Shortly after forming Space International, or SpaceInt, Frank had found it necessary to go on several talk shows to defend himself and reassure people that he wasn't stealing their contributions.
"Mr. Weatherly," One host asked with a righteous frown, "is it true you have been using Man's Hope International contributions for your own purposes?"
Frank shook his head. "No, sir, it is not. I receive one dollar a year for being Chairman of the Board of Directors of Man's Hope International. Other than that, every cent Man's Hope receives goes toward the promotion of space exploration. We are paying salaries to people that work for the corporation, of course, but I am not one of them. I am not reimbursed for my travel or anything else. Since we were able to launch the supply shipment, we have been devoting our effort to locating promising projects and ideas that will further man's expansion into space. Of course, we will be sending another supply shipment once the ship is inbound, but that will be several months yet."
"But Man's Hope International built the launch pad in Brazil, and now this company of yours is operating it at a profit!"
Frank shrugged. "The contract Man's Hope entered into with the government of Brazil required that Man's Hope build the pad, but once it and our mission were complete, it would become the property of Brazil.
"We found that many people were interested in launching from Alcântara, but the government could not contract for the launches because the pad still belonged to Man's Hope, at least until our mission returned. The government of Brazil was very properly concerned that they were losing a lot of revenue. So, they asked Man's Hope to surrender the pad without waiting. The government decided that with the increased traffic through Alcântara, professional management was desirable, and I formed a company to operate it in exchange for a share of the profits. Let me emphasize that Man's Hope International no longer has any interest in or responsibility for the pad. It is wholly owned by the government and people of Brazil, and operated by a subsidiary of Space International."
"Your last supply ship was launched from Russia. Why was that?"
"Actually, it was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Man's Hope contracted with International Launch Services for the launch, using a Russian Proton-M booster. We needed to launch a lot of mass at high velocity, and this was the heaviest lifting booster we could obtain on short notice. I would like to add that International Launch Services launched that mission for cost. That amounts to a contribution of nearly a million U.S. dollars."
He looked directly into the camera. "I would like to give everyone watching my word. Man's Hope International has absolutely no connection with any company with which I am involved. If one of my companies should make a deal with Man's Hope International, the contract will be a public record. Man's Hope International is a nonprofit organization chartered by the United Nations to promote the exploration and exploitation of space. As such, our books are public and you, or your attorney, or your accountant, are free to come to our main office in Brasilia, Brazil, and examine them."
The host's smile turned cold. "'Exploitation'. Does that mean you plan to exploit space?"
Frank grinned. "Of course. By all means. If there is no profit in spending the large sums required to go into space, no one will go. I assume this broadcasting company owns communication satellites?"
The host frowned. "Of course. There are thousands of communication satellites in orbit."
"Exactly," Frank replied. "This company realized that it could make a profit by launching a satellite. They are exploiting space for a profit. As will I.
"I have lied to no one. In the speech at which Man's Hope was dedicated, when I explained our true mission, I mentioned that we hoped to bring home millions of tons of metals and minerals. I have never denied that I planned to make money in space. But not a penny, not a centavo of the money donated by generous people around the world has been used for any purpose but the promotion of space. I know that there are people who feel betrayed. I'm not sure why, but I'm aware of it. To them I say I'm sorry you feel that way. But I have dealt honorably with you from day one, and will continue to do so."
Other interviews were similar in tone and content, but still, contributions to Man's Hope fell off. Editorialists and talking heads accused him of "arrogance" and "deceit," "Claiming to be working for the benefit of mankind when he was really only working for the good of Frank Weatherly," in the words of one prominent editorialist. Even his public relations firm's pro-Weatherly campaign met with only limited success. It was proof of the old adage that the truth can never catch up with rumor - especially if the rumor is juicy and scandalous.
Finally, Frank gave up and just shrugged it off. He was accomplishing what he set out to do – revitalize the conquest of space. He decided he didn't really need popularity, too.
Susan was not so philosophical. She was in a permanent state of fury now, firing off "letters to the editor" whenever she discovered an anti-Weatherly editorial, and sending Frank's lawyers after every accuser she felt maligned Frank. With her computer research skills, she was finding a lot of them.
One morning she came storming into Frank's office. "Have you heard about this idiot from Yemen?" she demanded. "The fool stood up in the UN yesterday and accused you and Man's Hope of 'stealing' Eros from the people of the world!"
Frank nodded, "I heard about it. It doesn't mean anything. He's just trying to divert attention from their political troubles."
Susan frowned. "I'm not so sure. There are reports that his speech hit home with a lot of the small countries." But Frank shrugged, dismissing the matter. More pressing matters demanded his attention.
Frank was very busy completing arrangements for the asteroid's arrival. He had hired good people for SpaceInt, but there still seemed to be a never-ending stream of decisions and arrangements that required his personal attention. But he never missed Dolf's briefing.
Eros was still some three months out when Dolf made the big announcements.
"Tomorrow, we will begin the burn that will reverse the big asteroid, to prepare it for the deceleration necessary to approach Earth orbit. To do this, we must restore, at least temporarily, some of the rotation Eros had when we arrived." Dolf explained that strategically placed rocket engines, fed by the big Energia booster tank, would slowly rotate the miles-long asteroid on its short axis. He explained that the booster itself had been moved into position to counteract the rotation but the balance of the engines' drive forces was critical, as was the timing. In the event, it took six rotations before they could stabilize Eros in its new orientation. Dolf's broadcast was matter-of-fact, but it had been a nerve-wracking, exciting milestone.
The next day's news was just as exciting. "There is more big news today," Dolf reported. "The decision has been made about where we should put Eros when we reach earth orbit.
"The directors of Man's Hope International have decided that Eros will be parked at Lagrange point L-1, at least for the first few years.
"Lagrange points are five points in the earth-moon system at which relatively stable orbits can be established. For years, there has been discussion of putting colonies at the L-4 and L-5 points, which are on the same orbit as the Earth, but sixty degrees ahead and behind it. L-1 is located between the Earth and the Moon, making it perfect for a way station for lunar traffic. L-2 is on the other side of the moon, and L-3 is on the sunward side of the Earth's orbit.
"Now, L-4 and L-5 are stable. This means that a body in one of those positions will remain there without any additional power required to keep it there. L-1, L-2, and L-3 are unstable, rather like balancing a ball on a knife's edge. As long as the ball stays exactly on the knife-edge, it is stable. But if the ball slips to one side, it will begin drifting toward the moon. If it slips off the other, it will begin drifting toward Earth. This means that a body in those positions, like Eros, will need to keep applying a small amount of power to remain there.