The story revolves around Gerald and Tatiana, who are dealing with the aftermath of their spouses' departure on a space expedition. Tatiana receives a letter from her husband, Iwan, stating that their spaceship has landed on an asteroid made of metal harder than diamond, and there is almost no chance of returning to Earth. Meanwhile, Gerald keeps his wife's confession about leaving quiet. A year later, Tatiana is pregnant, and the family experiences a rare snowfall caused by an asteroid circling the Earth, bringing positive changes to the climate. Arnold, an astronaut, arrives, and they discuss the asteroid's origin and its impact on Earth. Gerald announces plans for a space expedition to Jupiter's satellite Europa, hoping for his son's return. The story also includes a romantic evening between Gerald and Tatiana, and a dangerous encounter with the Antarctic ice sheet.