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Updated: June 16, 2025
In the same way, the mass of thorium was known. The measurements of the asteroid were being taken. They would be compared with a chunk of thorium of the same size. If it worked out, that would be evidence enough. Commander O'Brine motioned to chairs. "Might as well sit down while we're waiting, Foster." He took one of the chairs and looked closely at Rip. Suddenly he grinned.
He reached the crater's edge and walked right down into it. They were out of sight of the Connies now. Rip walked up the other side of the crater until his bubble was just below ground level. The chunks of thorium he had ordered thrown in to block some of the radiation made walking a little difficult. "Santos," he said, "we're in the second crater."
We're already working on it." "Anything yet?" "No, sir. We'll have the albedo measurement in a few minutes. It'll take longer to figure the mass." The asteroid's efficiency in reflecting sunlight was its albedo. The efficiency depended on the material of which it was made. The albedo of pure metallic thorium was known. If the asteroid's albedo matched it, that would be one piece of evidence.
There was only a few minutes’ working time each revolution. Kemp worked fast, and the first hole deepened. Rip helped as best he could by pushing away the chunks of thorium that Kemp cut free, but it was essentially a one-man job. As Kemp neared the bottom of the first hole, Rip reviewed his plan and realized he had overlooked something.
There isn't much about a chunk of thorium to get sentimental over, but after fighting for it the way we did, it doesn't seem right to cut it into blocks." "I know how you feel," Rip admitted, "but, after all, that's what we brought it back for." He studied Koa's dark face. The sergeant major had something on his mind. "Got vack worms chewing at you?" he asked.
"We will sweep the asteroid clean with our exhaust, but this time we will be more thorough. When we have finished, we will hammer you with guided missiles. Then we will send snapper-boats with rockets to hunt down any who remain. We intend to have that thorium. You had better surrender." Rip couldn't believe it. The cruiser commander had no hesitation in sacrificing his own men!
Santos was crouched over the rocket launcher, his space gloves working rapidly as he kept the rockets pointed at the enemy. Rip called, "Santos, fire at will." The Planeteers formed a skirmish line which pivoted on the launcher. Only Kemp remained at work. His torch flared, slicing through the thorium as he prepared their firing position. The atomic charge was ready.
Rip made a quick estimate. Two were enough to form a critical mass. He would use two to blast into the sun and three to blast out again. He would need the extra kick. There was only one trouble. The pieces were wedge shaped. They would have to be mounted in thorium in order to keep them rigid. Only Kemp could do that. They had no cutting tool but the torch.
But thorium mostly gives off the kind of radiation known as alpha particles. Alpha is not dangerous unless breathed or eaten. It won't go through clothes or skin. But when mixed with fine carbon, thorium alpha contamination makes a mess. It's a dirty mess, Foster so dirty that I don't want my spacemen to fool with it. "I want you to take care of it instead you and your men.
The discovery of the radio-active properties of uranium was followed about two years later by the discovery that thorium, and the minerals containing thorium, possess properties similar to those of uranium. This discovery was made independently and at about the same time by Schmidt and Madame Skaldowska Curie.
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