strap-ons (one company in particular puts emphasis on the PPD), wet dress rehearsals, custom tooling and equipment, special clothing and PPE, ...

Sometimes the hardware is under blankets and sometimes it's completely exposed.

And nowadays a video is often made and posted on the internet, where lots of people who don't know what they're talking about feel like they can comment.

Enjoy your exploration of space!
:)

XHoYenAuthor.com