SEPTA Transports Humanity

The S.E.P.T.A. mission is a NASA sponsored un-manned exploration mission concerned with surveying the life-capable planets contained within the EPS-451 system, and determining the presence of life within the EPS-451 system. In order to do this, two stages will be executed, the first a fly-by probe that will execute preliminary observations, with the second being an atmospheric descent probe, used to determine many of the variables within the planet's atmosphere. These two missions, with their combined data, will aid the science team in determining whether there is indeed life or not upon said planet.

The reasoning behind the choice of these planets is that they were the only ones close to the habitable temperature range required for the presence of life. The sponsors of the project, other than the US government and NASA, are primarily industrial movers and shakers who are interested in the biomedical options presented by a new specimen of undiscovered life, and are paying heavily for the chance to stake a claim in this, the newest realm of biological research. We are investigating the atmospheres specifically because we may find the surfaces of the planets more hospitable than the calculations of the effective temperature. This may allow the planets to jump within range of the habitable temperature norms, thus allowing for the possibility of life on said planets.

When reached for comment, the HAA said that it was an honorable pursuit, and they hoped that the benefit went to mankind in general, and said nothing about her personal gain of fame and fortune. She also said that she sincerely hoped that no one forgets to feed her when in cryogenic freeze, because otherwise no one would know how to analyze the data correctly when the probe reaches. She said, "Throw an extra blanket on, because it's darn cold in there, Mr. Bigglesworth".

For further information pertaining to the mission at large, you can see the Mission WebSite at www.stwing.upenn.edu/~ber/astro

Produced by:
Ben Williams (ber@seas.upenn.edu)
Natalie Ostroff (natalieo@sas.upenn.edu)
Chris Dravis (cdravis@sas.upenn.edu)
Sidhartha Mathai ( smathai@seas.upenn.edu)
Jonathan Bruzzi ( jbruzzi@seas.upenn.edu)
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