Exploration Log #1:
1986-11-13
On Thursday evening of November 13, 1986, the first successful entry into SCP-3321-1 was conducted. A space probe was sent within 1 kilometer of the surface of SCP-3321. Retrorockets then deployed, allowing the probe to approximate the orbit of SCP-3321. A tethered camera was then extended into the surface of SCP-3321.
[Begin playback]
Recorded video begins to play. After a few seconds out of focus, SCP-3321 becomes visible in the center of the frame. It resembles a giant reflective marble with no clear boundary between it and the space surrounding it. An occasional warped yellow-green glow is visible from within SCP-3321. The camera continues to go in and out of focus as the tether extends closer to the surface of the wormhole.
After several minutes spent approaching SCP-3321, the camera makes contact with its surface. The video goes black for approximately twelve seconds, then snaps back into focus. A luminescent yellow-green cloud of unknown composition surrounds the frame. No stars are visible in the direction of travel. A camera attached opposite the main camera observes the tether extending from the surface of SCP-3321 and bending out of view. A small number of stars are visible behind SCP-3321—far fewer than are visible in local space.
Sensors attached to the tethered probe measure an ambient temperature of 13.6°C and no exceptional radioactivity, electromagnetism, nor gravity in the local area.
After approximately one hour spent recording the interior of SCP-3321-1 at various zoom levels and angles, the tether is retracted without complication. Playback ends.
Following the success of the first venture into SCP-3321-1, human trials are suggested.
Exploration Log #2:
1988-01-01
On Friday, January 1, 1988, a second expedition into SCP-3321-1 was conducted. This mission marks the first human venture into SCP-3321-1.
[Begin playback]
"Hello, testing, testing, 1… 2… 3… I think we're good. This video, along with everything recorded by the on-board instrumentation, constitutes Exploration Log 2. My name is Dr. Peterson, this is Dr. Pond, and this over here is Dr. Schmidt. In approximately two hours, Pond and I are going to be venturing into SCP-3321. The Soviets discovered it back in the '60s, but until recently we didn't have the space capabilities we needed to make the voyage. Because of that, the Foundation doesn't know a whole lot about it. We hope to change that."
[Several minutes are spent explaining the mission. The video then cuts to the astronauts inside their shuttle's detachable chamber, about to begin the descent into SCP-3321-1.]
"We are about to descend into SCP-3321-1. We will detach from the shuttle's main body, and once our pod breaks through the horizon, we will begin dismount procedures. Pond will dismount first, followed by myself. We'll then collect samples of whatever is on the other side, take some pictures, and get the hell out of Dodge. Schmidt will be monitoring us remotely the whole time."
[Several minutes pass with minimal dialogue.]
"Alright. We are detaching in 3… 2… 1… now."
[The sound of the astronauts' pod detaching is heard in the background.]
"We are now approaching SCP-3321. From this angle, it looks like a giant bowl with a reflective bubble over the top. However, if someone was observing it from the other side, it would look exactly the same to them as it does to us. That's a fact."
[Several minutes pass.]
[over the intercom] "You guys are T minus 30 seconds from reaching the surface."
"Roger that. We'll see you on the other side."
[Several seconds pass, and the video feed goes completely black. It snaps back into focus several seconds later.]
"Pond, you okay?"
"I think so. What was that?"
"I think that was… spacetime flipping inside out. Can you hear us Schmidt? Did you catch that on video?"
[over the intercom] "No, everything went black and your audio cut out, but you're back online. I was starting to get worried. Are you guys able to see that cosmic foam the last probe recorded?"
"Umm, yeah. It looks like we're in a big, yellow cloud. Does this look like anything to you, Pond?"
"It looks like a cloud, but… heavier, if that makes sense. Almost tangible."
"Yeah, it does. Schmidt, we're ready to dismount."
[The overhead panel of the pod is heard unlocking, and the camera is oriented upwards to show the hatch slowly open skyward. Dr. Pond is then shown unfastening her harness, standing up, and pulling herself out of the pod. She ascends upwards for several seconds, at which point her tether becomes taut.]
"How do things look up there, kid?"
"Pretty amazing! This cosmic foam looks like it extends for miles. I don't see a lot of stars either. Actually, in this direction, I don't see any stars at all." [She points opposite SCP-3321.]
"I'm coming up."
[Dr. Peterson unfastens his harness and moves towards Dr. Pond. He then orients the camera towards SCP-3321. It appears disc-like—not spherical—and is noticeably smaller.]
"Our wormhole looks a lot different. You see that?"
"Yeah, it looks like an actual hole now, but it's just floating there. I've never seen anything like it. I wonder where we are."
"I don't know, but I'm guessing we're still in outer space."
"Do you think we could be in an entirely different universe?"
"Possible, but I doubt it. We're alive, and all of our equipment is working, so that leads me to think we might still be in the same one. It's not proof, but it's a start."
[Dr. Peterson and Dr. Pond proceed to collect samples of the cosmic foam and chat idly for the next two hours, after which they return to their pod. The pod is then reeled back into the parent ship's main body. This is accomplished without incident.]
Research is being conducted on the composition of the sampled cosmic foam. Possible explanations for the lack of stellar objects opposite the mouth of SCP-3321 are also being considered.
