1350 hours
said Astro , his booming voice echoing through the ship . `` Ready for blast-off ! '' `` Control deck , ready for blast-off , '' said Tom , and then turned to the logbook and jotted down the time in the ship 's journal . The astral chronometer over the control board read exactly 1350 hours . Fifteen minutes later Captain Strong and Governor Hardy climbed aboard and Tom received the order to raise ship . The young curly-haired cadet turned to the control board and flipped on the teleceiver . `` Rocket cruiser _ Polaris _ to spaceport control tower , '' he called .