title: Voyager's Grand Tour: To the Outer Planets and Beyond
author:  Henry C. Dethloff 
description: Henry C. Dethloff is a professor of history at Texas A&amp;M University and author of numerous books. Ronald Schorn is a former NASA scientist and professor of physics and astronomy at Texas A&amp;M University.
zlib_text: ## CHAPTER ONE
  
  
  Captain’s Log, Stardate 6827.3:
  
  
  Update. We continue to hold a stable orbit around the dead, uninhabited
  planet. Out of necessity all impulse power has been shut down while Chief
  Engineer Scott repairs the fused switch array. It should not delay us much
  longer. The medical team we are carrying to the planet Waycross is anxious to
  continue. So are we. This is the third extension on our mission and we are
  long overdue for B&R at Starbase 6. The dilithium crystals are dangerously
  low, in need of replenishing, but that cannot be helped at this time. As soon
  as the repairs are completed, we will continue on to Waycross, where the
  medical team and supplies are urgently needed. From there we will head for
  Starbase 6.
  
  
  The unnamed orange planet slowly rotated beneath the Starship Enterprise. It
  wasn’t an important planet, just one in the right place. Like the detective
  who always sat facing the door with his back to the wall, Captain James T.
  Kirk felt more comfortable with 