Event Horizon Mystery Cache

Background Info: 08/08/08 - The mission of the Star Cruiser "Event Horizon" was to conduct a controversial experiment - To place an Event at the same location where one had existed in the past. If successful, the experiment would cause the creation of the first natural and stable Black Hole in human history. The science of creating an artificial version, commonly called a Star Gate*, has long been utilized for bridging the distances within our own galaxy. Only through the power of a natural Black Hole can mankind reach beyond our galaxy and into the universe beyond.

The Star Cruiser* "Event Horizon" equipped with a revolutionary new Dark Matter Drive* had the potential to escape the pull of a Black Hole, but her maiden voyage would be the first real test. It was both a test of the new drive as well as the creation of the Black Hole. The captain of the "Event Horizon", The Blue Quasar, had 99 successful missions and had deployed seven Events previous to this one. The eighth Event though would be the first time a location was to be reused. Some say there were just too many variables and that a crew of Travel Bugs could not perform like humans would, but the mission went ahead as planned.

The voyage to the deployment area was uneventful, and the ship settled in to place the new Event. Immediately space collapsed around the duality and the "Event Horizon" brought its Dark Matter Drive* online and began to pull away. Cosmic debris flew past the ship, and levels of radiation, magnetic field strengths and other items unknown to modern science began to build exponentially. Even as the ship escaped from the gravity well, the onboard systems strained under the stresses. The Travel Bugs performed their tasks without fail, but the same could not be said for Capt. Quasar whose grasp on reality was pulled away by the forces of the Black Hole. Communications failed and the worst was feared. Either the ship's new Dark Matter Drive* had imploded or the "Event Horizon" had fallen back and through the Black Hole, since she has not been heard from since.

Immediately the son of Capt. Quasar. the young Lieu. Tae Kwon Dude, had successfully commissioned the Cosmoglider* Hamgran's Cache-Mobile and the Cosmoglider* Northern Penguin's Kool Ride to construct a Star Gate* for the purposes of a rescue mission. The two crews of Travel Bugs activated the Star Gate* and transmitted the emergency Space Buoy* launch command on all frequencies with the location of the Star Gate*. Based on telemetry and fuel still in reserves, the crew would be able to calculate the point of origin and then space walk to the "Event Horizon" if she still existed.

Both ships waited for the Space Buoy* to arrive. Sensors detected the Space Buoy* as it passed within 25 solameters of the Star Gate* but something had compromised the navigation, and it screamed past, missing the ships and continuing on into the depths of space. However this was a cause for celebration back on Earth as it meant that not only did the ship survive but also that the rescue crew could retrieve data from the Space Buoy* to calculate the location of the "Event Horizon". A failsafe had been installed into the Space Buoy* where its own Dark Matter Drive* would activate once it passed its target destination by 1000 solameters. This would lock the buoy into a fixed position for easy retrieval via a space walk from any Star Gate*. The rescue crew of Travel Bugs did just that, but once they left their ships they too were never heard from again.

Calculations and Factual Data: Scientists back on Earth have determined that the navigational error was likely caused by the "Event Horizon"'s own Disruptor Array* which extends around the ship for 40 solameters. These same scientists have plotted the trajectory of the Space Buoy* as it passed by the ships at 57 degrees so once the Space Buoy* is located a reverse course can be easily calculated from it. From this they've also calculated that a bearing of 55 degrees from the Star Gate* should compensated for the change in the flight path of the Space Buoy* when it moved through the Disruptor Array*. The standard fuel supply on an unused Space Buoy* would be 3500 unit. It takes 25 of those to launch the buoy leaving 3475 for actual flight. Normally one unit of fuel is needed to travel one solameter. However passing through the Disruptor Array* would have burned fuel at twice the rate. Any space walk in this region would also be significantly more difficult. Once the Space Buoy* is found the remaining fuel indicator will allow you to calculate how much fuel was used. As this is in space, be sure to use TRUE North Reference!

Special Mission Requirements: ALR In addition to the space walk, location of the buoy and finally the "Event Horizon" itself, Mission Command requires a copy of your Navi-Log* to be filed.

Additional Logging Requirement: ALR - This geocache requires you to send a copy of your track data (aka "space walk" or Navi-Log*). When you park your car (aka Cosmoglider*) at the Parking Coordinates (aka Star Gate*) erase your track data in your GPS, mark the location and begin your walk. When you arrive at the sign after 1000 meters (aka Solameters*) be sure to mark the actual location of the sign that gives the offset data (aka Space Buoy*. Continue to record your track log till you reach the final cache container (aka the Star Cruiser* "Event Horizon") and mark that location as well. Return to your car and save your entire track data. When you log your successful "Found It" you will also need to send a copy of your track data in a format that can be viewed in Google Earth hopefully without any conversion. Here's how to do it in two easy steps!

1. Save your track data from your GPS to your computer, preferably as a .GPX file, or you can also copy all of the data into a .TXT file using WordPad but all standard track data files can be accepted.
2. Add your file to a .ZIP file using your player's account name (i.e. "Tagteam Niagara.zip") which can be done by right clicking on the file and selecting {send to compressed (zipped) folder}.

Send your entire track log via Mission Command Navi-Log using the file uploader.

*** Failing to provide a valid Navi-Log will result in a Mission Failure* and your log will be deleted which means you would have to repeat the entire cache. So be sure to retain your track data for at least 72 hours. ***