Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and is the largest one in the solar system. If Jupiter were hollow, more than one thousand Earths could fit inside. It also contains more matter than all of the other planets combined. It has a mass of 1.9 x 1027 kg and is 142,800 kilometers (88,736 miles) across the equator. Jupiter possesses 28 known satellites, four of which - Callisto, Europa, Ganymede and Io - were observed by Galileo as long ago as 1610. The atmosphere is very deep, perhaps comprising the whole planet, and is somewhat like the Sun. It is composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, with small amounts of methane, ammonia, water vapor and other compounds. At great depths within Jupiter, the pressure is so great that the hydrogen atoms are broken up and the electrons are freed so that the resulting atoms consist of bare protons. This produces a state in which the hydrogen becomes metallic.

Ganymede [GAN-ee-meed] is the largest moon of Jupiter and is the largest in our solar system with a diameter of 5,262 km (3,280 miles). If Ganymede orbited the Sun instead of Jupiter it could be classified as a planet. Like Callisto, Ganymede is most likely composed of a rocky core with a water/ice mantle and a crust of rock and ice. Its low density of 1.94 gm/cm3, indicates that the core takes up about 50% of the satellite's diameter. Ganymede's mantle is most likely composed of ice and silicates, and its crust is probably a thick layer of water ice.

Aliens on Ganymede? – Darleena Martella November 10, 2375 

( Part II )

As your deep space correspondent, it is difficult to report to you objectively, as the people who I must entrust my life to on a daily basis, also happen to be the ones whom I regularly investigate.

Fortunately, they know that if some tragic accident killed me, you know an 'accident',  it would be much worse for them in the long run, as an army of reporters would converge on this lonely out-post and uncover everything. 

So, read on and wonder, but beware ‘cuz there’s something very scary out there. 

I was standing on the ice encrusted surface, making a documentary of the installation of a monitor buoy, when a ship of strange design appeared over our heads.  Driller Bob Caskey had been drilling the hole in the ice for the buoy, and Supervisor Kelman Eldridge had been supervising. I was using my SSN spacesuit cameras to tape the proceedings. 

Suddenly, we found ourselves rising up toward the ship. We were caught by some kind of tractor beam, and abducted right under the unflinching eye of mighty Jupiter. 

None of us remembers what happened for the next forty minutes, but the next thing we do remember is finding ourselves on the other side of Ganymede in the ghost city of Temendari.  Also known as Project 51. 

Out of bounds for non-coms such as us, even if it is 'abandoned'.

Our air was running out, and Bob still had his shoulder ice blaster, so we cut a hole in one of the perimeter walls, and were immediately arrested by base security. 

Charges were not filed, and we were safely returned to our base, questioned by autorities, and allowed to continue the documentation of the mundane duties carried out every day by the imperturbable Ganymede Engineers. 

So, Supervisor Kelman and Driller Bob may not want to talk about it, but I do. 

It was either some of the Black/Ops boys over at Project 51 (you remember, the abandoned moon base...wink wink), having a little fun, or there is something funny going on out here.  And I don't mean funny ha ha.

For instance, my voice recorder was on during our mutual forty minute blackout, and I swear that I can hear some very strange mutterings of what can only be described as Something Alien.

Wait for my next report – Darleena Martella * Solar System News!

Part II now available.