Stealth Planet by Ray Blackhall

About the book

With so much in the news and media about the search for new planets at the fringes of and far distant from our own solar system, what if someone found a new one, with tempting, but stealthy, characteristics at a distance that allowed the possibility of human exploration in the near future? By use of propulsion systems now under development at NASA, fabrication methods assisted by advanced nan-technology, and by extending the planned Mars Mission, Stealth Planet offers this plausible, near-science, contemporary fiction theme to the reader.

The novel, chronicles the discovery by a young NASA astrophysicist of a nearly invisible mysterious new planet, "hidden" by low albedo and other characteristics near the outer edge of our solar system. Set plus twenty-five years in the future, plans are already well underway for the mission to Mars, when high speed experimental ion drive probes, reprogrammed to explore the discovery, send back just enough data to set the international space community on a new path to explore it.

David Striker, the main character who discovers Enigma, the Stealth Planet, by chance is astronaut trained, and he and his office mate and future wife attempt to make the mission crew. A multi-ethnic, diverse group with the "right stuff" set out on a mission of discovery, meeting hardship and trials, using their training skills, and basic human instincts to survive a voyage that is given little or no chance to completely succeed. Built in orbit like the International Space Station, the ship is completed using secret breakthrough nanotechnology. The strange inventor, Ishmael, the character that makes nanotech useful, becomes an underlying antagonistic element throughout the story.

Their craft performs beyond expectations, but an onboard fire of questionable origin almost kills one and comes close to tragically ending the mission. In spite of mishaps, they do reach the new planet, where the OK is given to send four to land and explore. The only way to penetrate the ominous, turbulent, and torturous outer "shell" of atmosphere, to the surface or back, is through an occasional swirling tornadic vortex, much like a large tornado or a small, spiraling hurricane on earth. The surface explorers make it through, land, and discover humankind's ultimate goal, a form of life, but also encounters something unexpected on an exploration sortie. The landing party must struggle with the planet's inhospitable atmospheric storms, their communications with the mother ship, and one of their discoveries to survive. Marooned with two badly injured, the redundant second lander is used to facilitate a rescue, only made possible by a gifted character.

Quarantined and stricken by a strange malady, the medical officer must attempt to save the dying, but fails, losing a critical crewmember. A radical mixing of nanotech builders and human life results in a means to overcome the deadly menace. Their stay shortened by the unexpected, the return voyage is not without additional challenges and trials. David's tenacity eventually leads to an answer to the mystery of Ishmael's frightful plan for them and to the depth of his deception.

Romance, birth, death, a meshing of human and nanotech "life", and constant adventures follow the characters from discovery day until their much-anticipated return. The story ends with the unusual circumstances of their triumphant return to the friendly confines of Earth and a technician's famous photo of David that ties back to page one, and the pre-discovery beginning.

About the author

Born in Buffalo, New York on January 8, 1950, Ray attended Syracuse University receiving a BS degree in geology, and alter received a MS degree in geology from Miami University. Employed as a geoscientist in the oil and gas exploration business since moving to Houston, Texas after graduation, he became an independent earth scientist in 1979 and has run his own company, of which he is currently president and CEO, to present.

Ray has been happily married to his wife Sally since 1980, and they have one son, Colin. His social and business activities include being an officer and director of several local and national professional organizations. Writing has always been a prominent interest, and throughout his career he has written innumerable prospect brochures and reports as well as technical papers and short stories. An intense interest in reading, research, and meshing scientific fact with contemporary fiction has resulted in his turn to writing realistic, time-relevant, full-length novels.