This story hopefully will hold your interest. Some of what we will see is based on actual people. The names and a few of the countries will be changed a bit to 'protect' their identity, besides it sounds better to say that.
Natasha was from Russia but that is not her name, Katya was from the Czech Republic, and they were not twin sisters. I'm sure they were 21 at some point but not when I met them. See how I might create a truth out of a fallacy.
Nonetheless, this story was inspired when the USA announced publicly that there existed a 'space launch' pad in Maryland. Future chapters will address that as well as the ones in Antarctica, The Arctic Circle, Isle off Japan, and those Undersea/Water and Underground Habitats.
Technology is a wonderful thing if it works.