The final pieces of the space station were in place.

We pressurized it, started the oxygen and filtration systems, and crossed our fingers.

After several hours we entered the giant bubble and flipped on the generators and powered the gravity simulator.

We still had on our helmets, and measured the oxygen level inside each structure, each room. I gave a thumbs up to my team and we took off our gear.

It was odd to be walking around in a jumpsuit, a starry sky for miles around, no blue sky, no spacesuits, and a space shuttle parked outside.

Our voices echoed. The sound was startling. We were used to hearing voices from tiny speakers. Somehow the larger sound and the echo was a surprise. It felt good.

We walked from the control room to the lab. It was time for the experiments to begin. If successful, life on earth as we knew it, would never be the same again.