Solomon's Orbit

A humorous science-fiction tale follows a small scrapyard owner whose antique automobiles inexplicably ascend into orbit, provoking mistaken reports, international diplomatic alarm, and frantic investigations by scientists and governments. Photographs and radar returns show cars among celestial objects, prompting denials, commissions, and absurd surveillance efforts while the protagonist considers mechanical improvisations that might explain the phenomenon. The narrative satirizes Cold War paranoia and bureaucratic incompetence, and explores consequences of space debris and human attempts to control the heavens through escalating, farcical responses.