Udet was already moving into what appeared to be a standard sales pitch. “I want you to be aware of the full background of our SRB project,” Udet said smoothly. He pointed to a chart showing the intended launch profile. “The Solid Rocket Boosters will stand 150 feet tall from engine bell to nose, and will be twelve feet in diameter; in the Saturn VB’s launch configuration four of them will be strapped to the core MS-IC first stage. The SRBs will supplement the MS-IC’s thrust with more than five million pounds of thrust combined, making the VB capable of raising more than four hundred thousand pounds of payload to low Earth orbit: that is, twice as much as the base Saturn V. The MS-IC itself features many upgraded features, including the new F-1A main engines, manufactured with new techniques and materials. The SRBs will be the largest solid-fueled rockets in the world — and, for economy, the first designed for reuse…”

“And the first used on a manned booster.”

“Yes, that is so.”

Dana opened his briefcase and spread a briefing document across his lap. “Dr. Udet, our time is limited. Can we get to specifics? It is the launch sequence which particularly concerns me.”

Udet’s eyes were pale blue behind his glasses. The German studied Dana, analytically, as if computing the way forward. Then, every movement evidently calculated, he sat down beside Dana; he sat easily, with his arms open, in a friendly and welcoming posture. “I understand your concerns, Dr. Dana; I have read the memoranda you have prepared for Bert Seger. My purpose today is to alleviate those concerns — to assure you that they are groundless.”

Despite himself, Dana felt disoriented by Udet’s control, his Prussian-aristocratic command. Dana’s glasses had slipped; he pushed them back and tried to speak forcefully. “And my concern is that no compromise in safety be made, for the sake of subsidiary goals such as reusability, or schedule, or economy.”

“Of course. And if I—”

“Can we return to the question of the launch?” Fumbling in his case, he extracted a brief, handwritten note. “I have completed a preliminary analysis of some failure modes during launch. I will, of course, document this formally.”

“I’m sure we have considered every failure mode, Dr. Dana.”

“I’m sure you have, too,” Dana murmured. “But perhaps we could review this. As an example: it appears that just before launch the Solid Rocket Boosters, and the rest of the stack, will be subject to what my son calls a ‘stretch’ — when the MS-IC’s engine fires up a few seconds before the release of the stack’s hold-down posts.”

Udet’s smile was thin. “I am familiar with the astronauts’ term.”