Exploration Log #3:
1992-07-04
Nearly five years after the previous voyage, a solo expedition was conducted into SCP-3321-1. Dr. Samantha Pond was selected for the mission due to her familiarity with the SCP-3321 project and her eagerness to revisit SCP-3321-1. As nearly six months of audio data was transmitted over the course of the expedition, only the most significant commentary is included below.
[Begin audio playback]
Recording start. My name is Dr. Samantha Pond. I have been part of the SCP-3321 research team for approximately six years, and was part of the team that made the first voyage into SCP-3321-1 in 1988. Something about that first expedition made me want to come back here, so I stayed with the team. Five years later, here I am, going back in.
For this voyage, I am equipped with six months of supplies and will be untethered. The first three months of the mission will be spent traveling as deep as possible into the "far side" of the cosmic foam—the side without stars. I will be collecting samples of the foam every seven days. My shuttle—affectionately named Luna X—is equipped with three high-powered telescopes, tons of thermometers and spectrometers, and enough juice to keep it all running the entire time I'm out here. Images will be sent back to headquarters every twelve hours.
Wish me luck.
[…]
Hello, Sam here. I just breached the mouth of SCP-3321 and am now in SCP-3321-1. It's just as I remember it. I know I should probably be nervous, but there's just something ethereal about this place. It feels like I'm at the edge of the universe.
[…]
Sam here. I'm about two weeks in, and I just collected my third set of samples from this cosmic foam. Maybe it's my imagination, but even though the consistency is the same, the color of this sample seems slightly bolder than the last. I'm not sure if that's due to there being a greater density foam in this part of SCP-3321-1, or if it's actually made up of something different. I'll continue to collect samples and run whatever analysis on it I can.
[…]
Hello world. It's been a month, and I just collected my fifth batch of cosmic foam. There's definitely something going on here. The farther I travel, the more the color of the foam changes. There has also been a marked increase in ambient temperature. It definitely feels like I'm heading towards something. I'm just not sure what.
[…]
It's been seven weeks, and I just realized that I'm traveling faster than I should be. The thrusters aren't on, but the distance between myself and the mouth of SCP-3321 is much larger than was projected for this point in time. I'll keep you updated.
[…]
Sam here. I'm currently nine weeks in, and for reasons unknown, my shuttle has been gaining speed. It looks like this has been occurring at an exponential rate for at least several weeks now, if not longer. I am about to flip this shuttle around, but wanted to check in first. If I don't turn around now, I may not have enough supplies to make it home. Retrorockets firing in T minus 3… 2… 1…
[The faint hum of retrorockets firing is heard.]
It looks like that worked. It'll take a couple days for a complete reversal of trajectory, but I'm looking forward to getting home. If my math is correct—and it is—I should be able to make it home just in time for Christmas assuming nothing else happens.
In other news, the cosmic foam is orange now, and it is much heavier than before. I can physically feel it push against me when I interact with it outside of the shuttle. The ambient temperature out here is also nearly three times greater than what was measured nine weeks ago. For some reason, it doesn't feel all that magical anymore either. It just feels… imposing.
[…]
The ship's not bloody slowing down! It's been a week since I turned on the retrorockets, and even though I initially noticed a decrease in velocity, I am still moving away from SCP-3321. I'm turning up the thrusters in hopes that I'll be able to push through whatever is pulling me away, but if that doesn't work, I'll be stuck out here.
[…]
Hello world. You last heard from me… two days ago. I'm out of fuel and I'm still being sucked away from SCP-3321.
I can still measure my distance from the wormhole—sort of—but the error margin returned by the on-board instrumentation keeps increasing. All I know is I keep moving faster and faster. That imposing feeling I mentioned before has turned into an utter, absolute dread. I'm… I'm going to die here.
I feel sick. Sam out.
[…]
Hello world. I'm sixteen weeks out. I'm still collecting samples of this cosmic foam; probably out of habit now more than anything else. It's a dark, desaturated orange now, almost gray. It's not less luminescent, but it's… dark. I can't really explain it. I don't even know if you're receiving these images and transmissions anymore. I guess it doesn't matter, but at least it gives me something to do.
Also, the on-board magnetometer started picking something up in front of my ship. Hell knows what the significance of that is.
[…]
Do you remember how, a few months back, I described SCP-3321-1 as seeming like it was at the edge of the universe, so far away from everything else? Well… what if it actually is? What if SCP-3321-1 is the edge of the universe? What if all those theories about the universe being boundless are wrong, and I'm traveling towards the barrier between everything and nothing? What will I find there?
I was also thinking… why does SCP-3321 exist in the first place? Its orbit makes no sense, and it is perfectly concealed behind the Moon. For all we know, it could have been there since the dawn of humanity, but was impossible to see until only a couple decades ago. Either it appeared on its own—perfectly positioned—or someone else put it there for us to find. Why? And why now?
[…]
Everything is red. I just woke up and everything is red. It's been… twenty-two weeks now, I think. I've been sleeping a lot lately, but today I woke up and everything was red. The ambient temperature is about… double what it was two weeks ago, the magnetometer is freaking out, and everything is red.
Wait a minute. I think I see something. It looks like this red foam just cuts off, and there's something on the other side. It looks kind of like… it looks like… oh my God.
[THE REMAINDER OF THIS AUDIO TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REDACTED]
